Right now, we are at a turning point in our lives as we each close this chapter and step into the fresh pages of the next. On our way to new places with new peers, this moment is making me reflect on eight years ago, back when three elementary schools joined as one. Whereas, as newly fifth graders, we met friends and peers that we would come to experience so much with. From football games to literal global pandemics, we have truly weathered the darkest storms and the sunniest days together. Even though we are all taking steps forward in our lives, I sincerely hope we never leave behind this incredible bond we have as the Brown County class of 2025. It has been so unbelievably amazing watching everyone blossom into their postsecary lives of adulthood. It has been an honor growing up with you all. Brown County has this extraordinary ability to connect people to connect not only as a school but as a community as well.
I can't think of another place that has the amount of involvement and pure passion that we do. A place where a myriad of support is pouring from the faculty, the student body, our families, and our amazing community. To our remarkable faculty, thank you for everything that you do. Your endless devotion to your student success is beyond inspiring. You are truly the pillars upon which we stand. We would not be up here without you. To the family and friends here today, you have been our largest cheerleaders and the foundation from which all is built. The plethora of support you provide to us is phenomenal and for that I could never thank you enough. To my fellow graduates, we have been given a foundation to build off of and we have been given pillars to stand on so that we can see all the options and opportunities that the future holds.
Now it is our turn to use what we have been provided with. Pick a direction and take a leap of faith. I encourage you to carry our experiences with you always. Never lose your empathy, tenacity, and joy for it will always carry you in the right direction. As the great Oprah Winfrey once said, "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams." And juxtaposing the some may say even greater Mr. Matthew Noriego once said, "Reach for the rainbow, kids. The stars are too far and the radiation will probably kill you anyway." Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Taylor. And now, please welcome to the stage our Brown County High School choir under the direction of Miss Jackie Stewart. They will be performing You Will Be Found. As they make their way up to the risers, we would also like to thank Mr.
Finley and our band for playing for us this morning. Please give them a round of applause. [Applause] [Music] Have you ever felt like there? Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere? Have you ever felt like you could could disappear like you could fall and no one would hear. So let that lonely feeling away. You'll be okay. Because when you don't feel strong enough to stand, you can reach reach out your hand and I know take you [Music] home. Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you, when you're broken on the ground, you will be found. So let the sun come in cuz you'll reach up and you'll rise again. Lift your head and look around. You will be found. You will be found. [Music] You will be [Music] found. You will be found. [Music] And everyone [Music] only say the From across the silence, your voice is heard.
Someone will come running. [Music] Someone will come running to take you home. [Music] Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you, when you're broken on the ground, you will be found. So let the sun come in. Cuz you'll reach up and you rise again. If you only look around, you will be. You will be found. You will be will out of the shadows. Glory is breaking and all is new. All is new. It's filling up the empty. And suddenly I see that all is new. All is new. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not. You are not alone. Even when the dark comes crashing through. When you need someone to carry you. When you're broken on the ground, you will be found. When the sun comes streaming in, you'll reach up and you'll rise again.
If you only look around, you will be found. Even when the darkness crashes through, you will be found. When you need someone to carry you, you will be found. You will be found. [Music] [Applause] Thank you so much. That was beautiful. I would now like to introduce our final student speaker, Noah Lewis. [Applause] Thank you. Good morning. We are gathered today to celebrate our accomplishments and struggles. We have now completed four years of high school, two years of middle school, two years of intermediate, and five years of elementary school. Throughout these years, we grew mature while still being childish. In elementary school, there were three separate divisions. Helmsburg, Spernica, and my alma moater, Van Beern. I experienced a situation with my childhood friends during our summer blastoffs at the end of fourth grade. Summer blastoffs were all the fun, water, splashing, games, sports, and other childhood games.
