Latest news with #ClassOf2025
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lakeside seniors bid farewell
HARPERSFIELD — Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Lakeside High School Class of 2025 as they graduated Thursday evening at SPIRE Academy. Alongside students were their families, school staff and district administration. Lakeside's graduation has generally been at the high school, but it was moved to SPIRE this year, after the high school's roof collapsed during the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm. Valedictorian Aryanna Toth said there were many who helped her along the way to success. 'I would not be standing up here today if it were not for the individuals who believed in me even when I could not find it to believe in myself,' she said. 'The connections that I have made throughout these years are not fleeting.' Toth circled back to the nontraditional experience of the class of 2025. 'If I could use one word to describe it, it would probably be unusual,' she said. 'We began our freshman year coming out of the pandemic, and ended our senior year in the elementary school. I can't say this is how I expected the past four years to go, but I can say this experience has allowed us to go.' Toth learned from her experience in high school it is okay to ask people for help, she said. 'The way to truly appreciate the support that has been given to us is to actively use it, to integrate it into our future,' she said. Toth said the connections students have made will follow them for the rest of their lives. 'It is beyond important to allow yourself to rely on the support of others,' she said. 'I am not sure what will happen in the coming years, even the next two months, but what I am confident in is the connections I have built, and will continue to build moving forward.' Salutatorian Alexandra Shevchik said it was an honor to speak to her classmates. 'I have been stressing about what to say in this speech for a long time, because I feel like the people who give these speeches always have some super important life advice to give to the graduates,' she said. Shevchik had one piece of specific piece of advice to her classmates. 'Don't listen to advice,' she said. 'I know it may sound dumb to say that, but how can anyone but you know what you are going through or how you feeling at any given moment in your life.' Shevchik said everyone has to figure things out for themselves. 'Of course, if you need help along the way, there will be family, friends and teachers to give you some guidance or whatever else you may need,' she said. 'The most important thing is that you have the courage and determination to try and find an answer for yourself.' Shevchik thanked the family and friends who supported her, especially her grandfather, who she said instilled a love for learning in her, and whose birthday aligned with graduation. 'I am so glad I get to share this special day with you,' she said. Class of 2025 President Ana Wheelock said it was an honor to stand in front of her classmates. 'Our senior year took a turn that none of us saw coming,' she said. 'We found ourselves back at Huron Elementary, a place that once felt so huge when we were little, and now, just felt a little too small to us.' Wheelock and the other class of 2025 officers presented a stone emblem engraved with the Lakeside logo. 'This emblem will be built into the ground at the site of our new school [as] a symbol of our legacy and a foundation for our future generations,' Wheelock said. Lakeside High School Principal Doug Wetherholt said he could not be more proud of the class of 2025. 'I see more than just caps and gowns,' he said. 'I see stories, some filled with achievement, others shaped by struggles, but all bound together by perseverance.' Wetherholt said the class of 2025 endured more in its four years in high school than many people endure in a lifetime. 'I want to tell you a truth, something honest, and a little bit uncomfortable,' he said. 'The world owes you nothing, not a job, not a break, not even respect. I say that not to discourage you, but to empower you.' Wetherholt said each senior has proven they are strong enough to go out and get what they want. 'There are countless opportunities waiting for you,' he said. 'If you want success, earn it.' District Superintendent Lisa Newsome said the class of 2025 lifted themselves up and did not let the roof collapse stop them. 'You didn't just survive this year,' she said 'You grew. We showed resilience, and maybe, most importantly, this class proved that storms don't stop us, they shape us.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Brevard's Class of 2025 celebrates graduation
Seniors in the Brevard County Class of 2025 are celebrating as family and friends watch graduation ceremonies across the Space Coast. Ahead of the ceremonies, Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell wished students around the district a "bright and fulfilling future." "Graduates, as you step into the next chapter of your lives, remember that learning doesn't end with graduation," he said. "Embrace every opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally. Stay curious, be resilient, and don't be afraid to take risks. Your journey will be filled with challenges, but it's through these challenges that you will find your true strengths." This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Space Coast Class of 2025 seniors celebrate graduation
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Urbana High graduates 'slay the dragon' to finish high school
In a speech to her Urbana High School graduating classmates on Friday, Kaela Zamora compared completing high school to slaying the final boss of the video game 'Minecraft.' 'It was time to defeat our Ender Dragon, also known as our senior year,' Zamora told Urbana's graduates, all dressed in blue robes with white stoles. The Ender Dragon is an enemy that players can battle in 'Minecraft.' Urbana's graduates, she said, faced many challenges along the way. 'We unveiled our not-so-literal enchanted swords and plunged at this dragon,' she said. 'Slash after slash, we charged, attempting to avoid our worst tendencies: procrastination, cramming until 2 a.m. and scrolling on our phones.' Students in her class came into high school after the COVID-19 pandemic, while being further behind academically and needing to work past social awkwardness, she said. 'Then, somehow, we slayed the dragon, won the battle and successfully — or even just barely — finished high school,' Zamora said. Zamora plans to attend the University of Maryland to study economics. The graduation, held at Knott Arena at Mount St. Mary's University, was the school's 27th annual commencement ceremony, graduate William Knepper said in a speech to the class. Knepper was the class president. There were 475 graduates in the Class of 2025. Luc Lugez and Doyoon Seol played the national anthem on violins. The graduation also featured performances from the school's choir and band. 