001[Music] something relationship. [Music] I can make your choice. [Music] It just graduation. [Music] Everyone glory to See next year. Jesus. [Music] Christmas. [Music] Hello. Hello. What are you doing? [Music] Hey, you don't [Music] Oh, you see by the [Music] Wealth and bright [Music] gave proof to my mind that was still [Music] there and [Music] for the land of the [Music] home forever. I do love your voice. [Music] Earthjing sea. [Music] Sing of the faith that has singing. [Music] I be my chore till there [Music] [Applause] [Music] Ladies, yes. face forward. Good evening to the class of 2025 parents, family members, faculty, staff, and friends members of school board and school. It is my distinct honor to welcome you to the [Music] 2025. At this time, I would like to introduce our stage participants. Please stand
002by your name and remain standing. I ask that the audience hold their applause [Music] until my honorable Fernandez district representative. The honorable Matthew Pel, vice chair and first district representative. The honorable Dr. Harris Mohammed District represent the honorable Stephanie Ry district representative and the honorable district [Music] representative Solomon Jefferson chief academic officer secretary of education and Dr. principal director. Please give [Applause] them the stage to my left school counselor. Mary Do found the liator senior class president and Victoria English and world language teacher. Please join me. [Applause] faculty department in the English and language Laura Allen, Caroline Walls, [Applause] and Math Department. [Applause] history and [Applause] Mary and be a Christian and perhaps [Applause] The support [Music] team in the audience care members and you have been essential members of the open family. Thank you
003for your trust, your support of these amazing young people. Please time to recognize [Applause] Finally, please open eye. [Applause] Today we gather to celebrate not just Eastern High School but the promising beginning of the next chapter in your lives. The graduation ceremony is a ritual that firms your transition to young adult and all the excitement and trepidation that comes with that change. But you, each of you are ready. You have already proven you can respond positively to challenges or you going to be here. The challenges of your generation have been unprecedented. Despite this, you have worked hard, taken risks, and learned that growth, whether you like it or not, is always accompanied by struggle. You have been open to new ideas, to each other, to your teachers, to the complexity of the world. And that
004willingness, that courage to be open, to speak up in your voice is exactly what our world needs. Do not scream, but expand. stretch your muscles, keeping your minds and your hearts open to people and ideas that are different. Open is the microcosm of our larger world and ecosystem where the inhabitants are interconnected and depend on each other for survival. Our beautiful diversity makes this ecosystem stronger. You are such different people. Yes, you come together in this singular place that is open and grown more resilient, more open and more prepared for the natural uncertainties. The poet Mary Oliver asks, "Tell me what it is you plan to do with your oneous life." That is not a question that needs to be answered, but it is an invitation to experiment, to stumble, to create, to participate, and
005to pay attention to the fleeting moments of our lives like this moment here. Now all of this question is a reminder that this life mostly is an extraordinary opportunity and what we do with it matters. Keep showing up. Keep thinking. Keep taking care of each other. Believing as you do not believe in hope but in hope that you create through efforts and actions. Class of 2025, the world is uncertain, but within this uncertainty lies tremendous potential for good, just like the uncertainty within you now. Bravely and joyfully pursue the good. Live your one wild and precious life with courage, with gratitude, and open to all that. Class of My dog's about to disappear. [Applause] Good evening everyone. My name is Shabanda Fernandez. It's truly an honor to be here tonight as chair of Richmond City
006School Board and a proud representative of the district. On behalf of the HI board, I bring heartfelt congratulations to the extraordinary class of 2025 from Open High School. Open is a school that dares to be different. As she said, diversity is in secret, and that's what makes it so powerful. Here you're taught to think freely, act boldly, serve your community, and lead with integrity. You engage in real world learning, build deep connections, and develop a voice that will carry you far beyond these walls. Tonight is more than just a ceremony. It's a celebration of how far you've come and a glimpse of how far you will go. You've been part of something very rare. A school that doesn't just prepare you for tests, but prepares you for life. If you allow me to share a
007quick moment for my own journey, this evening is very special to me. I stood on this very stage in the summer of 1998, graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School. I remember the energy in this room, the nerves, the excitement, and that feeling of wonder about what the future would hold. And now to return all these years as chair of the school board, speaking to you, the next generation of change makers, reminds me of just how powerful education truly is. One day you'll have your own full circle moment. You'll walk into a space that shaped you and realize how far you've come. Not just in your accomplishments, but in the difference you've made. And it will be all it will all trace back to this very night. A night just like this. As the great Nelson
008Mandela once said, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. So to the class of 2025, walk forward with confidence, lead with conviction, and never be afraid to take up space and stand firmly in your truth. Cherish this moment, but know that it's only the beginning. You've earned every bit of this achievement through resilience, courage, and purpose. The world needs you. It needs your ideas. It needs your leadership. And most importantly, it needs your voice. We celebrate you, your families, faculty, staff, and friends. All that supported you along the way. We honor all you've overcome and we are beyond excited to witness all you will become. Congratulations class of 2025. [Applause] Hey Richmond public schools class of 2025. It's your mayor Danny. I'm not just your mayor, but I'm
009also a proud person's dad. And I'm so excited and honored to be celebrating today. RPS graduates. You did it. Graduating is a huge milestone. And I want you to know how proud, not just as your mayor, but as someone who believes deeply in the power of our community. You have shown strength, determination, and a whole lot of heart. Through every challenge, every late night, every test, and every new experience, you kept going. And today, you're walking across that stage as a graduate. That is no small thing. That is amazing work. Some of you have overcome big challenges, family stresses, health issues, school pressures, or just figuring out who you are and what's next. And yet, here you are. You didn't give up. You kept moving forward and we see you. To the families, teachers, school
010staff, and everyone who supported you. Thank you. It truly takes a village, and you've been that village for these incredible young people. Class of 2025, your future is bright. Richmond means your energy, your creativity, your passion, and your voice. Whether you're heading to college, a career, the military, or something uniquely your own, I hope that you carry with you pride in who you are and where you come from. You're part of the story of this city, and I believe in you with my whole heart. Congratulations, graduates. Go out and shine. Richmond is cheering you on. [Applause] class. We have completed over hours classificate degrees. 12 of you were named AP. Six of you received a skill of literacy attain proficiency at least two languages. Many of you are strong athletes participating in football tracking softball
011and basketball. Many of you have received full rides or significant scholarships to pursue higher education. We're going to colleges and universities in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, California, and you are starting apprenticeship going into the workforce or entering the [Music] coast. We are so proud of the class of [Music] 2025. At this time, we want to recognize 10 outstanding scholars who have demonstrated academics and achieve the highest GP in their graduate prize. Their accomplishment reflects countless hours of hard work, willpower, and personal sacrifice. They are world medicine and top valator in all of RPS. [Applause] City of attending university. [Applause] attending the university. [Applause] Welcome to the University of Southern [Applause] California live right now. [Applause] Good evening everyone. [Music] members. Thank you for taking the time today. Finally, I would like to take a moment
012to congratulate my fellow graduates of the class of 2025. You all to get here and know everyone watching, family, friends, teachers is immensely proud. We walked in high school in mass to a time characterized by pandmic and constant shifts. We have lived through more history than most students experience in a lifetime. and we all made it through with resilience, ingenuity, and a whole lot of fun. If I had to describe the class of 2025 with great words, I would say driven, collected, and open. The class of 2025 is there is no question of the hard work and dedication that my peers have put into the last four years. taking on multiple jobs, leadership positions, volunteering and sports, all tackling the rigorous workload of daily back. This act is never easy and beyond our determination and
013drive something our sitting in the first day of biology class. We all gave introductions to people we had never met. That text. Yeah. Open high school graduation. All they got to do is go to the original public schools YouTube. She's right there on the front of it. No, I'm talking about them. I'm not saying you. I know you know what to do. Finally, the class of 2025 is open. Every year we give an award to the individual of the student body who embodies the value of high school curiosity, creativity, and community. I truly believe every single member of the class of 2025 has exemplified these traits. As I wrote this speech, I asked how our classes. The most consistent answer, presence. They all said they felt genuinely welcome to their class of achieve. Furthermore, in
014my freshman year, there was zero high school. Today, every single club at Oakland High School has been started or significantly imped like walking in the camera. Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, we had like 60 on 60 on two of them a piece and then like this was 35 and was like 45 on the [Music] last knowing you and I truly love each and every one of you. I know they lies to you, but remember history has it on you. [Applause] Pats are as most high school that's made our education and of [Music] course whether you were taking credit push [Music] it. Anywhere. That's not afterm. We [Music] continue [Music] after congratulations class. Thank you so much again for the [Applause] entire member of the original city school board. I hereby certify that candidates for graduation
015seated before us today have completed all the requirements for a high school diploma as required by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the original city school board and are eligible to receive their [Applause] before I just want to recognize Mary one more time with the highest GPA of [Applause] [Music] [Applause] any represents almost 2,000 seniors and they are an extraordinary group of individuals and to those of you in the open eye class of 2025 before we make an official I want you to hear directly from me how proud we are of you who have inspired us for years who are brilliant and creative and dynamic and flexible and empathetic and beautiful and hilarious and so much And as you go out the world, don't let anyone ever tell you anything else because remember in just a
016few minutes you will be able to say that you are a graduate of Oakland High School and Richmond public schools. And I hope the rest of your lives you are incredibly proud that you will never forget RBS. We love you. We always will. who will always be here for you. With that, are you ready to make a decision? [Applause] By the power vested in me by the Virginia, the evidence presented to me by principal of Oak High School, I hereby certify the class of 2025 has met all of the requirements set forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the state board of education, and the Richmond City school and are eligible to receive their congratulations. [Applause] [Music] Good night. [Applause] Good morning. [Music] [Applause] [Music] August. [Applause] Chloe, Susanna Ber, [Applause] Sophie Lean [Applause] Brena Rose.
017Grace, children. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Henry child. [Applause] Elizabeth. [Applause] [Music] Shannoline. Make it happen. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Yeah, right there. [Applause] At least at least. [Applause] Yo. Well, Trey, [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yes. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Hello. Glory. [Music] [Applause] Yeah, coia. [Applause] [Music] Thank you. [Applause] There you go, Christian. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Hallelujah. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Jamie. [Applause] Y smile. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Good evening, class of 2025. I'm happy to stand here in front of you one last time, but know I will always be standing on my jaw as your biggest cheerleader as you go through the next phases of your life. The turning of the tassel is a modern tradition used to signify our transition from candidate to graduate. At the high school level, this tassel
018is worn on the right side of the cap at the start of the ceremony and is moved to the left once the diplomas are received. Open high school class of 2025, you may now turn your tassels. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Teddy. Teddy. [Music] What's up? [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] track. [Music] I have to head back up this way. Oh, okay. That's done. [Applause] [Music] It's all good. [Music]