001Hallelujah. [Music] Thank you. [Music] Thank [Music] you. Hallelujah. [Music] Okay, there's the tempo. [Music] Hallelujah. Awesome. [Music] [Applause] Why is it only? Cheerio. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] N. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] down. La hallelujah. [Music] [Applause] la. Hallelujah. [Music] I'm happy. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, honey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] The pump is also the stone. What? Awesome. You're so funny. I know. Let's see. I wasn't Yeah, I just dumped that out. embracing it Well, I mean, you got to It was terrible. Terrible. I think they ran out of Maybe as soon as Miss Frankenber says go, we go. She's the boss. I won't even tell you about the conversation. Oh yeah. [Music] [Applause] Woo! Woo! [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Wow. [Music]
002[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Happy birthday. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Oh, Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Yeah. [Applause] [Music] Okay. Hello and welcome to South Anchorage High School 2025 graduation ceremony. My name is Millie Worse. I am the senior class president and your master of ceremonies for today. I want to extend a warm welcome to our superintendent Dr. Bryant and ASD board member Mr. Jacobs who are joining us on stage as well as all the parents, family members, and friends gathered with with us here today to celebrate
003the class of 2025. At this time, please stand for the presentation of colors by South JC members Megan Porter, Matthew Sherard, Ariana Bristo, Christopher Saspa, and Braden Kosski. Following the presentation of colors will be the national anthem performed by senior Toby Ellson on his electric guitar. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Thank you, South High Gerot, and Toby. Now, please welcome South's principal, Dr. Luke Alman, to the podium for our land acknowledgement and his opening remarks. [Applause] Before we begin our graduation ceremony, we acknowledge that we gather here today on the traditional lands of the Denina people of Upper Cook Inlet. For thousands of years, the Denina people have been and continue to be the stewards of this land. ASD is committed to diversity and inclusion and it is with honor and respect that we recognize all indigenous
004people who live and learn in our community. And with that, please be seated. I want to start tonight by just basically sharing some gratitude first uh for our music department. Give them a round of applause for the opening numbers. I also want to thank our graduation coordinator, Miss Lydia Frankenberger. She spends weeks every year making sure this event goes as planned. Give her a round of applause, please. I also want to thank our parent teacher student organization. that they've supported our staff and students throughout the years both with volunteer hours and money and also fed the staff tonight. So, we are grateful for their presence. Thank you, PTSO. I want to thank all of our guests here tonight or today. You have all had a part in supporting all of our students on the floor
005today and many of them who are helping support the ceremony. And it is one of my firmst beliefs that it takes an entire community to support a student and make them successful. So this ceremony is also in part for you and the reflection of all of that effort that you've put in to each student. So give yourselves a round of applause. And last but certainly not least, I want to thank my entire faculty and staff. Many of them are here today on the floor for their fortitude, persistence, and their commitment, especially in what has been a very difficult year, a difficult spring, and in a particularly difficult last few days. They have certainly showed their commitment by surrounding our students with care in the last hours and making sure that they felt supported. So, please
006give the faculty and staff a round of applause. And with that, I want to bring Millie back to the podium and we will introduce our first speaker. Thank you, Dr. Alman. Now, please welcome South High School's 2025 valadictorian, Anna Kardashian, to deliver her validictorious speech in the fall. Anna will be attending Stanford University to pursue a major in political science with a minor in data [Applause] science. Kim Kardashian once said, "If you put the effort in, you'll get what you want." Good afternoon, teachers, staff, families, friends, and most importantly, the class of 2025. Thank you all for being here today. Now, I know what you might be thinking. Why start a validictorian speech with a Kim Kardashian quote? Well, if I had a dollar for every time someone made a joke about my last name
007being Kardashian throughout my high school experience, I'd probably be as rich as they are. And although I may not be Kim, as a Kardashian, I do understand what it means like to chase big dreams under a lot of pressure. For me, it was pressure that pushed me to finish writing this speech. In fact, I procrastinated finishing it until last night. But pressure is a funny thing. It can either paralyze us or fuel our resolve to push forward even when things get tough. Pressure can either break you or turn you into a diamond. And it's this very pressure that has shaped the dreams I've pursued. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Dreams are the reason I'm standing here today. Years ago, I promised myself
