Southampton Graduates Look to the Future

When Southampton High School Principal Brian Zahn considers the Class of 2023, one word comes to mind: hope.

“These are going to be our change agents, even after their higher education,” he said. “Whether it’s leading our organizations, our businesses, our institutions, our government, so many places, these are the students that are really going to be able to tackle the issues and bring about change that is needed.”

On Friday evening, 142 students — 85 men and 62 women — gathered in the high school gymnasium, dressed in their caps and gowns, for the district’s 130th commencement ceremony. Together, they took the next step toward their futures, whether that means attending college, joining the military, or entering the workforce.

No matter where they go, Zahn said their futures are bright.

“They were a real lively group,” he said. “They were very compassionate and caring toward one another. I get a sense that they just want to make things better, whether it’s school life or within the overall community.”

While Southampton High School does not recognize valedictorian and salutatorian ranks, 15 students graduated with honors, 18 with high honors and 23 with highest honors — graduating senior Dhivya Sampath representing the latter as a student speaker.

“I’m nervous and sad to be leaving this part of my life behind,” Sampath said, “But mostly excited.”

In the fall, Sampath will be attending the University of Pennsylvania on the pre-med track, she said, though her area of concentration remains to be seen — uncovered through her undergraduate education, just as she discovered more about herself in high school.

She came to Southampton as a freshman and, according to her bio, immediately gained the attention of her school leaders, teachers and peers. She earned a seat on the Principal’s Cabinet, where she served as a top student advisor to the school administration, and held positions in the Natural Helper’s Club, Student Council, District Counseling Advisory Committee, and District Health & Wellness Committee. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction and was recognized as a finalist in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

But, arguably, the hardest part of high school was navigating who she is and the woman she wants to become, she said.

“I’ve definitely changed so much since middle school and since freshman year,” she said. “I look back on that and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m such a different person.’ And, I mean, I like both of those people, but I’m very happy with who I am today because I feel like I allowed myself to grow a lot throughout high school and just accept those changes.”

The graduation theme for the Class of 2023 was “Let Your Dreams Take Sail,” which felt fitting to graduating senior Paige Garvin, the second student speaker on behalf of the student body.

“It’s really perfect because we’re so lucky to be right by the water and having that tied into our graduation theme is really important,” she said. “And especially since we’re really excited to see what everyone else does in the future, it was kind of just like the perfect little memento for the end.”

For Garvin, who was Student Council vice president, her favorite high school moments were those that brought the community together, such as playing on the girls varsity volleyball and basketball teams — where she served as captain — and being a part of a “diverse and inclusive” class, she said.

But there were challenges, as well, she said.

“We were freshmen when COVID hit. We really missed out on a lot of high school, so it almost feels as if graduation came too soon,” she said. “We really only had two full years of high school between remote learning and hybrid learning, so that was definitely a challenge to get back into the swing of things. To realize we were getting older and we were leaving soon was difficult.”

Garvin is excited for her next chapter, though, she said. Come August, she will begin her classes at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she will study international affairs as part of its honors program.

“My hope is just that, no matter where anyone ends up, we remember everything that Southampton has given us and how it shaped us into just people who can completely change the world — and I just really hope that they remember the people here and remember to come back and appreciate those things.”

Of the 142 graduates, 35 seniors received the New York State Seal of Bi-Literacy and eight were involved with a BOCES vocational program. Seventy-two will pursue four-year degrees at colleges and universities across the country, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, American University, Gettysburg College, Fordham University, Elon University, New York University, Georgetown University, University of South Carolina, Stony Brook University, and more.

Forty-two graduates will attend two-year colleges, trade schools, or technical schools, and three will enter the military. Several graduates plan to join the workforce, as well.

“As we go out to the world, we’re definitely going to be meeting new people and we’re not going to have the same friends as we did in high school,” Sampath said. “I hope that we just, at least, remember each other, what we learned from each other and how we grew up together.”