001[Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [Music] Yeah. Heat. [Music] Hallelujah. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Good evening. Welcome guests, faculty, and most importantly the graduating class of 2025. [Applause] At this time, I would like to call up our senior magical for singing our national anthem. Can everyone please stand? Say you see by the dawn early light. What so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming whose bright stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. All the ramparts we watched were so gallently streaming and the rockets red glare. The bombs bursting in gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangled [Music] man. For the land of the free and the home of the brave. [Applause] Thank you, senior Madricals. Good evening. My name is Dr. Kevin
002Wet. I'm the proud principal of this award-winning high school. On behalf of our entire Westmont High School family, I welcome you you to this evening's celebration of the remarkable class of 2025. To begin, I would like to extend our deepest thanks to our incredible superintendent, Mr. Jack [Applause] Balderman, and to our dedicated CUSD 2011 school board. Your visionary leadership and steadfast support have played a critical role in helping our students and staff reach new heights of excellence. We gather here tonight to celebrate not just a graduating class, but a historic one. The class of 2025 leaves behind a legacy defined by achievement, resilience, and excellence. Our national blue ribbon award for excellence winning school has gained national recognition over the years because of the amazing accomplishments of our students. Recently, we received the ambassador rating,
003the highest distinction for professional learning communities in the country. And perhaps most remarkably, this year we became the only regular public high school in Illinois history to receive the prestigious platinum with access recognition, a testament to our unwavering commitment to both excellence and equity. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary individuals who make up our school community. To our amazing administrative team, Miss Lopez and Mr. Cordalooki and to every single member of our faculty. Thank you. Your commitment to nurturing the minds and spirits of our students has shaped the incredible young adults sitting before us tonight. Your work matters deeply and it shows. I would also like to thank the individuals who made tonight's ceremony so special. Mr. Bautista, Miss Beerman, Miss McMood, Miss Ramsay, Miss Shamas, Mr. Erlab, and Miss Vera. Your
004behind-the-scenes efforts made this evening possible. Thank you for everything. [Applause] This year, Westmont High School's excellence has once again been recognized by outside institutions. We are ranked number 30 among regular high schools in Illinois by US News and World Report. It's quite the accomplishment. [Applause] The Illinois State Board of Education designated us as exemplary, placing us in the top 10% of high schools statewide every year since 2018. And great schools awarded us a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. One of only two high schools in DuPage County to earn that distinction. [Applause] These accolades are more than just numbers though. They are a reflection of the commitment, the hard the hard work of our students, staff, families, and community. To the class of 2025, as I look at you tonight, I'm filled with profound sense
005of pride and admiration. Your journey has been one of resilience, passion, and perseverance. You have faced challenges with courage and you've embraced opportunities with open minds and open hearts. You are and forever will be true champions of Westmont High [Applause] School. Before we move forward with tonight's program, I would like to take a moment to honor two extraordinary members of our school community. First, Miss Giva Bell, who is retiring this year, please stand and be [Applause] recognized. You have supported our students at the highest level, ensuring that so many graduated on time and with the skills to thrive beyond our walls. Your impact on our volleyball program and on our student services department is immeasurable. Your legacy will continue to inspire generations to come and we wish you nothing but health and happiness in the
006next chapter. Thank you for [Applause] everything. I'd also like to recognize Madame and Salaco who is also retiring this year. Beloved by both students and faculty, Madame has left a lasting mark on our school through her dedication, her warmth, and her ten tenacious belief in the power of education. We thank you and wish you joy in retirement. Thank you. Finally, it is my honor to introduce someone who has had a profound impact not just on me personally but on our entire district. Our superintendent, Mr. Jack Baldererman, soon to be Dr. Jack Baldderman, yes, uh is a true visionary who leads with passion, love, and purpose. He was recently recognized as Illinois's innovative superintendent of the year, a recognition that comes as no surprise to those who know him. Our students specifically asked that he speak