008that I'd become validictorian. And although it may have seemed like a frivolous goal to others, for me it was about proving to myself that I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to. But I know that I didn't get here on my own. I want to take a moment to thank some of the people who have supported me throughout this journey. To my mentors and teachers, especially to those who went above and beyond, thank you. Your belief in me uh gave me motivation to keep moving forward. To my friends, thank you for the advice, the laughter, and the comfort during stressful times. And to my family, mom, dad, Armina, Alex, I wouldn't be here without you. You have been my greatest and most constant source of of strength. This moment, this medal belongs to you
009just as much as it does to me. Class of 2025, as we stand on the edge of something new, many of us are filled with a mix of nerves, excitement, and wonder. But we're about to enter unfamiliar places, meet new people, and build lives we've only just begun to imagine. Now, there's no perfect road map for what comes next. But over the past few years, I've learned six core lessons that I want to share with you all today. Lesson one, choose your hard. As we take our next steps into the world, it's easy to wish for a life uh without obstacles. But the truth is, life will always be hard in some way. Waking up at 4:00 a.m. to study for finals is hard, but so is failing a test because you didn't prepare for
010it. Maintaining your health is hard, but so is dealing with the consequences of neglecting it. Speaking up for yourself is hard, but so is staying silent when you wish you hadn't. The key isn't avoiding difficulty. It's choosing your hard. And what high school has taught us more than anything else is that we have a choice. Choose the hard that brings growth. The hard that builds character. The hard that's aligned with who you want to become. Honestly, I think we, the class of 2025, have the power to survive anything. I mean, we survived COVID, online school, social isolation, an extremely polarized presidential election, and of course, Miss Hawkins's notorious dialectical journals. Lesson two, trust the detours. For most of my life, I never saw myself as a public speaker. I was always more drawn to math.
011But in middle school, I pushed myself to join a debate class. And to my surprise, I discovered a real passion for it. That one decision opened the door to so much more. It eventually led me to serve as a United States Senate page and attend some of the country's most prestigious policy events. Today, these experiences have inspired me to pursue a law and a career in law. Sometimes life's detours end up being the best things that happen to you. Trust that they may lead you somewhere better than you expected. After all, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Lesson three, get back up. I learned early in my childhood what it means to fall. Not just metaphorically, but literally. I trained in taekwondo as a kid, and if you've ever done martial arts,
012you know that you end up on the floor a lot. But hitting the mat teaches you something powerful. Falling isn't failure. Staying down is. I lost matches. I felt pain. I doubted myself. But every time I stood up again, and I learned something new about my limits and how to push past them. Eventually, I became a national champion. Not because I never fell, but because I never stopped getting back up. In life, I faced other setbacks, but just like on the mat, I've learned to keep getting back up. Oftentimes there will be nobody to pull you up. So you have to find the strength to stand on your own. Falling is inevitable, but so is the opportunity to rise again and grow stronger in the process. And that brings me to lesson four. Fall in
013love with the process. We've all worked hard for something, whether it's a sport, a personal goal, or a passion project. And we've learned that the real value doesn't come from the trophy or the recognition. Imagine someone randomly came up to you and handed you a trophy um with your name on it, but you hadn't done anything to earn it. It really wouldn't mean anything to you. It would just be a piece of plastic. What gives an achievement its true meaning is the effort, hard work, and the extra hours day in and day out. In the end, it's not the final result that matters the most. It's the journey and the dedication along the way that shape us into who we are. Lesson five, don't let anyone define your limits. At some point, we've all been
014told that our dreams are too big or that we're asking for too much. But don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't ha you can't do something. If you have a dream, protect it fiercely. Often people project their own fears and limitations onto others. But those limitations don't have to become yours. If id listened to those voices, I wouldn't have accomplished some of the things that I am most proud of today. My last and final lesson is protect your inner peace. The world is loud. Everyone has an opinion on how you should live your life, but you don't owe your energy to everything and everyone. You won't always be liked. You won't always be understood. But that's okay. Think about it. If someone insulted you in a language you didn't understand, it wouldn't bother
015you because those words would have no meaning to you. In the same way, don't give power to ne negativity from others. Protect your inner peace. It's one of the most valuable things you have. With that being said, class of 2025, I urge you all to live a life full of purpose, curiosity, and compassion. Chase what makes your heart beat faster. Take risks that scare you. Build a life you don't need a vacation from. Live every day to the fullest. And allow yourself to feel all that life has to offer, because that's what it means to truly be alive. Thank you all. Thank you, Anna. I would like to introduce the next speaker, Drake Ward. Drake Ward has been chosen by our class to speak today. After graduating, Drake will attend the University of Minnesota and
