001Good evening. I'm Kim Agner and I am the director of curriculum and instruction for Danville Public Schools and I am so honored to be here tonight with you. I I hope you'll give me a little leeway. Um, the children in this room this evening were eighth graders at the time we went through COVID. And so I had the great pleasure of teaching many of them. And I would like to take a moment and acknowledge the things that they have endured and survived and thrived. So, let's give them a round of applause. At this time, I'd like to um recognize our board members who are with us this evening. If they'd please stand, we have our chair, Taekwon Graves, our vice chair, Kesha Aett, members, Dr. Corey Williams, Mr. Terrell Payne, and Miss Tequisa Walker. I'd
002also like to take this opportunity to recognize any elected officials that are with us this evening. If you'd please stand. Right. I also want to recognize our senior leadership in Danville public schools, Dr. Tequi Babalola, Miss Andrea Gillis, and Miss Joelen Hilton. And I'd also like to recognize members of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, including our administrative staff, if they please stand. At this time, I would like to invite Mr. Graves to come forward and give us a moment of inspiration. Good evening. Let's try it again. Good evening. Now we sound woke. Thank you again, Miss Agna. Let's give Miss Agna a round of applause again. and good evening distinguished guests, faculty, families, and most importantly, our honores. I would also like to recognize our board. Let's give our board another round of applause. Let's also
003recognize our superintendent who's with us this evening, Dr. Angela Harris, and to our George Washington High School and Galileo High School administration team, if you will stand. [Applause] And lastly, I would like to recognize our esteemed educators. If you're an esteemed educator and you were invited here tonight, please stand to be recognized. Educators, educators. Wow. Thank you again. And you can tell that your job that you do every day is definitely not unknowns. Today we gather to celebrate not just academic excellence but resilience, character, and a relentless pursuit of purpose. To be named a graduate of distinction is no small feature. It speaks of the hours of dedication behind the scenes, the late nights, the early mornings, the moments of doubt overcome by determination. You have not only met the challenges placed before you, you've
004risen above them with distinction. In doing so, you've become a beacon of what is possible when talent meets perseverance. As you step forward, carry with you the confidence of knowing that you are not just prepared for the future, you are prepared to shape it. To our soon to be graduates, you have stood out not only in your achievements, but in your integrity, your leadership, and your impact on those around you. You set a standard and you've inspired everyone in this community to aim higher. But remember this, distinction is not a finish line. It's a launching pad. The world beyond these walls is waiting for your voices, your ideas, and your courage. Carry forward the lessons you've learned here, but don't be afraid to rewrite the rules. challenge convention and create a path that's uniquely your
005own. Let today be a reminder. You are capable of greatness and you have already proven it. The future is not something you enter, something you create. Congratulations graduates of distinction. Go out and lead boldly. Let's stand and recognize our 2025 graduates of distinction. [Applause] And typically I like to recognize another set of people that are here this evening with us. Parents, grandparents, supporters, mentors, neighbors, friends. If you would stand to be recognized. Let's recognize our family tonight. You should be proud of all your babies. And lastly, I would like to switch gears just momentarily if the board members would just join me on stage for a second. Board members, if you would come up. Come on. Come on up. I'm in the business of calling people out. I am. This individual does not know what's
006going on and neither does the board members, but I just want to switch gears for just a moment. Tomorrow is someone special's birthday. So, I would like to ask Dr. Angela Harrison if she would stand because tomorrow is our superintendent's birthday. So, if you would stand. Come on, stand up. Miss Hilden, if you would join us. Let's recognize our superintendent. Now, I'm going ask for a favor in a second, but Dr. Harrison, on behalf of the Danville Public School Board, I extend my warmest wishes to you on your birthday. Your visionary leadership and steadfast dedication to success for our students, educators, and the broader community are deeply appreciated and truly commendable. May this special day be a time of reflection, joy, and recognition for all you have accomplished with the Damma public schools. We look
007forward to the continued positive impact of your leadership in the years ahead. Thank you. Happy birthday. Let's do a favor. Can we all sing happy birthday? Y'all good with that? Just a little bit. On the count of three. One, two, three. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to you. Thank you again, Dr. Har. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Graves. and thank you for leading into what does it take to be a graduate of distinction. We define this with five pillars of success. Pillar one is academic achievement. Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Pillar two is attendance. Students must maintain an attendance rate of 94% or higher during their senior year. Pillar three is citizenship. Students must be in good standing and discipline record and should be absent
