As another school year ends, we prepare to say goodbye to the Class of 2026! While Seniors begin to complete the last of their events, it marks one year since our Class of 2025 walked the same stage our seniors will walk on June 30. We miss our graduates in the halls and cafeteria, but where are they now? (Want to add to this list? Email Mr. Schmerler at [email protected])
The Boulevard Online collaborated with former journalist and 2025 graduate Angelie Aguilar to see where some of our alumni are now. Below, eight graduates share what they are up to now and what they miss about Prep!
Stephanie Bautista-Flores: Class of ‘25 Salutatorian
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Stephanie: Hey everyone! I’m currently attending Boston University in Massachusetts for a degree in Public Relations. This summer, I have the privilege of interning for GBH News with the production and newsroom teams here in Boston. Through this opportunity, I will be learning about the process and operations of a local newsroom, shadowing reporters, and helping write, report, and produce news stories across a variety of programs.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Stephanie: Adapting to a much more diverse environment. At Prep, I was used to being around most of the Hispanic/Latino community. In Boston, I’m meeting people from all over the world, including international students and peers from outside New Jersey. Everyone brings different values and beliefs. I’ve learned that to grow and educate yourself, you must be open-minded, ready to learn, and respectful of other perspectives.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Stephanie: I feel so grateful. Every teacher played a part in preparing me for my major and career. Mr. Schmerler, in particular, played a huge role in my journey. He gave me a strong foundational understanding of video production and invaluable knowledge that I still carry with me today and will definitely use for this internship. I am also very thankful to Mrs. Fontalvo for helping and guiding me to get into Boston University. Going to BU has genuinely opened so many incredible opportunities for me, and I thank God every day for placing the right mentors in my life to help me get to where I am.
Julian Carrera
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Julian: Just finished my first year at William Paterson. I have been doing on-air presentation as an analyst for WP Sports Desk along with technical operations for WPTV. I’m also part of the college’s radio station, WPSC 88.7 FM Brave New Radio. I do on-air presentation for multiple sports programs and produce as a legal operator for WP Sports.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Julian: Committing more time towards club/organization activities within TV and radio than to my actual academics.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Julian: Prep feels so insignificant compared to college. It feels like there are infinitely more people to connect with, infinitely more opportunities to do what I love and infinitely more comedy. The people at Prep are hilarious, but the people at WP are unreal.
Dyllan Carretero
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Dyllan: I attend UCLA (online) and I am in the Science in Nursing Major (BSN); I work as an EMT in Hoboken.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Dyllan: Life has gotten so serious in the sense that I have gone through so many things working in EMS, both good and bad. But life has gotten so much more serious in a good way.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Dyllan: Part of me misses it, and part of me is happy it is over. I’m just happy to have made the friends I did in high school and I’m more grateful for those who stuck around with me even after graduation.
Michael Coliente
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Michael: I am attending PCCC and I am in the automotive program. I have been a mechanic for a road service company for a couple of months now.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Michael: Time goes by super-fast and it’s important to keep yourself productive and take care of your health. When you’re in school, time can be slow a lot of the time but outside of it while working it will go by and it’s important you don’t get sidetracked.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Michael: I’m very happy for my time there. I will say I miss it, but I wouldn’t go back. Of course I am happy with my job and what I do. It’s a bittersweet feeling. It was fun having all your friends around, and I think there is just a lot of beauty in accepting that it was a good time while being moved on from that chapter.
Montserrat Martinez
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Montserrat: I’ve finished my first semester at Montclair State University as a psychology major and have been working as a Preschool Teacher Aide. I will continue to work in the summer and I’m looking forward to continuing my sophomore semester in late August!