'Today is more than just a celebration,' graduate Daniel Solomon said in a speech. 'It's a moment that asks us to pause, take a breath and to really look at how far we've come.' High school was about 'stepping into our identity,' said Solomon, who plans to study aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland. 'Be yourself,' Solomon told his fellow graduates. Urbana Principal Donna Clabaugh encouraged her former students to seek the life they desire. 'Up until now, much of what you have done and determined for yourselves has been very limited, and that is what really changes when you leave this ceremony today,' Clabaugh said. 'That is simultaneously amazing and overwhelming, and it is rarely easy.' Graduate Owen Barkley said he felt great after the graduation. Though he will miss hanging out with his friends, he said he is excited for the future. Barkley said he was planning on getting a job in retail, with a goal of attending Frederick Community College and one day becoming a scientist. 'There are a lot of good people at Urbana,' graduate Megan Lawrence said, describing her school experience as good. Now, Lawrence is set to go to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to study elementary education. She said programs at Urbana allowed her to get experience teaching kids, and she wants to continue afterward. Her favorite time in school, she said, in her film studies class. 'I'm going to miss seeing my friends every day,' she said. Tristan Thompson said his favorite part of school was playing basketball. He plans on playing at St. Mary's College of Maryland. He said that 10 years from now, he wants to be 'living in my own house, with my wife, as a millionaire.' He added that he wants to play basketball professionally, too. 'Well, you know how I said Minecraft's end goal was just to defeat the Ender Dragon?' Zamora asked. 'That's just the tip of the iceberg.' Just like the game, she said, high school is about taking agency beyond defeating the final boss.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
AHS graduates poised to continue their story
May 30—There was a lot of tradition on hand Friday night during the 149th commencement ceremony at Austin High School. One of those traditions is the video of the high distinction students, taking turns as they go and exemplifying the achievements marked by the year's defining high school moment. The quotes were many and encompassing and included such examples as: "Each of us is a piece of a puzzle." "Working hard has shaped me into the person I am today." "We still have pieces to place." Each of the graduates who spoke during the video touched on moments of time lived by the graduates throughout their journey through the Austin Public Schools system, something that was marked by administration, who lauded the Class of 2025 for meeting extraordinary challenges and coming out stronger on the other side. "I just don't see students in caps and gowns," Principal Matt Schmit said. "I see stories." He noted how the graduates overcame these challenges and celebrated successes, but Schmit also took a moment to touch on fear. Not because it was defining in some way, but rather because of how the students approached and overcame the fear that can arise from so many sources. Running parallel is the courage that defines the student's poise in walking past fear to achieve their goals. "It's a sign of stepping into something bigger," Schmit said. "Don't let fear write your story." While graduation tends to be a moment in time leading into a new moment, Superintendent Dr. Joey Page spoke of celebration. He touched on how this class was instrumental in the growth of enrollment and graduates at the school and how they have set their legacy. "Tonight is about joy, pride and celebrating the Class of 2025," he said. "This moment is the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance and growth." "Success begins with being present," he later added. He finished his speech by urging students to go out and make their mark on the world, because this portion of the story telling the tale of their time at AHS has already been written. "You've already made your mark on Austin Public Schools," he said.
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs celebrates graduating class of 2025
On Thursday morning, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs celebrated the over 900 cadets in the graduating class of 2025. Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink served as the special guest speaker at the commencement, which began at 9 a.m. this morning at Falcon Stadium. A flyover was scheduled for the afternoon, but was canceled due to low cloud cover. Brig. Gen. Linell A. Letendre, Dean of the Faculty, presents the graduation class during the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2025 graduation ceremony at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 29, 2025. Nine hundred nine cadets received their commissions as second lieutenants in the Air Force and Space Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dylan Smith) Dylan Smith U.S. Air Force Academy Dean of Faculty Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre honored the 94 distinguished graduates who placed in the top 10% of their class. This year's graduating class included 909 cadets, including 14 international students. Sec. Meink shook hands with each graduate as they crossed the stage. Cadets march into Falcon Stadium to start the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2025 graduation ceremony at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 29, 2025. Nine hundred nine cadets received their commissions as second lieutenants in the Air Force and Space Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) Trevor Cokley Graham Green, a cadet from Brevard, North Carolina, said graduating from the academy is the hardest thing he's ever done. He encouraged other cadets to "just stick with it. I've been through so many hills and valleys where I was like, 'I'm loving it' or 'I'm not liking it.' I just say stick with it, because it will all work out in the end." Reginaldo Capati (left) and Graham Green (right) graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. KKTV Cadet Reginaldo Capati from Dallas, Texas, said everything has led up to this point. "It's the culmination of four years here, but I would say more importantly, my whole life has led up to this moment. And it's a dedication, a promise to serve." He plans to go on to medical school at Texas A&M and come back to serve in the Medical Corps. Capati said graduating means everything to him. The U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2025 graduates toss their hats skyward at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. May 29, 2025. Nine hundred nine cadets received their commissions as second lieutenants in the Air Force and Space Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trevor Cokley) Trevor Cokley CBS Colorado would like to congratulate all of this year's graduates! We look forward to seeing what you will achieve in the future.