007to the class of 2025 tonight, and I can think of no better person to share than this moment. Please join me in welcoming my mentor, my friend, and our community's champion, Mr. Jack Balderman. Thank you, Dr. Wick. It's so great to be with all of you this evening. What a beautiful night. Uh, I want to first of all thank the leadership and the wisdom of our school board here in CUSD 2011. To all of our parents and families for the love you show our students and the support that you give to our school community. It's incredible to be a part of this team and I'm so grateful that I get to work with your students every day for the last 13 years. It's an honor. Uh to Dr. Wack, Miss Lopez, Mr. Cordalooski, great administrative
008team, to the best faculty anywhere, the best faculty and staff. What really uh is distinguishing about them is their love for our kids. We do love you. We do. You mean so much to us. You get us up in the morning. and you're sacred to us. That's what drives us. It's really an incredible opportunity to be able to spend time and help to educate these wonderful young people. And to the class of 2025, the saddest thing about being superintendent is that I wasn't able to be with you every day, but I cherish the times that I had with you and I'm so incredibly proud of you. As you move forward, please remember what we really taught you. not just all the academic lessons, but to be compassionate human beings who are going to make a
009difference in this world. That's when you can be most proud when you're lifting other human beings up and being there for them. And work hard and great things will continue to happen for you. And dream big and be confident in the work that you do. Don't let anyone ever tell you you can't accomplish something. As long as you are being compassionate and hardworking, great things will happen. I couldn't be prouder of you. I love you all. Congratulations on your [Applause] graduation. A little bit taller than me. All right. So, I would like to now introduce our first senior speaker, Ria Vargis. Throughout her four years at Westmont High School, this student has demonstrated that she is very intelligent, involved, and driven young adult. Some of the activities and clubs she was involved in include co-president
010of Kapow, VP of service hours for NHS, secretary for PRC, drama club, yearbook editor, magazine editor, youth and government, model UN, and a proud member of our Scholastic Bowl team. I am confident that she will be very successful at the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne as she prepares for her next transition to medical school. Please join me in welcoming [Applause] Ria. Okay. Hello everyone. I'm Rio Vargis and I'm really honored to speak in front of all of you today. There were times where I thought this day would never come, but I kept going. Now I can look back and say with pride, I did it. A sentiment that I hope all my classmates will understand. We've worked hard to earn this. Balancing academics along with a packed schedule filled with early morning practices or hours
011poured into clubs and community efforts. However, this success is not always an individual effort. It is a result of the people that supported us through this journey. I honestly can't be up here without recognizing all the people that supported me. My mother has always been one of my biggest inspirations. I remember her working tirelessly in India all to give me a chance at a better future. I don't tell her often enough, but her determination and work ethic have always left me in awe. My father is one of the most caring and generous people I know and has always supported me when I lacked confidence in myself. Growing up, he never let me believe that anything I dreamed of was out of reach. My parents are the foundation for my motivations and I don't know what
012I would do without their unwavering support. Another support system I want to highlight is our high school community. I'm really grateful to go to a school where teachers and staff aren't just helpful, but genuinely care about each student as an individual. I've always felt like my interest and goals were encouraged no matter how much they've changed over time. So many teachers have played such a big role in my journey. Mrs. Templeton, thank you for encouraging my love of reading, helping me with all my essays, supporting me with my officer position, NHS, and reassuring me when I needed it. Mr. Landrith, you inspired me to travel more, pushed me to get involved in clubs like Model UN, youth and government, which are experiences that I truly value. Mr. Chamberlain is both my AP biology teacher and
013scholastic school coach. Your uplifting personality has made me want to be more curious about science and your positivity has motivated me to keep trying. Miss Liscoco, thank you for always being there, not just for me, but for all of us, especially in the midst of college applications. You read all my essays. You listened to all my concerns and believed in me when I needed the hope. Miss Marose, you are one of the reasons that I love math so much. If it wasn't for you introducing calculus into my life, I would have never appreciated the complexity of math. And Mr. Keling, thank you for going above and beyond with AP reviews and giving us so much practice to succeed. I never thought of myself as a history person until I took AP US history. Having a
014school community that cares so much about me means a lot to me. Not only me, but our entire senior class. Overall, my current successes and the ones I hope to achieve in the future are largely thanks to the support systems I've had throughout my life. I've feel lucky to have adults inside and outside of school that are always willing to help. I'm also deeply thankful for all the friends I've made throughout high school. They've been through me. They've been with me through so much and I'll never forget their kindness. My intention with this speech is to give everyone a moment to think about the life you've had during school, the struggles you faced, and the people who have helped you through it. I hope you take a moment to not only think of those people
