BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - More than 250 Union-Endicott students received their diplomas Saturday as members of the 2015 graduating class.
For many, it won't be the end of their classroom experience, as they plan on taking advantage of the SUNY system knowing they don't have to travel far to continue their education.
"It's great because we're right here. We can go up to Cortland and it's only an hour away. All of the schools are intertwined. I have my friends going all over," said Anthony Tiberi, a 2015 Union-Endicott graduate.
Tiberi plans on attending Brockport to study business administration. Another popular option for graduates are community colleges like SUNY Broome.
"It's a great opportunity. You save a lot of money, you still get a great college experience and there's great professors and everything." said Brenden Gorman, a 2015 Union-Endicott graduate.
"In those two crucial years between graduation and when you move on, you do a lot of soul searching and a lot of figuring out. Then from that point on, you can go on to what you really want to do." said Rob Rangel, a 2015 Union-Endicott graduate.
While many high school graduates are simply enjoying the moment, some are already looking ahead four more years when they walk across the stage with a college degree.
"I plan on just joining the workforce, diving right in, getting my foot in the door some more and just trying to make the best of my life. I'll make decisions day by day and as they go by and see what I can do and see what I can make of my life," said David Roberts, a 2015 Union-Endicott graduate.
The ceremony began with a performance from the school's band and jazz choir, followed by speeches from the three top students.
Nearly half of Union-Endicott's 2015 class graduated with honors. Union-Endicott graduates received more than 100 scholarships from organizations in the area.