Graduation, pre-K and up

This is the season for stepping up.

From high school to seminary or yeshiva, to a year in Israel or onto an American college campus; from lower school to middle school to high school; even rising from kindergarden or pre-school, Long Islanders are experiencing an annual educational rite-of-passage.

Pictured here are children from the Cha-bad of the Five Towns Gan Chamesh Early Childhood Center, who celebrated their graduation on Friday outside the Maple Av-enue center in Cedarhurst.

The preschool’s six classes selected colorful ice sticks and wore shirts matching the colors of their classrooms — 5-year-olds in green; 3- to-4-year-olds in blue and yellow; 2- to 3-year-olds in purple and red, and 2-year-olds in orange. They marched in front of family and friends with the prayer books they were given to commemorate the parade’s theme of tefillos.

Commencement exercises continue through June. Send your graduation photos to Schools@TheJewishStar.com.