015often, but thank them. Because we don't say it enough. And I also want each one of you to feel proud of how far you've come. I truly believe that if we set our mind to it, our class can achieve all the goals and dreams that our futures hold. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Ria. What a beautiful message of gratitude. Our second speaker, Justice Babravichas. He's an exceptional young leader whose impact on our school community has been both meaningful and lasting. Justice did a remarkable job serving as the master of ceremonies for our Veterans Day assembly. Two years in a row, a proud and deeply moving tradition for our school district. His poise, thoughtfulness, and genuine respect for the occasion helped make the assembly a powerful tribute to our veterans and a unifying event for the
016entire community. Justice embodies the spirit of leadership, service, and excellence we strive to instill in all of our students. The student will be attending Loyola University in the fall to pursue a business [Applause] degree. Good evening. My name is Justice Pabraas, proud member of the class of 2025. While this ceremony is about graduating high school, as Ria so eloquently spoke on, this monumental event also holds the secondary but nevertheless equally important role of marking the beginning of our adult lives. This ceremony marks what we will become. Going with that, I'd be remissed to not acknowledge the past. From elementary school with most of you to junior high with even more of you to high school with all of you, we've made the most out of our 12 years that we could have as it was
017up to our class as it was with the classes prior to us graduating to set the tone in the hallways and events. From what we learned from the technology center of DUP page, TCD or from what we've learned throughout our 12 years of school and then going on to college or career, the expertise that we got from school continues on. From those who have taken AP tests and have gained college credit, you can immediately reap the benefits of your education here with the great advantage of having a cheaper college experience, which I know parents also appreciate. Those who took TCD courses can reap the benefits of a jump start in their career of their respective trade. Graduation is a ceremony marked with so many forks in the road. And it is now the responsibility of
018the incoming senior class, the class of 2026, to make the most of their high school experience. Showing up to sporting events, dances, or any of the vast opportunities that high school offers for everyone there. going into college. The same rings true for us now. We have the extraordinary power of forming life experiences and that power continues throughout college and life as a whole. Let's look back on our 12 years of school with pride and let's look to the future with hope for the immense possibilities that it holds for us. Congratulations to the class of 2025. We made it. [Applause] Thank you, Justice. Those were inspiring words for all of our graduates. At this time, I would like to introduce our most distinguished academic awards based on the grades students received in high school, Kum Laad
019and Magnaum Laad. All seniors wearing white cords, please stand. [Applause] These students are recognized with the kumla designation because their cumulative grade point average was between 3.5 and 3.999. They challenged themselves throughout high school and earned a very high GPA on a 4.0 scale. Congratulations to all of our Kum Laadi [Applause] graduates. All seniors wearing silver cords, please stand. [Applause] These students are recognized with the Magna Cumlad designation because their cumulative grade point average was over a 4.0. In order to earn in order to earn over a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale, these students accomplish strong grades in all of their classes, including honors and advanced placement courses. Congratulations to all of our Magna Cumlad [Applause] graduates. To our family, friends, staff, and honored guests, thank you for being here tonight. And to the class
020of 2025, congratulations. This is your night. You've earned every bit of this celebration. Tonight, I speak to you not just as your principal, but as someone who has witnessed your journey, your growth, your grit, and your generosity. You've become a class that represents the very best of what West High School stands for. Over the past 12 years at Westmont High School, I've had the privilege of working with many outstanding students. But this class has demonstrated something truly special. You've shown what I like to call a championship mindset. That means you bring energy and focus to everything you do. You support your teammates. You do the hard work when no one's watching. And you carry yourselves with class, courage, and humility. You've also embraced what we call burn the boats commitment. A mindset rooted in the
