Class of 2010 Graduates from East and North

More than 1,100 Sachem students from the Class of 2010 at High Schools East and North graduated Saturday afternoon, sending some of the finest minds out into the world.

"You're joining an elite group of people and those folks are over 50 years of Sachem graduates," Sachem Superintendent James Nolan told the morning crowd, who gathered for the ceremony on the football field at East. "There's probably not a corner of this earth where you could travel to where you would not be able to find a Sachem graduate giving tirelessly of his or her undivided love, attention and talents to make the lives of others better."

New York State Sen. Chuck Schumer made his annual appearance at East and North and recited his normal speech about reaching for dreams.

"This is the time to figure out your dream and reach high for it," he said. "Then reach deep down inside yourself and see what you're made of, see if you can achieve that dream."

For East, Valedictorian Brittany Lattanza's speech was inspiring and she made the crowd laugh when discussing how "roof juice" from the botched construction job at East actually united the school in a sense. She also spoke of what's ahead for the Class of 2010.

"Our futures are wide open," she said. "We still have the chance to do or be whatever we want. This concept can certainly be frightening, but like Tennessee Williams, I believe we have to overcome that fear."

Five miles away and two hours later, North Valedictorian Brian Chung, standing before his peers on the legendary Graduation Hill, made similar remarks.

"Graduating today we are on the precipice, at the threshold of the rest of our lives," he said. "Are we ready to jump, to take the plunge into the future that lies before us?"

After sitting in the blistering heat, hearing more than enough meaningful speeches from Sachem's finest, they're ready.