Mr. Geballe
Dear Graduates,
Nobody will ever say this was a boring 8th grade year, or a boring group of 8th graders! We loved you all, even when you hid inside the bathrooms, dunked me in the water at field day, or won the student/teacher volleyball game (we’ll have to get that rematch after the quarantine is over!) I wish you all the very best next year, and although I always say this to every class, I mean it way more this year – please come back and visit! We never got a proper goodbye. You all are amazing.
Mr. Geballe
PS – now that you graduated, you can call me Ben.
Ms. Abadia
Dear Class of 2020,
These three years have been a pleasure and an adventure! You have done so much growing and maturing to various levels which have assisted you in making kind decisions for yourself and others around you! Now you are done with M.S. 131 and are moving forward to high school! Continue to leave everything you touch better and brighter as you pass through. Continue to add to your growth by learning and being informed. Congratulations!
Lots of hugs and love, Ms. Abadia
Ms. Arrigo
To the Class of 2020,
You did it! Congratulations on graduating middle school! I wish you success and the best of luck in high school. Work hard, follow your heart and good things will follow. Remember – good things come to those who wait. Keep up the great work and come back to visit us at M.S. 131!
Mr. Alex
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” Henry Ford
Ms. Ahknoukh
I wish you a bright future and I hope that what happened this year will make you stronger. I wish you the best of luck.
Ms. Benyayeva
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020! It was a pleasure knowing and teaching you all. Best wishes!
Ms Cappadona
Congratulations to the Class of 2020. Best of luck in high school, and beyond! Remember to always follow your dreams and never forget your MS 131 experience.
Ms Cheng
“I think that’s something that’s hard for this country to address, is what the real issues are and coming to the point where we can admit that these are issues. Once we admit that, we can deal with it, we can fix them, and we can make this country and these communities a better place.
But in order to change, you have to be able to agitate people at times. And I think that’s something that’s very necessary for us to improve as a country.” — Colin Kaepernick
Don’t be afraid to stand on the correct side of justice, and speak the truth. Good luck, graduates, spread your wings and fly!
— Ms. Judi Cheng, Speech and Language Teacher
Ms. Choi
Congratulations, Class of 2020! Best of luck in high school.
Ms. Chiorean
Congratulations Class of 2020! I am very happy that you have achieved this milestone! It has been a pleasure having you in my Science class! I wish you all the best in High School.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” -Albert Einstein
Mr. Dado
Dear Class of 2020,
Congratulations on completing this incredibly challenging school year filled with so many ups and downs. I know that things were far from perfect this year and we missed out on some fun stuff. However, I believe that like most obstacles in life, we’ll be better off for this! To my students, I love you all so much and I wish you all the best. I hope you continue to live your lives with love and compassion in hopes of making this world a better place.
To my basketball team, growing together as a team over the past two years has meant the world to me. As I’ve watched you learn and grow as athletes, you have all watched me learn and grow as a coach. I am forever grateful for our shared accomplishments and I am humbled to have worked with you.
Mr. Dado
Ms. Diana
Dear 8th Graders,
When we look back at everything we’ve gone through from getting to know each other in 7th grade, breaking down and building back up, working on film shoots where many of you blossomed, getting ready for high school and sharpening skills, the crying, the laughing, the screaming, the hugging… and then this. It makes me realize that the class of 2020 is resilient and unstoppable. You are so much stronger than you think. So remember this, “Don’t ask for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.”
Love, Ms. Diana
Ms. Dino
Congratulations Class of 2020! Wishing you all the best!
“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” – Kobe Bryant
Ms. Fasano
Congratulations Class of 2020! It has been such a pleasure teaching and getting to know almost all of you at some point in your time at MS 131. I am so proud of each and every one of you. Wishing you all the best! Please keep in touch.
Mr. Fitzpatrick
Congratulations, Class of 2020! All of your hard work and dedication at M.S. 131 has finally paid off! I wish you all the best of luck in the future as high school students and beyond!
There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” ~Derek Jeter
Mr. Gansa
Middle school is easy, said no one. You morph from a kid to a teen, school work gets hard and your social life can feel whacky. You had to finish this stage of life during a pandemic, global protests against racism and police brutality and an economic recession. You’re strong. One-of-a-kind. Congratulations and special shout-outs to my speech students and the brave ones who started the M.S. 131 GSA!
Ms. Gomez
Congratulations 8th graders! Wishing you all the best.
“Make your life a masterpiece, imagine no limitations on what you can be, have or do.” -Brian Tracy
Ms. Halton
Congratulations, Class of 2020! It has been a pleasure and an honor to teach you. I wish you happiness, success and many new adventures as you begin the next chapter in your lives!