016major in history. [Applause] When I was an itty bitty boy, I had many answers to the classic question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" My parents heard them all. Astronaut, spy, president, paleontologist, football player. When I'm asked the same question today, and I'm sure we will all be asked that question multiple times today, I'll say, "I want to study history, then become a lawyer." But the truth is, I really have absolutely no idea what I want to do when I grow up. To the people in the audience, it probably seems obvious. Drake just become an international swimsuit model. But there's a big difference between what I want to do and what I want to be. I couldn't tell you what I want to do, but I couldn't be more sure about
017what I want to be, and that's to be happy. It's incredibly easy in today's digital age to surround yourself with negative news and develop a cynical outlook towards the world around you. It's even easier to wallow in sadness and depression, to look at the bad things happening in the world, to think about our brief time on this earth and how none of it will matter in billions of years. It's difficult to choose to be happy. There's a reason why the world's brightest minds, who doubtless know that nothing they do matters in the grand scheme of the universe, still choose to write poems and literature and choose to make movies and write plays and choose to dance and to paint and to play music. It's not always about pure functionality and utility. It's about joy. Happiness
018isn't just something that comes about as a result of your circumstances. It's a conscious choice. But not everyone knows how to make that choice. I'm not going to stand up here and tell you that I know a secret formula that will guarantee happiness for every single person here. However, ask any of my fellow graduates or teachers and they will hopefully tell you that I'm a pretty happy, joyful personality. I'm going to share with you how I have found happiness and I hope it can help anyone listening find happiness as well. The number one way that I found to help me find happiness is to just simply be thankful. Expressing gratitude is such an important thing. Appreciating the good in life by being thankful helps so much to make you happy. By looking around us to
019express our gratitude, we are forced to look within ourselves to be less selfish and to become aware of the good in the world around us. Graduates, please take an opportunity to thank your teachers, parents, or anyone else who has helped you along your journey after you receive your diploma. We've heard it all a million times, but that's because it's true. We couldn't have accomplished what we have without them. The second way I found that helped me find happiness is to seize all the opportunities I can. Another quality of mine my fellow graduates and teachers can attest to is my involvement in the school. I've dressed up as the mascot, danced and answered trivia questions in front of the entire school, given this very speech today, and met new people. There is so much joy to
020be found in our connections with others. And only you can forge those connections by taking advantage of the opportunities available to you. If you feel like you missed opportunities to get involved in the past, there will only be more available to you as you progress through the stages of your life. Sometimes these opportunities come with potential risks, but be assured that you don't serve to gain anything unless you serve to lose something as well. You can never hope to achieve anything if you never risk anything. The third and final way I found that helps me find happiness is to accomplish goals. I mean, it always feels good to check something off a list. It doesn't matter how big or small the goal is, but just the feeling of accomplishment is enough to make people feel
021happiness. And let me say, the students gathered today have accomplished one of life's greatest goals. I hope this goal has given every single student gathered here today feelings of pride and feelings of joy. And if you struggle to find happiness, let your accomplishment today be the start of a new journey towards happiness. If you struggle and feel like everything sucks, let me be the first to assure you that it can only last for so long. It's like the classic saying, "This too shall pass." The bad things will end eventually, but they will only end if you actively try to fix things. If you actively try to find happiness, maybe with the help of the methods I've described, but probably with methods that you discover on your own. Live every day to accomplish your goals and
022take advantage of the opportunities offered to you and express your gratitude to those around you and you will undoubtedly realize your potential and be successful in your pursuit of happiness. Thank you. Thank you, Drake. Now, please join me in wel welcoming senior Ariana Smith per performing Moments to Memories by Adeline Hill. [Applause] [Music] Windows down on my favorite street. Sunset in the rear view. Got nowhere to be. For a moment, we feel like we're kings and queens in nothing but a t-shirt and ripped up jeans. We are free. Can you feel it, too? It's nights like these that only prove. And this is when the moments turn to memories. This is when the future gets so clear to see. This is when tonight becomes a masterpiece. And this is when the moments turn to memories.