008out of school and in school suspensions. Pillar four, community service. Students participate in 40 hours of service learning projects by serving as a volunteer supporting the community at large. and pillar five, extracurricular and co-curricular activities. Those that support the school's educational mission by participating in and providing leadership to extracurricular and co-curricular activities. So, as you can see, our graduates of distinction have worked very diligently to be here tonight. So, let's give them a round of applause. At this time, I would like to invite our assistant director of curriculum instruction, Miss Stephanie Harrison Prunty, to the [Applause] podium to the Danville Public School Board members, Superintendent Dr. Haristen, and happy birthday to you. our Danville public school chief officers, directors, school leaders, city officials, teachers, parents, and to the exceptional and remarkable class of 2025. Good
009evening to you all. I stand to recognize and honor those who made this event possible. First, I would like to recognize our sponsors. Would you please stand? Your commitment demonstrated through your time, talent, and resources highlight your steadfast support of our honores and the promising future of Danville. Thank you for your partnership is essential as we prepare students with the tools they need to thrive in both higher education and the workforce. We thank you. Next, I would like to recognize the parents and guardians of our esteemed graduates. Would you please stand? We are truly grateful for your unwavering support and guidance throughout this journey. Your dedication and commitment in shaping these young men and women into the accomplished individuals they have become is a testament to your profound impact. Thank you for being an integral
010part of their growth and success. Come on you all. Let's give it up to them one more time. And last, but certainly not least, would our teachers please stand as we recognize you. Your unwavering dedication and passion have kindled the flame of knowledge with our graduates, transforming them into the brilliant individuals they are today. This flame will forever light their paths, burning bright and steadfast, guiding them toward the future of promise and possibility. Thank you. It is an honor to introduce someone who is not only a 2013 graduate of distinction herself, but a fierce advocate, a dedicated champion for those whose voices often go unheard. Tia S. Barksdale, Esquire. Tia's journey began in Danville, Virginia, and her commitment to justice and service has led her from the classrooms of George Washington High School to the
011hallowed halls of Howard University School of Law. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a profound dedication to protecting society's most vulnerable members, particularly in the areas of tenant rights, domestic violence, and elder law. Her legal expertise is matched only by her passion for ensuring that every individual, regardless of their background, has access to justice. Whether advocating for tenants rights in Washington DC or representing survivors of domestic violence before the Vermont Supreme Court, Tia has consistently demonstrated her unwavering commitment to the fight for fairness and equality. Her journey from honor graduate in Danville to attorney in two states is a testament to our hard work, intellect, and resolve. Talia's advocacy, particularly in the fields of family, housing, and civil rights law, has made a significant impact on the lives of many. And today, she continues to
012make strides in Vermont, where she works with Vermont Legal Aid to support survivors of abuse and protect the rights of elders. As the 2025 graduates of distinction, I encourage you to take in this powerful message Talia has to share today. Her story of resilience, service, and dedication is one that reflects not only the impact of hard work and perseverance, but also the importance of using your voice and your talents to make a difference in the world around you. Please join me in welcoming our 2025 graduate of distinction speaker, Talia S. Barksdale, a true servant leader, and tireless advocate for justice. Good evening. Thank you for that warm welcome, family, friends, teachers, and graduates. Um, it is a pleasure to be here with you all this evening. Uh, I'd like to extend a huge thank you
013to the folks at Damville Public Schools for having me. Um, it is an honor. Congratulations to each of you for not just getting through your entire school career, but the last four years. Um, you all made the decision not to just get through it, but to excel. And that was a decision on your part. I hope that you take the time to reflect and think about how proud you are of yourselves. It's not only an honor to be here because I share DNA with one of the graduates this evening, but it's because of that that I know so many of you. Um, though you were much younger, it feels like just yesterday I was sitting in the pickup line at Forest Hills Elementary and I saw many of you standing out there. It is amazing
014to see the accomplished young people that you all have grown into. I struggled to come up with something unique and interesting to share with you all this evening and realized that the odds were against me. So, I figured that I would do what I know best, that is be an attorney. Normally, I'd ask each of you to give me a dollar to start. Um, but you haven't got your graduation money yet. So, I'm going to assume that you're all good for it. For the next few minutes, I am your attorney. So, listen like your life depends on it. If it sounds like a lot of the same, well, that's because I spend about 80% of my days repeating the same thing to the same people. Um, but also because there are a few ideas that