Ms. He
Congratulations! Wish you all the best! Follow your heart to pursue your dream!!
Ms. A Lee
Congratulations, Class of 2020! I will never forget our sixth grade adventures. Make me proud!
Ms. Lee
Congratulations, Class of 2020! Take care and best wishes! From Ms. Lee, your counselor
Ms. Lorenzo
Congratulations, 8th Grade Class of 2020! I am so amazed at your ability to “explore, create, achieve” even in the most uncertain and confusing times. May high school be a new place for you to continue flourishing into the best version of yourself. Lots of love and luck to you!
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” — The Emperor, Disney’s Mulan
Ms. Moulinos
What a year! Your graduation from MS 131 may be different from what we all expected for you but what is not different is the hard-work, determination, and persistence it took to get to this milestone. We are all so very proud of this 8th grade class and I wish you all the best life has to offer. MS 131 will always be here for you. Congratulations and Good Luck!
Ms. Obernauer
This will most certainly be a year to be remembered by you and all the world. You never know what the future brings so take chances, take risks, be all that you can be!
“Burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” – Jack Kerouac
Ms. Pagan
“CONGRATULATION TO THE CLASS OF 2020′ I’M GOING TO MISS YOU! LOVE, MRS MILLIE
Ms. Pantazatos
Congratulations to all! It was a pleasure having you in class because you never complained and always worked hard. Best wishes and success in all your future endeavors. Miss you already!
Mr. Phillips
To the Class of 2020:
How to say I will miss you when I already do? To all of you and your families congratulations on moving on to high school in these most unique and challenging times. Please know that you are all unique and will always be so. I wish you all the best of luck, happiness and success in the future. We will meet again soon! Stay strong, healthy and safe! VISIT..VISIT..VISIT!!!
“I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” ~Georgia O’Keeffe, pioneer of Women in the Arts
Ms. Potoroka
After this wacky school year, ice cream for EVERYONE!!! I’m so sorry our year had to end on this anticlimactic note, but please make that your motivation to visit us as much as possible. High school will be an entirely new adventure! If you are true to your best self, you will find “your people.” Never be afraid of being different, as your honesty will ultimately be rewarded. Also, when you’re having a bad moment, try turning to music. It works magic if you let it!
“When I thought life was terrible, things were going fine…” ~John Frusciante, “Look On”
Mr. Prosperi
Congrats to all on your accomplishments this year! Maybe not the year we expected, but one in which we learned a lot. By overcoming adversity, we grow and become stronger. Take the lessons you’ve learned with you, and good luck!
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” ~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Mr. Reyes
CONGRATULATIONS! I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” —Benjamin Franklin
Ms. Starke
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2020! This year brought unexpected challenges, but you worked hard and succeeded!
“Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success.” ~Goethe
Mr. Saunders
Dear 8th Graders,
Congratulations on your graduation!!!! I feel honored to be a part of this journey and I wish you continued success in high school. But remember you will always be a part of the M.S. 131 community and hope you are around. Best wishes for your next adventure!
Sincerely,
Mr. Saunders
P.S. You were all my favorites!
Ms. Tom
I wish happiness and success for all of you. Set your goals and try your best.
“It’s up to you how far you go. If you don’t try you’ll never know.” ~Merlin, The Sword and the Stone
Ms. Wong
Congratulations Class of 2020!!! Your experience at M.S. 131 is just one of many stops on your life’s journey. May you meet inspiring people, see amazing places and accomplish all the goals you set. Best wishes in high school and the future.
Ms. Wu
You will have a lot of new and exciting experiences ahead of you. I hope you find joy in learning new things, making new friends, and exploring more of the world.
“I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you find the strength to start all over again.”― The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mr. Yu
Class of 2020, congratulations! You are now officially graduated from M.S. 131. This moment has just marked another milestone in your life. I feel proud of what you have accomplished here, but this is not where you stop being proud of yourself. You still have many milestones of academics, career and life ahead of you. The pandemic didn’t slow you down. Let’s keep calm and carry on!
Mr. Zhao
It has been a bittersweet year.
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump
Ms. Zhu
Dear 8th Graders,
I miss you already! It has been a year full of many ups and downs – like a roller coaster ride.
“Life imposes things on you that you can’t control, but you still have the choice of how you’re going to live through this.” ~Celine Dion
I am proud of each and every one of you. I wish you all the very best in your high school years and beyond. Life can impose things you can’t control, but enjoy the ride anyway! Congratulations to you all! 🎓🥳