During the Forest Lake 5^th Grade Moving Up Ceremony, Mr. Burke reminisced about his mother insisting he wear a purple bow tie back in 1992 but opted for a traditional tie for the day’s celebration. As the audience calculated his age, Principal Burke highlighted summer blockbusters such as Jaws, Inside Out, and The Lion King in a trivia style format that kept the audience of all ages on their toes.

As the principal’s address concluded, each student was gifted a mirror that was placed under their seat. As they looked at themselves, Mr. Burke emphasized the importance of having self-awareness as a middle schooler. His final advice was to "Always remember who you are and strive to be your own legend. 

Following a musical interlude featuring Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten," four students delivered heartfelt speeches about their time at Forest Lake.  

Julianna Clark said, “I will miss having a Mystery Reader and will never forget the memories of Forest Lake. Ms. Saban helped me get better at math and helped me finish projects faster. I will also miss Ms. Moran and Forester.”

“When I was a new student, I remember the school being welcoming,” said Anthony Fontana. “Because I felt welcomed, when two new students came to Forest Lake, I did my best to make them feel welcomed. During my time at Forest Lake, I have learned so much and will take what I learned to middle school.”

Danielle Rodriguez stated, “When I first started Forest Lake at five years old, I was confused. Mr. Ciuffo was the principal at the time who was a mix of Willy Wonka and Gandolf. I remember my first day of kindergarten and at the end of the day, I learned how to color in the lines. As a safety patrol member, walking around wasn’t much fun, but I enjoyed the community service part of being a member.”

Completing the speeches was Daniel Rodriques who shared, “When I was in kindergarten, I remember playing in the classroom kitchen but for first and second grade, I began taking classes online and was fully remote. During 4^th grade, I remember a few school activities like dressing up for colonial days and being a Big Sister. I’m trying not to be sad but I want to thank Ms. Silvar for preparing me for sixth grade.”

Congratulations to the Forest Lake class of 2024!