015I think they're repeating. So, I'm going to share a couple of things that I tell my clients often and a couple of things that I have learned along the way. So, here we go. Number one, I am not a magician and neither are you. There are no magic words, no magic wands, no shortcuts. You have to do the work and you've done that. So, I'm not telling you anything new, but it bears repeating. There will be days where you will say, "This is too hard." And it's on those days that you have to remember that nothing comes at the snap of your fingers. There will be a long and winding path, but I assure you, it will be worth it. Number two is something that they teach us to say on our very first day
016of law school. Our clients hate it. It depends. I tell my clients this because there is rarely a right answer or a certain outcome, but there are lots of possibilities. This is the time for you to explore all of them, to make mistakes, to figure it out, or just to try. Lots of people will ask you, "What's next? What do you want to be? What are you going to major in?" They've already asked you these questions. Some of you don't have an answer. That is okay. Some of you will have an answer. And I'm going to tell you, it probably will change. And that's okay, too. Others of you may have the answer now, and you may find 10 years from now, you were right. That's wonderful. You'll find then that there will be even
017more questions. Why does no one have the answers? Well, because life is unpredictable and people are ever changing. You will turn into lots of different people over your lifetime. And that means that there will be lots of different answers about what's next and what you will be. Embrace all of it. Number three is I don't know. That may not sound like something you want to hear from your attorney, but I beg to differ. A good attorney will tell you what they don't know, and then they will tell you that they are going to find out. If someone with that much debt and that many gray hairs can admit it, you can too. So, admit that you don't know and then go figure it out. Number four, and very much relatedly, I often say, "Let me
018consult some folks, find the people who know the things that you don't." Even if it's just one guy. When I first started practicing in DC, another guy named Nick started on the very same day. He became my guy. We asked each other the stupid questions. Now, there are really no stupid questions, but we all know that there are things that we think we should know that our parents probably think we should know because they told us, but we don't know them. And for that reason, we feel silly saying it out loud. But you have to ask the questions. So, find your people or your person. Be curious. Ask somebody, anybody, everybody, all of the things. You might be starting to realize that there is a theme. And you might also be doubting whether or not
019I actually know anything. And the answer is that I do and I don't. But I promise I'm good at what I do. Please tell me I do. The honest truth is that most of us are just figuring it out day-to-day, moment to moment. None of us have all of the answers. Even those of us who pretend that we do, we're just doing that, pretending. That is the beauty and the difficulty of life, the figuring it out. There will be so many times in your lives where you think, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know where I'm going. I don't know where I am. And hopefully you only mean that figuratively and not literally. You'll feel in those moments like you're alone. But I promise you that you are not. There are millions of
020other people at the very same time wondering about the same questions you are. Hold on to that as you move forward. Number five, everyone has a story. That's another thing that you should hold tightly. Use it to move through the world with the knowledge that you do in fact have an effect on the people around you. Even if you don't intend it, you become a part of their stories. Make it a good part. Be empathetic. We could all use a little bit more of that, especially these days. Number six, I think is the most crucial and something my clients don't quite believe when I tell them this, but the most important story is yours. You'll hear lots of speeches and words of wisdom in the coming weeks. You'll hear even more opinions and suggestions about
021what you should do, where you should go, what you should be. Listen. Take what's helpful and leave the rest. No one but you is going to walk your path. No one but you can write your story. No one but you has to live with the decisions that you do or don't make. So write the story that you want to live. So what is it that I'm getting at? Well, you're all your own attorney and you're all your own most important client. Treat yourselves that way. It's up to you to do the work, to explore all the possibilities, to make mistakes, to know that you don't have the answers, and to go looking for them anyway. From the day that you walk across that stage at a you'll be in charge of your lives in a
022way that you've never been before, in a way that a lot of you have been yearning to be. That probably is and should be both exciting and scary. Embrace those feelings. Run straight into them. This is a special time in your lives where you get to be messy, to have fun, to be serious when the moment calls for it. You get to embrace the idea that you can be and do whoever it is you want to be. I hope that in the next few days and weeks, you all take it in, enjoy it. You've had a special opportunity to reside in a community together for so many years. You have moved through the many phases of your life thus far together. Embrace each other in this moment. Take the pictures. Let your parents be emotional.