No worries or cares in the world. This led us to the conversation I had with one of my friends and he looked at me and I and he said, "Man, I cannot wait to grow up." Boy, how wrong were we about that? I mean, truly, we had everything we could ever want. We had a place to live, food, sugar, all those TV shows even some of us still watch today. The days when school was close to fun, where math was still numbers, history was common knowledge, and English was well still English. Now, here we are today, ready for the real world to begin. After leaving here today, many of us will never see each other again. We will go on to do bigger and better things, make a name for ourselves, hopefully for the better. Our future lies in our hands and our discretion. What we have and what we could have is up to us.
Our work ethic, our determination have led us to be here today, sharing this moment as the class of 2025. The class of 2025 will go down as the best for many reasons. The most determined the ones who have shown the most resiliency and by far the most stubborn individuals you'll ever meet. The message I want to convey today is to live in the moment. All of us are guilty every day of thinking too much about the future, grasping too tightly on the past and forgetting about the beauty of today. Stop holding on to yesterday. Stop thinking about what if this happens or what if that happens and live today like there is no tomorrow. This past year, I binge watched the series Ted Lasso. And there's a quote Ted mentions that the happiest animal on the earth is a goldfish. You want to know why?
Because they have only a 10-second memory. Today, be like a goldfish. Live in the moment. Live life as it is supposed to be back when we were kids. Nothing but happiness and life without stress. The saddest part about life is growing up. So, let's live today and tomorrow as children and try to cherish that moment one last time. I love you all and I'm proud to be part of Brown High School and be a part of such an amazing class. Thank [Applause] you. Thank you, Noah. Next, I would like to welcome our principal, Mr. Shiron. [Applause] Good morning. Before I begin, I would like to say thank you and recognize those of you who are in our audience this morning who have who have or who currently do serve our nation in the service. At the same time, I would also like to recognize our students who will be serving our nation.
Would you all please rise and be recognized? Thank you. Thank you. family, friends, grandparents, board members, staff, third cousins twice removed who have showed up today for the food. You know who you are. And most importantly to the unstoppable, unforgettable, and slightly unpredictable graduating class of 2025. Let me start with the most important truth that I can say to you on stage this morning. You are a class that matters. You matter because you showed us how to build something that lasts. You matter because you love this school and each other in a way that made this place better. And you matter. Well, because who else could make loud pickup trucks, like really loud ones in the parking lot, air mattresses at pep rallies, the BP in town, and Tom's coffee truck feel like the heartbeat of a high school. That's you. When I met you all this year, I'll admit I was not entirely sure what I was walking into.
But it did not take long to figure it out. Because you, class of 2025, you made sure nobody walked into this building without feeling the full blast of who you are. Literally, the full blast. Each morning before first period, the ground would shake. Not from an earthquake, but from your trucks, louder than a Metallica concert in a car wash. You just didn't arrive at school. You announced your presence. And somehow that noise became annoyingly beautiful. A symphony of chaos and caffeine that let us know we are here. We're awake. and our trucks are probably legally questionable. But beneath all the horsepower and volume in the commons, you were building something even more powerful. You built traditions, real ones, deep ones. Remember, you and your loved ones were the first to paint your parking spots, turning a chunk of boring blah bl black top into a canvas of personality, pride, and in one case, a Mona Lisa quality fresco of Spongebob Squarepants.
Uh, that I still don't fully understand. This year, you chose to stick around for things like Popfest when others might have taken the day off. Instead of checking out, you leaned in, willing to really think about the Monday after high school, not with fear, but with curiosity, courage, and probably snacks. We did find out that snacks helped everything. You participated in an epic senior prom and walked the red carpet of Hollywood fame. You invaded the dance floor and you didn't leave it. You even allowed me to teach you some incredible dance moves that will most definitely benefit you throughout life. And for that, you are incredibly welcome. You let your principal share the stage with you for concerts and for theater performances. You poured into every relationship with peers and those of us who had the privilege to mentor you. This year, you started something new with school cookouts on the steps and a senior breakfast before graduation rehearsal.
