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Elwood Middle Schoolers Encouraged to Follow Their Compass at Moving-Up

Elwood Middle Schoolers Encouraged to Follow Their Compass at Moving-Up

Elwood Middle School honored the accomplishments its eighth graders during its moving-up ceremony on June 24, celebrating students' achievements while recognizing an important milestone as they prepare to begin high school this fall.

Along with their moving-up certificates, students received awards recognizing excellence in academics, physical education, art and music, as well as qualities including positivity, resilience, perseverance, enthusiasm, inquisitiveness, friendliness, dedication, kindness, creativity and leadership. Additional honors included the Al Adamo Joy of Science Award, Arthur Strassle Extraordinary Effort Award, James Dunn Award, Ron Glass Memorial Award, Patrick A. Scarola Human Spirit Award, New York State Comptroller Award, New York State Attorney General Triple C Award, and the Presidential Awards for Academic Excellence and Academic Achievement.

“Remember when you start to feel a little stuck, reach out for help,” Superintendent Dr. Gayle Steele told the students. “You are surrounded tonight by those who love you, so lean on us. You are ready for the next chapter. Embrace the challenge, notice the opportunities and enjoy every minute.”

“It has been an absolute privilege to witness your journey over the past three years,” Principal Dr. Christina Moran said. “I speak with great confidence when I say that this class is truly exceptional. You consistently demonstrated a rare kindness toward one another and served as positive members of our school community. Before you head across the street to John Glenn High School, I want to leave you with one last lesson: some people live by the clock, and others live by the compass. Those who live by the clock ask, ‘How fast am I going?’ Those who live by the compass ask a different question: ‘Am I moving in the right direction?’ As you step into high school, the clock will urge you to race and compare. When you hear that noise, listen for the quieter, steadier truth, which is your compass. If you keep choosing to be true to yourself, you will always be exactly where you need to be at precisely the right time.”
 

Graduates in caps and gowns are seated on a stage with a %22Congratulations EMS Graduates 2026%22 banner and balloons, while an audience fills the auditorium seats in the foreground.
A woman speaks at a podium in front of an audience of students seated in chairs, with blue and white balloons decorating the background.
A group of young people in white attire sit on chairs in the foreground, while a backdrop of blue and white balloons and a woman standing are visible in the background.
A group of formally dressed young people sit in chairs on a stage, with a balloon arch in the background.
A group of formally dressed young people sit in chairs in the foreground, while adults stand behind them on a stage with a dark curtain backdrop.
Graduates in white gowns sit on a stage decorated with balloons and a banner, while an audience watches from the seats in the foreground.
A woman speaks at a podium decorated with balloons, while an audience sits in the background on a stage with a black curtain.
Graduates in white attire are seated on a stage with a %22Congratulations EMS Graduates%22 banner and %222022%22 balloons in the background, while an audience fills the seats in the foreground.
A young woman speaks at a podium with the Elwood EMS Middle School logo, while a group of students sits attentively in the background, surrounded by blue and white balloons.
A woman in a blue dress shakes hands with a girl in a pink dress on a stage, while a crowd of people in formal attire watches in the background, with blue and white balloons overhead.
A woman in a blue dress hands a certificate to a young woman in a patterned dress, while a crowd of graduates and balloons fill the background.
A woman in a blue dress shakes hands with a boy in a white shirt and tie on a stage, while a crowd of graduates and balloons fill the background.
A woman in a blue dress hands a sash to a girl in a patterned dress, while a crowd of formally dressed students and balloons fill the background.
A woman in a blue dress shakes hands with a boy in a white shirt and black pants on a stage, while a crowd of formally dressed students and adults watch in the background, with blue and silver balloons overhead.
A young woman in a floral dress receives an award on stage, with a crowd of graduates and balloons in the background.
In the foreground, two young women in white dresses shake hands with an adult woman in a blue dress, while in the background, a crowd of people and balloons are visible.
A woman in a blue dress shakes hands with a girl in blue pants as other students and balloons fill the background.
A group of students in formal attire are on a stage receiving awards, with a backdrop of balloons and the number %2220%22 in the background.
A woman in a blue dress congratulates a girl in a white dress on stage, while a crowd of students and balloons fill the background.
A woman in a blue dress shakes hands with a boy in a suit on a stage, while a crowd of students and large silver %222023%22 balloons fill the background.
A group of young people in white dresses and suits are on a stage, shaking hands, with a backdrop of blue and white balloons and the number %2220%22 visible.
A group of young women in formal attire stand on a stage with balloons in the background, while a woman in a blue dress congratulates one of them in the foreground.
Two young men in formal attire walk across a stage shaking hands with a woman in a blue dress, while an audience sits in the background decorated with blue and white balloons.
In the foreground, young women in floral dresses shake hands on a stage, while the background is adorned with blue and silver balloons and the number %2220%22.