06/25/2026
Whether earning a spot on the honor roll, making 100 saves on the varsity lacrosse team, earning Boy Scout merit badges, or catching a 5.5-pound bass, the eighth graders at North Salem Middle School filled the last three years with hard work, growth, and plenty of memorable moments, and they celebrated all of it at their annual moving-up ceremony.
Principal Vince DiGrandi began by reminding everyone that the most important lessons are the ones students have been learning all along. “The one constant that will never change is that the soft skills you have learned as early as kindergarten, those of grit, perseverance, empathy, compassion, and kindness, will continue to play an essential part in your success as you move towards graduation,” he said.
DiGrandi encouraged the students to keep living by these values. “A small positive word or an act of kindness to another is like a pebble thrown into a pond; it can have a positive ripple effect for years to come,” he said.
The ceremony gave each student the opportunity to share what success looked like to them. As teachers read out the achievements students had written about themselves, the audience heard about athletic milestones, academic honors, and personal victories. Many students also mentioned things that are harder to measure, like gaining confidence, becoming more organized, and finding a sense of independence they didn’t have three years ago.
Congratulations to the North Salem High School Class of 2030!