Making time to laugh and cry and pour sausage gravy all over the memories before walking out to face your final moments as seniors. Those weren't just meals. They were moments. and they are yours forever. And when devastating weather hit our community and your classmates were hurting, you showed up again with [Applause] chainsaws. You showed up again with chainsaws, with supplies, with compassion. And when our community bent, you were part of the reason it did not break. In your greatest challenges, you revealed your greatest character. You survived AP testing, which, let's be honest, felt less like a series of exams and more like a psychological thriller with bubble in scantrons. But you made it, maybe barely. We met college board on the field of battle. You consumed the caffeine and spent hours preparing. And we respect the survivors. Senior leaders, your history club was ranked sixth in the nation.
You visited a federal courthouse and met with the federal magistrate. Some of you graduated from IvyTech in early education. Dare I say, you do things that are far beyond a small rural high school. You do big things. You accomplished an athletics and showed up to cheer each other on. And let's not forget the shop with the cop basketball game. It was a real David and Goliath moment. Even if David forgot how to dribble, to be honest, the cops absolutely destroyed our faculty. And then in an amazing act of kindness, they paid for your senior trip to Kings Island. It was basically like getting dunked on, breaking your back, and then offered a funnel cake. And yes, there was that one moment at the start of the year on the chatter. I did learn about chatter this year. And somehow there was a football field in common's restrooms during lunch and I didn't need to know anymore.
Now, I know I am supposed to give you some advice, but let's be honest, most commencement speeches sound like they were copied and pasted from a magnet on a fridge, but I'll do my best. So, lesson number one, make noise, the right kind. The world will try to tell you to be quiet, will try to tell you to fall in line, to shrink your dreams, your voice, your light, but not you. You are a pickup trout loud kind of people. An air mattress in the gym kind of people. A Picasso level painted parking spot kind of people. Be that. Be unapologetically you. And when you speak up for yourself and for others for what's right, don't whisper. Be thunderous. Your voice might be the one that someone needs to hear. Number two, show up even when it's hard. You just didn't show up for classes.
You showed up when your community needed help, when classmates were hurting, when teachers needed laughter, when the school needed leadership. You came early and stayed late and got your hands dirty. Whether it was assembling a float in the freezing cold, pulling off an epic senior prank, or sprinting across the gym on those inflatable mattresses, in life, showing up is everything. And you've already proven you're the kind of people that do. And finally, build what doesn't exist. Traditions, friendships, a breakfast before a rehearsal, a culture of care and fun. You created that. No one handed it to you. You built it. And that's what life will keep asking of you. Look around, see what's missing, and then create it. Whether it's a new idea, a new space, a better way of being. You don't have to wait for someone else. You're already builders of something great.
Class of 2025, you're not just graduating. You're taking flight. You are soaring together into this world, into possibility, into uncertainty, yes, but also into opportunity. There will be days when you wonder if you're ready. When the world feels too heavy or the noise too loud. On those days, remember this. You have already made noise, survived storms, lifted others, and left and left something better than the way you found it. You've already made a difference, so just imagine what you'll do next. Congratulation, class of 2025. I love you and respect you, and we are proud of you. Now, go and make noise, show up, and build what doesn't exist. [Applause] Superintendent Tracy, as principal of Brown County High School, I certify that the students before you have met all the requirements set forth by the Brown County Schools in the state of Indiana for graduation. I hereby respectfully recommend these candidates to be awarded their high school diploma.