021idea that when you believe in something, you go allin. You're showing us what it's possible when a group of young people decide to stop making excuses and you start making history. And let me be clear, you've made history. You set the bar for behavior, representing the best overall conduct of any class I've seen in my 12 years at Westmont High School. [Applause] You achieved the number one five essential survey results in Illinois out of over 600 high schools, a statewide recognition of our school's climate, support systems, and most importantly, studenttoteer relationships. [Applause] You took over 650 AP exams, an astonishing number that reflects your drive to challenge yourselves and prepare for college success. With that, we expect to be named a platinum with access school once again by College Board. If confirmed, we'd be the
022first regular public high school in Illinois history to receive this national honor [Applause] twice. Our school continues to be rated exemplary every year by the Illinois State Board of Education, placing us in the top 10% of all public high schools in Illinois. This distinction is based on researchbased formula that includes graduation rate, college readiness, SAT achievement, and chronic [Applause] absenteeism. And this year, we set a new school record with 25 students earning the seal of biiteracy or accommodation towards biiteracy. A powerful achievement in a world that needs cross-cultural connections and global understanding. These accomplishments are impressive, but what defines you most is not your resume. It's your character. As Mr. Balderman mentioned, you've led with kindness. You've reached out to others. You've volunteered, mentored, and served. You've become not just scholars and athletes, but leaders
023in our community who understand that success is measured by how we treat others, especially those in need. As you leave Westmont High School and step into the next chapter of your lives, I challenge you to carry forward three things. One, keep that championship mindset. Challenge yourselves, stay disciplined, chase excellence, but do it with humility. Two, maintain that burn the boats level of commitment. Don't go halfway into anything that matters. Be fearless in your pursuits and don't give yourself an easy way out. Three, continue to lead with kindness. The world needs more people who lift others up, who give more than they take, who help without being asked. That's who you've been here and it's who you can be wherever you go. So, class of 2025, you are ready, you're worthy, and you are deeply loved
024by this community. Thank you for the memories, the impact, and the inspiration. You have made us all so proud. Congratulations, graduates. [Applause] At this time, I would like to call up Mr. Adam Cordalooski for the reading of the names. Thank you, Dr. Wet. At this time, we would like to present the graduating class. Out of respect of our graduates and families, please hold your applause until all names have been read. We'll then celebrate together. Zoe Pansavan Ebington, Kimberly Sha Samperna Aguilar, Michael Brian Ao, Liam Patrick Aliggretti, Arisa Marie Emonson, Natalia Angelic, Muhammad ID Asf, Vivana Alexandra Barnes, Isaiah Hunter Bean, Hamza Isam Badir, Owen Nathaniel Burbam, Justice Previchas, Ariana Marcella Berky Cassandra Maria Christensen Kenny K. Clinton, Abby Michelle Cole, Sunonny Rain Colleen, Charles Joseph Kosart, Jade Ivy Curtis, Valdit Alipi, [Music] Roco Nicholas Damato,
025Elizabeth Grace Deagarza, Steven Robert Dah. [Applause] Oh, Andrea Dominguez, Mateo Ailio Dominguez, Victoria Yava Dubil, Iber Feliciano Escalante Perez, Charles Lucas, Fierce, Tyier Tamir Freeman, Amaya Gabrielle Golden, Cynthia Gomez, Jessica Yasmine Gomez, Janette Gracia, [Music] Gavana Donna Green, John Daniel Halum, Jeremiah Dempsey Hamilton, Mission Eley Hatchel, Alan Hernandez, Maline Herrera, Danielle Amari Hoover, Quentyn Furio Charleston, Skyla Rose Johnson, Anna Joan Kio, Alexander Ethemios Konov, Nicola Michael Konov, Judy Bernice Castel. Jocelyn Leon Alvarez, Taj Lamar Lewis, Shaun Leang, Megan Charlotte Mosen, my sister, Nicolos, Mus Lucas Morunes Earl Densen Mosley [Music] IVth Leila Star Murayas [Applause] Alana Kreiona Novak Nathaniel David Alier Victoriaas Sophia Ordonius, Yasmin Ortiz [Music] Sanchez, Sean Miller Patterson, Andrew Jason Peard, Payton Gail Pickkins, Hanora Eileen Provenzali, Cooper Andrew Wthburn, Zochi Rinda Rodriguez, [Applause] Perez, Eli Joseph Roman, Christian Noel Rosa, Myra
026Loey [Applause] Ruiz, Leonard Rudolph Seek, Dasha Anatoliva Savchuk, Clara Grace Schiffer, Jomar Bearing Serrano Jr. Jeremiah Dwayne Shavers, Emma Lee Silva, [Music] Kendall June Soik, Versace Adara Stanescu, Ara Alexandra Stoka, Evelyn Iet Stringham, Andrea Alejandra Suarez, Ortega, and Amie Chi, Chinnel, Edgar, Jesus, Tapia, Alcantar, Briggs, Macintosh, Jeepton, [Applause] Manuel Antonio Tohin Yacht, Alexander Michael Tolik, Evelyn Stephanie Torres, Alandra Vargas, Ria Sarah Vargis, Gerald Joseph Basek, Julian Alonzo [Music] Vasquez, Leslie Marlene Velasquez, Syria Ven Catraman, Ryan Michael [Applause] Wild. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Cordalooski, class of 2025, please stand. Kindly move your tassel from the right side of your cab to the left side of your cab. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Congratulations, class of 2025. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Are [Applause] [Music] you Are [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you welcome? [Music]
027[Applause] [Music] [Applause] Oh my god. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] See? [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Applause] Heat. Congratulations. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]