023There will be better times and there will be some worse ones. But there will not be another moment quite like this one. So with that, I say to you, remember that you have a room full of cheerleaders here tonight. Though we will not remain in this room, these folks will remain in your corner. Even if you find yourselves in another state or another city or another country, you are never alone in the hardships and the winds. You have an abundance of supporters you can always turn to, but you also have yourselves. Again, I say to you, congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment. Congratulations on graduating. Your bill will be in the mail. Thank you and congratulations. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Good evening. My name is Michelle Ramsey and I'm principal of Galileo Magnet High School and I'm
024honored to announce the 2025 Galileo Graduates of Distinction. At this time, would the 2025 Galileo Graduates of Distinction please come forward? [Applause] Usman [Applause] Ali, Adam Hawkins, [Applause] Matteline H. turned in. [Applause] Ricardinoa [Applause] Rodriguez Jakori Leavonne Johns [Applause] Amma Cameron Michelle Casa Sophia Elizabeth Sharon Marowitz. Nadia K. Orlowski [Applause] Francesco [Applause] Pachello Diamond Kennedy Chantel Paige Pia Patel. [Applause] Laya Kazzy. [Applause] Elelliana Josephine Schultz. [Applause] Darien Brandon Saunders [Applause] Jerusa Ella [Applause] Theodore Nativas Keshan Tony [Applause] me Jonathan Carter Tola. [Applause] Michelle Marie Wellington. [Applause] Lucas Mason Owen Wyatt [Applause] Congratulations to the Galileo Magna High School class of 2025 graduates of distinction. At this time, I would like to welcome to the podium Mr. Crestle, principal of George Washington High School. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Johnny Crestell, principal at George Washington
025High School, and I am excited to be here tonight to recognize the 2025 George Washington High School graduates of distinction. At this time, will the 2025 George Washington High School graduates of distinction please come forward. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Rayan Woodson, assistant principal of George Washington High School, and I am honored to announce the 2025 graduates of distinction of George Washington High School. Somaya Tana [Applause] Bethl, Simone Amiia Azari Boyd [Applause] Shaniah Victoria [Applause] Carter Edgerin Sobias [Applause] Cobbs. Jocelyn Marie Cobbs [Applause] Jia Nicole [Applause] Cruz, Taniah Monae [Applause] Davis, Aaliyah Chenise Haristen. [Applause] Annayiah Lache [Applause] Haristen Charity Elizabeth H. [Applause] Hearnden Charles Durant Hungerland Kennedy Lee [Applause] Kernodal, Sydney. Marie [Applause] Lackey, Olman Stewart Lewis, Adam Paul [Applause] Mateo. Tenasia Elar Rose [Applause] McNeel Nala Lache Mley Antonio Murphy Jr. Scholar
026Noel Payne. [Applause] Naomi Sinclair Price [Applause] Belinda Ramos Alvarez. Yes. Mia Ammani Diamond Robinson. Maya Amber Destiny [Applause] Robinson, McKenzie Renee Rogers, Haley Dawn Sers. [Applause] Immani Taciana Snipes Bradley Lamont Stanfield. [Applause] field. Christopher Wayne Stone II Micaia O Jasmian [Applause] Williams. Brady Dylan Woodson One more time, let's give it up for the 2025 George Washington High School graduates of distinction. At this time, it is with great pleasure to introduce honore Sydney Marie Lackey to recognize our 2025 legacy graduates. [Applause] Good evening everyone, family, friends, teachers, and my f fellow graduates. I am so honored to stand here today as part of the class of 2025. I want to thank the administration and everyone who believed I had something worth sharing. I am truly honored. When I first thought about what I wanted to say
027today, I kept coming back to one simple truth. I wouldn't be standing here now if I hadn't just kept showing up. Now, that might sound obvious. We've all been in school for years, showing up, checking in, trying to maintain attendance, and making it through a regular day. But I'm not just talking about being present on paper or in a seat. I'm talking about the kind of showing up that takes strength. The kind where you drag yourself out of bed on two hours of sleep because you have a lab in the morning. Practice again later in the night and more assignments due. The kind where you push through anxiety, doubt, and exhaustion because you believe deep down that it's worth it. For me, this journey has been a lot of things. I spend my mornings at
028Pedmont Governor's School tackling challenging subjects and an extensive research project with some of the most brilliant classmates I've ever known. Then I head to GW High School in the afternoons, balancing more class work along with online classes through virtual Virginia. After school, my hours are filled with dance, extracurriculars, and never ending college and college and scholarship applications. Every day was full. Some were too full. Does that sound familiar? Does that resonate with you, too? But I kept showing up even when I was tired, even when I felt behind. even when I wasn't sure that I could do it, even when I didn't want to do it. And the perseverance and commitment, that act of being truly present changed everything. Because showing up isn't just about attendance. It's about intention. It is a step towards success,
029growth, and positive impact. It's a statement to yourself that says, "I care about this. I care about others, and I care about me." And over time, those choices of showing up add up. Mine added up to a high GPA, to graduating in the top five of my class, and to earning a spot at the University of Virginia to study speech language pathology. A dream that has been a goal of mine and in my heart for years. But even more than that, showing up has helped me figure out what was important to me and why it even mattered. Find a reason, a purpose to show up even when you don't want to. Whether it's personal relationships, professional settings, or personal endeavors, I learned that it's also okay to feel overwhelmed, too, as long as you keep
030pushing through it. And sometimes we may need support. Ask for help, but don't stop showing up. I learned that success isn't just about raw talent. It's about resilience, discipline, and showing up when it's hard, not just when it's easy. And I learned that your presence matters. Whether it's in a classroom, on a team, or in a friend's life, just being there has power. You may never truly know the impact your presence has on others. I can on I can honestly say people depend on you to show up just as you may depend on someone to show up in your life. Think about a time when you expected someone to show up, needed someone to show up, and wanted someone to show up, but they didn't. How did that make you feel? Sometimes you may be
031that person that someone else expects, needs, and wants to show up. To my classmates, we've all shown up in our own ways. Some of us balanced school with work. Some of us balanced school with different activities. Some of us fought through personal battles no one even knew we had. Some of us weren't sure we'd make it here today. And yet, here we are. We did this because we showed up again and again. We kept showing up even with life, even when life sometimes gives us every reason not to. And now, as we move into our next chapter of college, careers, or whatever your path may be, I hope we keep doing just that. Keep showing up, be there, be present, and be committed for your goals, for your dreams, for the people who depend on
032you, for the people who love you, and most importantly for yourself. Because the world needs people who are present, people who are passionate, and people who are willing to put in the work, not just when it's easy, but when it's exhausting, difficult, and uncertain. So today, we don't just celebrate. We don't just celebrate our diplomas. We celebrate our effort, our presence, and our persistence. Thank you to every teacher who encouraged us, every friend who walked beside us, every family member who mentioned us and reminded us of who we are. Thank you for showing up for us so we can learn to show up for you, others, and ourselves. And to the class of 2025, we are here. We are ready. And we are just getting started. Thank you. [Applause] Let's give Sydney another round of
033applause for those challenging words. At this time, we do want to recognize our 2025 graduates of distinction who are also our legacy graduates. That means they have been with us in Daml Public Schools from kindergarten to now. So, we are very excited. So, when I call your name, if you could come forward, please. Somaya Bethl [Applause] Simone [Applause] Boyd, Janiah Carter, [Applause] Edin [Applause] Cobbs. Joselyn Cobbs. [Applause] Jamaia Cruz. [Applause] Taniah [Applause] Davis, Aaliyah [Applause] Haristen, Charles Hungerland, [Applause] Corey [Applause] John's Kennedy Kernodal [Applause] Sydney [Applause] Lackey Bowman [Applause] Lewis, Adam [Applause] Mateo, Nyla Mley, [Applause] Antonio Murphy Jr. [Applause] Francesco [Applause] Pachello, Diamond [Applause] Paige, Naomi Price, [Applause] Belinda Ramos Alvarez. Yes. [Applause] McKenzie [Applause] Rogers Honey [Applause] Snipes, Bradley [Applause] Stanfield, Christopher Stone II, [Applause] Micaiah [Applause] Williams and Lucas Wyatt. [Applause] And
034to our legacy graduates, thank you for believing in Danville public schools and thank you for allowing us to believe in you. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Megan Smith and I am the coordinator of business partnerships and also the director of Danville Public Schools Education Foundation. I have the esteemed honor of presenting our top eight GPA in Danville School District. So, they are not in any order. So, when I call them out, do not get excited. They are in no random order. If you would enter on this side of the stage, please. That'd be great. Brady Woodson. [Applause] Arushia Theodore. [Applause] Elelliana [Applause] Schultz, Skyler Payne, [Applause] Francesco [Applause] Pachello, Sophia Marowitz, [Applause] Sydney [Applause] Lackey and Charles Hungerland. [Applause] When you entered tonight and checked in, you should have received a sheet of paper