Superintendent Tracy, would you please join me to receive the class of 2025 presented by Assistant Principal Mrs. Sarah Roberts. [Applause] graduating sumokum lad. Ella Grace Schultz, Cody William Sugars, graduating Magna Kumlady, Taylor Estelle Lucas, graduating Sumaumlad, Noah Fitzgerald Lewis, Dylan Scott Alfrey, graduating Sumaumlad Wes, Ley Norman Art, Carter Lee Bear, Mason Ray Barnes, Corey Lee Bartlett, Bailey Patricia Beasley, Aiden J. Levi Bell, Thomas Carl, Bucus, Keer, David Burkart, Silus Montgomery, Cambridge, Owen Michael Capshaw, Robert Liam Cassid, Charlotte Elise Chavez, graduating kumlad. Caleb Andrew [Applause] Clifford, graduating suma kumlady. Ava Amaly Cox, graduating kumlady. Cadence James [Music] Cox, Isabelle Nicole Cone, Angel [Applause] Cruz, Megan Riley Cumberlidge, graduating sumakumlady. Shauna Claire [Applause] Custard graduating Magna Kumlady. Haley Grace Darnell, Jackson Roadie Dhorty, Jaden Bryce Dur, Madison Michelle Dudley, Jasmine Rose, Dufek, graduating Sumakumla, Owen Marshall [Applause] East, graduating Magna Kumlady. Anna Michelle Imy's graduating kumlady. Heidi Jasmine Escadaro Perez Aaron Jolie Fish Murphy Journey Catherine Anne Foister River Ford graduating Magna Kumlady Juliana Elizabeth Gallagher [Music] [Applause] Graduating Magna Kumlad, Samantha Marie Goodwin, graduating cumlad.
Elizabeth Sophia Gordon, graduating kumlady. Adelaide Victoria Grey Lenna Natasha Griffy Mercedes Lynn Griffy Kenzie Renee Halcom Haley Dawn Hant Eli Weber Harden [Applause] Graduating kumlad. Alicia Ray Harden, Jonathan James Harms, Lydia Grace Harrison, graduating Magna Kumad Jackson Mallister Hayworth, Graduating kumlady Lily an Haza Mason Presley Hazelgroveve Talon Cade Henson graduating kumlad Katie James Henson Don Marie Hearner Samuel Cameron Higgins, [Applause] Jesse James Hubard, Donna Joe Hubard, graduating kumlady. Maya Ocean [Music] Huber, graduating sumakumade. Ella Sue [Applause] Jackson, graduating sumakumade. Relle Bely Jenkee, Caitlyn Kylie Johnson, graduating sumakumlady Sawyer David Kelp, [Applause] McKenzie Renee Canos, Jason Allen Kachapololis, graduating Suma Kumlady, Kai Jameson [Applause] Kuster, Edward Steven Krauss, graduating magna kumad. Sophia Dale [Music] Matthysse, Emma Helen McCoy. Graduating Magna Kumade, Bailey Addison Meyer, Carly Anne Miller, Elizabeth Adella [Music] Mills, Nora Nicole Moffield, Taylor Marie [Music] Meyers, graduating kumlady, Jovian Maria Neighbors, Asia May Matthysse, [Applause] Alejandro Emanuel [Applause] Ampo, Levi Presley Phillips, Joshua Lee Redmond, [Applause] Wilma Bell [Music] Reynolds graduating kumlady.
Jace Elijah Wgle, [Applause] Key Nelle [Music] Roberts, Emma Grace Rogers, graduating Sumokum Llad, Ava Anne Sanders, Hannah Marie Saunders, [Applause] Alexis Marie Schultz, Landon Michael [Music] Scott, William Norman Arthur Sebastian, graduating sumokumlady, Trevor Michael, John [Applause] Shields, Kemp, Willie Seismore, Graduating Magna Kumlady, Case Mark Smith, [Applause] Seth Ryan Sukup, Alexander Blaine Stewart, Halen Nora Stewart, Ava Louise Stogstell graduating sumakumlady. Oliver Taft [Applause] Tedford Derek Mason Tegarden Justin Lane Terrell Aubrey Joe Tilly Graduating Magna Kumlady, Jada Athena Todd, Vince Lauren Tom, graduating sumokumlady. Adeline Elizabeth TR Lucas Michael Tuttle. Graduating Magna Kumlad, Lillian Grace Vaness, Elijah Shane Vela, Jeffrey Daniel Vitali, Cody James Watson, Logan Jean Wise, graduating Magna Kumlady, Phineas [Music] Whitehorn graduating sumakumlady. Genevieve Rose Wilson Joshua Freeman Brown Woodard graduating sumokumlady. Matthew Jade [Applause] Williams. Please welcome to the podium, Superintendent Tracy. [Applause] Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty, proud parents, and most importantly, the remarkable graduating class of Brown County Schools.