‘No dream can be real while you’re sitting on the sidelines’: Lynnwood High School graduates 243

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Lynnwood High School seniors celebrate after graduating June 13, 2025. (Photos by Ashley Nash)

243 seniors crossed the field into their future Friday as parents, staff, family and students celebrated the commencement of Lynnwood High School’s class of 2025.

“We are the first class to complete four uninterrupted years of high school after quarantine,” Class President Leslie Vazquez said. “We persevered through the hardships of high school and countless character-defining moments. May we move on to this next chapter of life with love and compassion, awaiting a lifetime of growth.”

Vazquez also commended Latino students who were the first to graduate high school in their families.

“Sí se puede,” she said, “We are born from dreams that cross the borders.”

Valedictorians Nathan Tran Doan, Alieya Por and Lam Minh Vu followed Vazquez as student speakers.

“No dream can be real while you’re sitting on the sidelines,” Doan said. “What brought us to this moment isn’t just talent or luck, it’s courage. The courage to try something new, the courage to fail and keep going. The courage to grow. You don’t have to start at the strongest or loudest or most confident to reach your goals, you just have to keep going.”

Sarah Nelson from the social studies department was the faculty speaker, followed by Associated Student Body President Ofelia Matevosyan.

“You will face situations in the years ahead where your relevant expertise, skills and intellect will not supply you with the next steps or the needed answer,” Nelson said. “In those situations I encourage you to respond with courage and love. Don’t forget that you’re a citizen of this world. Decisions and changes are made by those who show up and add depth to and meaning to other people’s experiences. The work is slow, its results often go unnoticed and unseen for years, but it is worth it.”

Two dozen students at the ceremony were recognized for earning an associates degree in high school through the Running Start program. Of those were three students who additionally earned a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) diploma. There were also 43 students who received the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy for being proficient in one or more languages, including American Sign Language and Native American languages.

Graduates toss their caps at the end of the ceremony.

The Foundation for Edmonds School District awarded $249,000 in post-secondary scholarships to 83 graduates from Edmonds School District, and 23 of them were from Lynnwood High School.

Lynnwood High School 2025 Foundation for Edmonds School District Scholarship recipients: