It was a moving moment on the rainy night of Dec. 9 as 79 meritorious high school students were inducted into the school’s National Honor Society in front of a proud audience of family and friends.
Zubaer Mohiuddin, the Class of 2020 salutatorian, led the auditorium in the pledge of allegiance, followed by speeches by NHS adviser Seth Margolin, Principal Charles Cobb and ELA Curriculum Associate Justin Uliano.
“I’ve known this group of kids since they were seventh graders at Robert Frost Middle School, and I am very proud of the young adults they have become,” said Margolin. “Thank you to their parents for all of their support and guidance over the years.”
“I am proud of each one of you for being here today,” Cobb told the inductees. “Thank you for embracing and embodying the four pillars of NHS’s foundation. Your unwavering character, commitment to scholarship, dedication to service and development of leadership are all inspiring and critically important for who you are and who we are. In countless ways, you have impacted our climate and culture here at Deer Park High School. You are passionate, thoughtful, motivated and making it matter wherever you go. From the example you set by virtue of your character to the contributions you make to the learning environment due to your scholarship, to the lives you touch as part of your service, to the followers you guide due to your leadership, you are role models, change agents in the essence of what it means to be part of the Deer Park community. Congratulations and best of luck to you all in your future accomplishments.”
Five current NHS members – President Regan Mays, Vice President Sabrina Felipe Secretary Alexa Skoubas, Treasurer Alisha Suhail and Tutoring Chair Matthew Rosati – spoke on the organization’s history and commitment to the pillars. Felipe and Skoubas presented the new inductees, whose pledge was administered by Mays. After the traditional candle lighting ceremony, old and new members alike retired to the school’s cafeteria to enjoy refreshments provided by the Parent Faculty Student Club.
Music for the ceremony was provided by the school’s chamber orchestra, directed by Kathy Attard.