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Meadowdale High School celebrated the graduation of 330 students in the Class of 2025 on Saturday, in a ceremony where speakers reflected on the student’s perseverance, growth and ability to build community.
“Our class is the first class to have all four years of high school in-person post pandemic,” Valedictorian Harper Wright said. “…That being said, the pandemic should not define who we are and what we can or cannot handle. Our lives coincide with the advancements of smartphones, streaming media, social media and social movements – all of which can be dividing and isolating, yet also unifying and empowering. As our generation pays witness to national and global issues, I’m confident that our resilience and determination will prepare us for any times of uncertainty.”
Wright was joined by fellow Valedictorian Ruhne Wendt.
“Time is fleeting and while it may seem abundant you can never return to a moment once it’s happened, so take chances and let your moments happen,” Wendt said. “Be present in your moments. Feel in them, learn in them, and make the most of them.”
Issac Fortin was one of the student speakers chosen by his peers to speak at the ceremony.
“I’ve learned that you have to grab high school by the [horns] if you want to get what you want to get out of it,” Fortin said.” “We are not the same kids we were when we first entered Meadowdale and had our homecoming on this very field – but I think that’s something to be proud of.”
The Class of 2025 also selected Troy Parker as the staff speaker.
“Write your life story to the edges of the paper,” he said. “Fill the pages with your story and then squeeze in some more. It may never be read, but if it is, make it a book that’s impossible to put down.”
There were 11 valedictorians who maintained a 4.0 grade point average through all four years of high school, Meadowdale High School Principal Kim Whitworth said. In addition, nine students received an associate’s degree alongside their high school diploma and 24 students who earned the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy for being proficient in one or more languages, including American Sign Language and Native American languages.
The first diploma of the ceremony was awarded to Hector Ramirez-Lopez, a Meadowdale student who died in February. His family received the diploma in his honor. Ramirez-Lopez was active on the school’s football team and other sports.
A video of the full ceremony can be found here.
— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
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