Warwick Valley Middle School 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony (w/ Gallery)

Warwick Valley Middle School celebrated its graduating class during the annual WVMS 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony on Wednesday morning. Just over 280 students made the walk from the middle school to the high school, as other middle schoolers and teachers stood along the path applauding. The students and their families gathered in the Warwick Valley High School auditorium for the ceremony, along with district administrators, Board of Education members, and faculty. WVMS Principal Jared Yapkowitz welcomed the crowd and gave his moving up address. 

See a gallery of photos from the ceremony below this story! And download a copy of the event program here.

"To our students... what a journey it’s been! Through every twist and turn, you’ve shown resilience, determination, and grit," Principal Yapkowitz said, highlighting the eighth graders' academic, emotional and social growth over their four years in middle school. "You've supported each other, challenged yourselves and made memories that will last a lifetime. Contrary to what people say, middle school doesn’t have to be awkward or dreadful -- it can actually be pretty awesome. You’ve proven that!"

Principal Yapkowitz then turned the microphone over to the student emcee for the morning, Maryam Jallow, who he lauded as a student who has demonstrated exceptional growth and maturity since fifth grade, and who truly embodies the qualities of the district's Portrait of a Graduate, as a thoughtful, resilient, articulate, and kind student. Maryam led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, and then welcomed WVMS Associate Principals Andrew Rao and Christopher Radon to open the awards portion of the ceremony. 

2025 WVMS Award Recipients

Alexander N. Smith III Science Achievement Award 

• Aiden Edwards

• Sara Marina
• Lacey Wesloske

American Legion School Award

• John Chavez Carey
• Theodore Gower
• Colin Greh
• Maggie Maiorana
• Teagan Mason
• Stella Muehlbauer

Benjamin W. Sayer Social Studies Award

• Bay Orr

David Schatzberg Memorial Award

• Livia Dembeck
• Owen Hogan
• Shea Marshall

Director’s Award for Band

• Stella Muehlbauer

Director’s Award for Chorus

• Gianna Ricco 

Director’s Award for Orchestra

• Juliet Pulido 

ELA Achievement Award

• Carlee Desravines
• Samantha Rado
• Charlotte Tuckfelt
• Courtney Ziegler 

Foreign Language Chinese Award

• Maxx Pang

Foreign Language French Award

• Noel Orthmann 

Foreign Language Spanish Award

• Liana Rodriguez
• Delilah Sanchez 

Justin Reale Spirit of Kindness Award

• Mariana Pineda-Pinzon

Math Achievement Award

• Pace Alzamora
• Ryan Kobrick
• Jessica Larsen
• Derek Reeves

NYS Attorney General’s Triple C Award

• Ryleigh Retcho
• Jack Suzor
• Courtney Ziegler

NYS Attorney General’s Civic Ambassador Award

• Wyatt Colin-Green
• Thatcher Shera
• Ella Stazzone

NYS Comptroller’s Student Achievement Award

• Lila DeGuzman
• Sofia Graf
• Micah Morgenstern
• Luca Schuler
• Jayden Tablante
• Macklin Tomlinson

Perseverance Award

• Jaden Bradley
• Shea Marshall
• Oliver Swornik

WVMS Principal’s Award

• Bay Orr

PTA Team Recognition Award

• Jaden Bradley
• Nina Corcoran
• Asher Levy-Dahl
• April McCosker
• Dylan Messiano
• Madison Mochrie

Next, the 2025 WVMS Principal’s Award winner, Bay Orr, took his turn to address his classmates and the audience. His speech focused on the importance of having a strong work ethic, being both persistent and resilient and, most importantly, to always go for it. Bay, an avid golfer, framed his message in the context of the sport.

"I believe that any goal is possible if you give it your all and stay persistent in hitting that goal. This idea of persistence can be seen in getting a hole in one in golf," Bay explained. "I use this example because I play golf, but the same common theme can be personified in other sports and activities as well. But in golf, getting a hole in one, if you didn’t know, is extraordinarily difficult and thus rare to achieve. However, even though you may have a less than 1% chance of getting that hole in one, if you never make the decision of hitting that ball, your odds of getting that hole in one are now an absolute zero." 

Wrapping up his speech, Bay thanked his family, teachers, classmates, staff and the rest of his support system this year and in years past. "And to conclude, I hope that I can help motivate my fellow peers in pursuing their goals, and that anything is possible!"

Finally, it was time for the students to cross the stage and receive their Eighth Grade Certificates. The certificates were presented by WVMS counselor Margaret Wright. 

Principal Yapkowitz's speech ended with this congratulatory and forward-looking message to the middle school Class of `25: "This isn’t just an ending, it’s the start of something even greater. High school awaits, filled with possibilities and promise. Carry with you the friendships, lessons, and values you’ve built here. Stay kind. Stay curious. Stay bold. You are the dreamers, the doers, and the difference-makers of tomorrow," he said. "As you head into this next chapter, remember that success isn’t just about the destination—it’s about the people you surround yourself with, the connections you build, and the character you carry with you. Keep those values close, lift each other up, and never forget the community that helped shape you here at WVMS."

Please join us in congratulating this year's graduating class at Warwick Valley Middle School. 

