Class of ‘11 lauded for years of success in Commack

In the crowd of nearly 600 graduating seniors seated on the football field at Commack High School, brightly colored cords hanging from so many of their necks broke up the monotony of black gowns and yellow sashes.

The students wore honor cords representing more than 15 honor societies. Master of Ceremonies James Desmond, an English teacher at the high school, called the Class of 2011 one of Commack’s most accomplished.

One hundred percent of the class graduated on Sunday, added Principal Catherine Nolan. Ninety-eight percent of them graduated with a Regents diploma; 97 percent are attending college in the fall and the remaining students will attend technical schools or join the military, she said. The class also received more than $26 million in scholarships.

“To those who much are given, much is expected,” she advised them.

The student speakers - designated by their school as academic leaders - Marni Wasserman and Erica Portnoy, also told their peers they expected much of them. Both students called on well-known children’s tales to convey their messages.

Wasserman asked the audience to consider an alternate message hidden in the fable "The Tortoise and The Hare."

She said that while the tortoise clearly won the race because the hare - confident his speed would surpass that of his opponent - made too many stops along the course, maybe in the end, the hare had the right idea.

“Maybe the stops that the hare took were experiences the tortoise missed,” she said, adding that life should not be treated like a series of competitions.

Erica Portnoy explored the value of pessimism and told the story of the 'Three Little Pigs', or what she called, ‘Why Optimists Don’t Get Any Dinner.’

According to Portnoy, the Big Bad Wolf was so sure his ‘I’ll huff and I’ll puff’ routine would be a success, he wasn’t prepared to overcome obstacles - like a house made of bricks.

“When everything goes wrong,” she said. “Who’s more likely to have a Plan B, the pessimist or the optimist?”

Portnoy ended her version of the tale with a final message for her peers: “If at first you don’t succeed, try something else.”