Seniors at Hempstead High School walked the stage Friday to mark their graduation with a year of exceptional performances.

The Class of 2023 is the first to graduate since the high school and middle school were officially removed from state receivership and considered in good standing.

The graduating class also received a total of over $2 million in scholarships, including the Gates Foundation Scholarship awarded to the valedictorian Salma Perez.

"We never lost faith and confidence in us as a school district," said Hempstead Superintendent of Schools Regina Armstrong. "A lot of the negativity is from the outside, not from within. We definitely knew once we had a plan in place for our student to achieve that they would."

The graduates attribute their achievement to hard work and the support of teachers who taught them to believe in themselves.

"Anything is possible despite the circumstance that you encounter," says Hempstead High School Salutatorian Camila Rojas. "It's about how you tackle the circumstances that define you as a person."

Keynote speaker Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado says it's inspiring to see how the community helped the future of their children.

This year also marks the highest number of students heading to Ivy League schools in the district's history.