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Montserrat: For me it definitely wasn’t the schoolwork that was challenging, although I had some days where I was so stressed out sitting at the library for hours. Regardless, the classwork was manageable, so the biggest adjustment leaving Prep was socializing with a completely larger and unknown group of people of different backgrounds. It was harder to have to put myself out again to make friends or join clubs with people who already knew each other. It’s not the same as getting to see your same friends every day. My first few weeks I tried talking to some people who seemed completely uninterested in making friends, so I kind of gave up at first. As a result, my social anxiety peaked, but that is always the first step. Getting out of our comfort zone always feels terrible but once we’ve moved on, we forget the discomfort. In the end I’ve made many friends, though not as intimate as my high school friends, which is also an adjustment I’m making. Short-lived connections.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Montserrat: When I look back at Prep, I realize how much I’ve matured and even how much I’ll continue to grow. I think that despite having stressful moments in high school, I always remember my happiest moments first. I remember my performances and my amazing teachers, the connections I’ve made, and I’m grateful for never transferring out of Prep. Prep has truly helped me find my people and shape who I am.
Angel Perez- Sanchez
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Angel: I recently completed my first year at Fordham University, where I am majoring in Political Science and International Studies. This summer, I am interning at Passaic City Hall in their administration department.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Angel: Culture and diversity. It is quite an adjustment when you have spent your whole life in a small town surrounded by people like your background, and then suddenly moving to a diverse city in New York. You are no longer surrounded by people of the same demographic, and that can be quite shocking at first. I remember that in one of my classes, as many classmates were flying out for the weekend to attend the Super Bowl. The fact that people have money to do that is surprising, as many people back in Passaic dream of having that kind of financial background.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Angel: I am grateful for the friends and teachers I met. I attended Prep when it had just opened back when I was in 6th grade. Throughout those years at Prep, I met my friends who supported me through both the good and the bad times. Many of those friendships have lasted beyond graduation. I am also grateful to the teachers who challenged me academically and led me to a path to success. Their encouragement pushed me to set high goals for myself and gave me the confidence I needed for college. I’ll always be grateful for the school and the great memories they gave me.
Damny Rodriguez
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Damny: I am attending Rutgers University-Newark and I work at American Dream Mall. I am currently a Criminal Justice Major, but am unsure and thinking of transferring.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Damny: The new freedom. I got to pick my own schedule and had to find a job to maintain myself while in school. I had to use my time wisely because sometimes I would be tempted to procrastinate on assignments.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Damny: I really enjoyed my time at Prep; the people, the teachers, and environment were very welcoming. I was very scared to start high school after the pandemic because of online school. I was nervous to meet new people and get into the habit of in-person school. I will always have fond memories of Prep, especially with the teachers I connected with. They hold a special place for me when I think about my time at Prep. Prep students are very diverse with many personalities, and I became closer to my best friend during these years, and I enjoyed the school events with her.
From the author: Angelie Aguilar
TBO: What school, job, or program are you attending?
Angelie: I am currently going into my second year at Brookdale Community College, where I will get my Associates degree in the Spring and transfer to Monmouth University. I work at my local summer camp as Head Counselor in the Huron group (Girls 4-5 years old) as well as bus counselor.
TBO: What has been the biggest adjustment since leaving Prep?
Angelie: The biggest adjustment for me after leaving Prep is connecting to others. At Prep I was in a million clubs and could name almost everyone in my senior class just by faces, but in college it is entirely different. I moved about two hours away so I knew absolutely no one at my college and it has made me socially anxious at times. But, it has brought me out of a shell that I didn’t know I needed to break and I have connected with so many people by going to new places and making so many great friendships.
TBO: How do you feel when you look back at your time at Prep?
Angelie: I feel sad to know that the life I built has ended; participating in clubs like Theatre, Student Council, Journalism, and then moving showed me how much I truly missed it. I will forever hold Prep in my heart and be grateful for the people I met and the experiences I had as a student. I will say it feels amazing only having classes for 15 weeks instead of almost an entire year, but without Prep and the amazing staff I wouldn’t be prepared for where I am today. A special thanks to Mr. Fig, Mr. Weaver and Mr. Stamat because without Student Council and the endless amount of waking up at the crack of dawn I would have been petrified to become head counselor this summer. Overall, I loved my time at Prep and am so grateful for everything it has taught me.
We are so proud of our Alumni for their new journeys after high school and taking on a new chapter in their lives. We miss them incredibly, their personalities, their laughter, and their impact. The Class of 2025 won’t be forgotten as we prepare to say goodbye to our Class of 2026!