035that let you know how to receive your scholarship. Um, all of our graduate distinctions are able to get a $200 scholarship or if you were in the top eight, you do get a $350 scholarship. And that is all possible to our sponsors. So, I would like to thank our sponsors. And if you are with um one of these organizations, if you would stand. Atlantic Union Bank, Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, Danville Public Schools Education Foundation, JT Minimod, The Optimus Club of Danville, The Wednesday Club, Pedmont Printing and Graphics, Robert Woodall Auto Mall, and the Lynx. Our next um scholarship that I would like to give out is our Atlantic Union Bank scholarship. So each year we do an Atlantic Union Bank scholarship and it goes to a GW and a Galileo graduation or
036graduate. So each scholarship receives $500 and we just randomly draw out of a basket. So I have Mr. Sher here. He is going to he's our director or our chair for the Danville Public Schools Education Foundation. He's going to be the lucky drawer. So, we have everybody that is a graduate of distinction from George Washington High School in this basket. So, we're going to mix them up good and Mr. Sharer is going to pick one out. Edger and Cobbs. [Applause] And for Galileo, Ricardinho Ara Aida. I am honored to introduce our next speaker. He is a 2025 graduate distinction and he has also been serving on our Danville public school board as a student representative for the last two years. Darien Saunders. [Applause] just had to make sure. Are y'all nervous? I'm nervous. All right.
037Good evening, everyone. My name is Darien Saunders and today I stand before you as more than just a student. I stand before you as a story. A story written with late night study sessions, early morning alarms, group projects that turned into therapy sessions, and the illustrious IV program that was, let's call it, memorable. But more importantly, I stand here as one voice among many in a class filled with talent, resilience, and dreams that I think could light up the universe. First, I sincerely thank Danville Public Schools. You didn't just give students like me a place to learn. You gave us a foundation to build our futures. You gave us opportunities, support, and a community that believed in us, even when we didn't always believe in ourselves. And that matters so much more than words can
038ever express. To the teachers who stayed after hours, the counselors who answered a thousand questions with patients, and the administrators who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and of course the staff who kept our schools running. You are the unsung heroes of our journey. We are standing here today because you stood next to us. And to our families who somehow found the courage to let us grow, mess up, and grow again. Thank you for being our first believers. There are 101 people we soon to be graduates owe a thank you to. But as we hand out each gratitude, let us not forget that there is one final special thank you to give. And that's the one we give to ourselves. Thank you. Yes, for showing up, for putting in the work, for facing your fears. You
039overcame moments where quitting felt so much easier. You made it to this moment. You did that. You've earned this celebration. And not just because of your GPA or your diploma, but because of your grit, your growth, and your ability to rise again and again. And now, as we prepare to go our separate ways, some to college, some to the workforce, and some still figuring it out, which is okay. I want you to remember this. You are not limited by where you came from. You are launched by it. Think of yourself as a rocket. Every challenge you faced, that was the fuel. Every late night, every doubt, every I won't make it, that was pressure building. And now you're at the launch pad and this stage is liftoff. To those who ground you, remind them that
040you are in fact defying gravity. As the saying goes, shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll still land among the stars. You and I are capable of anything. Don't let fear shrink your dreams. Don't wait for someone to give you permission to shine. You were born with the light in you. So go out and light up the world. Now the curtain begins to close. But this is not goodbye class of 2025. It's see you later at the top at the podiums, in the boardrooms, classrooms, on the stages, in the labs, and yes, maybe even among the stars. Because so long as we see that we are limitless, then not even the sky is the limit. And with that being said, congratulations graduates. We did it. Thank you. As we bring this beautiful ceremony
041to a close, we extend our heartfelt thank you to each of you for being here to celebrate these extraordinary graduates. Let's give them another round of applause. Just a few housekeeping before we get ready to go. If you would in your programs, please look near the back of your pages. If you see a green, orange, or pink dot, you are the lucky winner of the beautiful centerpiece in the middle of your tables. Dr. Haristen, we have you um arrangement here as well as Miss Barksdale, we have you in arrangement here as well. Last but not least, would our 2025 graduate of distinctions please stand? Please remain standing. And we would like for one of your parents to adorn you with your graduate of distinction medal at this time. [Applause] These medals around your necks are
042a symbol of your hard work, dedication, and to your bright future ahead. head. Thank you again for joining us this evening. Have a wonderful night.