WARWICK VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASS of 2025

Rylan Almeida Pace Alzamora Aubrie Andryshak Kellen Armistead David Ast Mason Atlas Lakisha Attoradonoo Janet Augliera Sean Baird Sophia Baker Anna Balsamo Richard Barragan Owen Barrett Fynn Bauman Kyle Becker Luca Beltotti Dominik Bielak Ethan Bing Jacob Bobrzynski Colby Bontemps Jaden Bradley Jackson Braswell Lucca Brennie Nathaniel Brescia Curtis Brogan Alicia Brooke Danielle Brooke Lyla Brown William Bubenik Mikayla Bunyea Eamonn Byrne Ryland Cady Ashlee Camasca Brisell Campos Samuel Campos Avery Carberry Alexander Cardenas Macie Carmack Isabella Carrasquillo Ryan Carroll William Carroll Gianna Cassara Melani Castelan Ramirez Caroline Castellano Erica Castillo John Chavez Carey Harrison Cheung Leo Cheung Avery Chuckran Eva Chuckran Juana Chunux Garcia Ayden Clarke Chloe Clifford David Coene Andrew Cohen Wyatt Colin-Green Isabella Colon Olivia Connolly Seamus Connor Nina Corcoran Aidan Cullen Shay Cuomo Sofia De La Mota John DeBuck Julian DeFreece Eva Defreese Aiden DeGloria Sophia DeGroat Alice DeGroodt Lila DeGuzman	Livia Dembeck Julianna DePierro Carlee Desravines Gabriella DiMassa Ryan Dorfman Donnivin Duran Aiden Dwyer Kevin Dwyer Aiden Edwards Addison Emm Quentin Evelyn David Feely Charlotte Ferruggia Casey Fiske Francesca Fitzpatrick Nicholas Foley Emma Fontaine Josh Fowler Angela Fuchs Kelly Galicia-Rivera Yenri Garcia Andon Garner Leo Gordon Theodore Gower Sofia Graf Ellis Gregorio Colin Greh Aaron Grisby Samuel Grizzanti Jordan Guzman Danyal Hafeez Liam Haftek Nathaniel Hall Blake Harrison Lea Harvey Charlotte Herits Daniel Hernandez Isabella Hernandez Summer Hershko Orion Heymer Owen Hogan Adam Hooper Vivian House Madeline Hunt Zachary Hyde Novelle Islam Braxton Jaeckel Maryam Jallow Dylan Johnston Ty Jones Aleya Kathuria Logan Kearns Thomas Keenan Gianni Keller Liam Klausner Addison Kleveno Ryan Kobrick Lucy Krikava Rodriguez Carson Kruk Attis Kyritsis Christian Lamattina Jessica Larsen Alice Laule Emily Lawler Thomas Leal Asher Levy-Dahl Hailey Lewis Olivia Loberg Timothy Luciano	Addison Luft Maya Lustberg Oliver Mabee Matthew Mahoney Maggie Maiorana Mason Malgieri Sara Marina Shea Marshall Giuliana Martin Edwin Martinez Brianna Martino Teagan Mason Brooke Mattera Sophia Maybeck April McCosker Ella McDermott Grace McDermott Rylee McDonnell John McGrogan Owen McSweeney Gavin Mendrzycki Dylan Mesiano Grayce Miceli Joshua Mighty Madison Mochrie Kiersten Moeller Mia Moglia Taylor Moore Micah Morgenstern Chloe Motz Stella Muehlbauer Isabella Mulvey Ava Mulvihill Rosa Najafipour Bianca Noha Adony Nunez Michael Nunez Nicholas O'Brien Declan O'Donnell Aden Olowu Thomas O'Mahony Daniel Oppmann Madeline Oppmann Bay Orr Noel Orthmann Claire Padham Maxx Pang Emma Pasciuto Aiden Payne Eva Pellino Alexandre Perron Abigail Persaud Felicity Phillip Mariana Pineda-Pinzon Jacob Piskadlo Antonino Pitingaro Kai Potempa Abel Powers Vivien Prestigiacomo Zachary Prodigo Juliet Pulido Samantha Rado Ava Raif Jonathan Ramos Emma Ranaudo Keirrah Redner Derek Reeves Michael Reilly Ryliegh Retcho Gianna Ricco Isabella Ricco	Hannah Rieck Angelique Rios Hailey Ritt Kylie Rodiles Estella Rodriguez Liana Rodriguez Kasen Roecker Dominic Roman Charles Ronan Olivia Rose Michael Ross Driannah Ruiz Emani Sahmanovic Delilah Sanchez Brian Sansone Cayden Santiago Joseph Santiago Mason Santiago Alyssa Scheuermann Luca Schuler Devin Senior Thatcher Shera Garrett Smith Mateo Spivak Ella Spontak Kellen Stack Liam Stack Jack Starr Ella Stazzone Michael Stirpe Alexis Strickland Jack Suzor Oliver Swornik Nicolas Szapka Jayden Tablante Jorge Tapia Corey Taylor Ashton Teran Andrew Thomas Emily Thorson Macklin Tomlinson Maxine Torres Holden Tracy Charlotte Tuckfelt Brian Turk Patrick Twomey Kaeyden Tyree Andrew Unger Jasmin Uzun Fabian Valle-Castillo Olivia Vazquez Zachary Vihinen Drew Voloshin Tanner Wadeson Benjamin Warnecke Liam Watkins Aislin Wendt Clair Wendt Lacey Wesloske Angelina Weslowski-Sanchez Sean Whalen Jose Whittington Allison Wolf Rory Wright Sophia Young Paul Zaitoun Courtney Ziegler Logan Zimmerli Nadurra Zueger Leandro Zuniga