‘This is a special, but bittersweet day,’ Hillsborough High graduates 584 seniors

The 584 members of Hillsborough High School’s Class of 2024 are ready for their future after their commencement on June 18.

This year marked the 53rd annual graduation exercises that were held in Jersey Mike’s arena in Piscataway.

Three students reflected in a unique and personal way about reflection and resilience that Hillsborough High School Principal Jeffrey DiLollo said the entire class has independently masterered.

“The challenges of the past several years have proven significant,” DiLollo said alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic. “You have been faced with obstacles transitioning into high school during some tumultuous times, creating a changing personal identity in a large and vibrant school with what feels like countless opportunities and options [and] the social pressures that come with your latter teen years and wrestling with expectations.”

Salutatorian Atharva Katkar served as president of the Science Olympiad team and has volunteered as an EMT cadet. He plans to major in biology through New Jersey Institute of Technology’s seven-year accelerated BSMD medical program.

Katkar brought his journal he has kept for his journey through high school to the graduation sharing that he would jot down highlights every two weeks or so. It has offered him the ability for personal reflection.

“For me my first encounter with personal inflection occurred over the summer of my senior year,” he said. “I crowded my summer with an incessant amount of extra curriculars and schoolwork to the point I knew something had to change. Therefore, I deliberated, looked back at what I wanted to do and soon realizing that I had to prioritize my health over other factors. And luckily when I identified my mistake, I ended up having one of my best summers of high school after limiting my studies to a reasonable load.

“I cherished the present moments of life… “

Through personal reflection, “we learn from our mistakes,” Katkar said.

“From here on I suggest jotting down how you felt on a certain day in a notebook or a document because you never know if it’s going to help you five years down the road,” he said.

“Do not let the fears of tomorrow consume the joys of today.”

During her time in high school, Class president Anna Mai Dao involved herself in many activities including student council for four years. She is a four-year varsity athlete in track and field and has enriched the student body and community with her “unique leadership.” Dao plans to study economics and public policy in college.

“… This is a special, but bittersweet day,” Dao said looking out at the crowd.

Dao said the Class of 2024 was essentially “cursed” with either bad weather and the COVID-19 pandemic stealing many memories.

“Even when we kept getting knocked down over and over again, we were able to come together and try to have the best time as possible,” she said. “Our camaraderie and sense of friendship and family has brought us closer together.”

And although “the future can be dreadful and scary … it can also be filled with wonder and excitement.”

After she addressed her class one last time, Dao took a selfie with her class on the stage.

Valedictorian Jennifer Dong is a leader in the Italian Honor Society and Red Cross Club. She plans to study computer science in college.

Dong said a statement made in her economics class last year resonated with her – “Invest in yourself.”

“Despite these being three simple words, it encapsulates so much more,” she said. “It means finding your own control.

Dong said it was important to focus on the present and reflect upon the past.

“This is infinitely more valuable than being caught up with what has been already done,” she said, which she had to learn after procrastinating on projects.

Dong said, “investing in yourself” means finding the controllable within the unexpected; surrounding yourself with good people; choosing to be with the people that bring you joy and inspire you to become a better version of yourself; spending time with the people that you love and cherish; and believing in yourself and taking risks.”

She also said an integral part is having good character and showing respect to others.

After receiving diplomas, the Class of 2024 participated in the tradition of turning their tassels from right to left.