023[Music] memories. Deep breath in and I come alive. It's a feeling I'll remember for the rest of my life. So I sit back and watch the sun paint us gold. For a moment we feel like we rule the world. We are free. Can you feel it, too? It's nights like these that only prove. And this is when the moment turn to [Music] memories. This is when the future gets so clear to see. This is when tonight becomes a masterpiece. This is when the moment turn to memories. [Music] memories. And time is moving faster than ever. We got to try to capture. Remember it now. [Music] And time is moving faster than ever. We got to try to capture. Remember it [Music] now. And this is when the moment turn. This is when the f get
024so clear to see. [Music] memories. Thank you, Ariana. The class of 2025 chose South security and head football and head track coach John Lewis to be today's keynote speaker. Coach Lewis has been raised in Eagle River, Alaska, and graduated from Chuik High School, earning his bachelor degree in history in the at the University of Anchorage, Alaska. He served in the US Army as a combat medic, became a master scuba diver, but he is most proud to be a football coach, a track and field coach for kids over 36 years. He was one of the first hired on the South Anchorage staff and will always be a South Anchorage Wolverine. [Applause] [Music] Unfortunately, I'm getting old. Got to put the glasses on. Wolverines, are we excited today? Parents, I know you're excited today. So, today seniors,
025it's your day. as well as faculty, it is your day. Also, you have followed these kids. You've got them to the final point. Students, pretty soon you will not be using that phrase anymore. You are not students anymore. You are now adults. That's going to be exciting. As you become the next step, you've spent 12 to 13 years in some forms of public school education. God, I hope you remember some some of it because you're going to need it, right? But this now moves to where you are on your final stage. On this final stage, here are some of the things that you want to forget. One, you want to forget these slips. We don't want these slips anymore for detentions. So, we're done with detentions. We don't have that anymore. Second, you guys get
026to use this phone whenever you want to. Coming up in about 30 minutes. That's exciting. And in a few minutes, too, it'll be time for you to step out of the den like a true Wolverine. You're now grown. It's time to move on. It's time to find your new adventures. What's next for you? For some of you, it's college. You already have your focus. I want to be an engineer, a doctor, a teacher. I already have my life all set up to go to college. Fantastic. For some, it's trade. I don't want to go to school. What I want to do is learn to trade now. I want to sit there and drive large trucks, excavators, plumber, electrician. Some aren't ready yet to leave the life of being told what to do. So, you choose
027the military, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. And then there's a few that want to sit here today. You guys want to find out what real hard work is. You're not focused yet on what you truly want to do. So, you're thinking to yourself, I really want to work, not a six-hour day. Give me a true eight hour day, a 12-h hour day. I want to know what hard work really feels before I make that next step and that next decision. That's what's next. As you get through those levels of advancement, of advancing yourself to the next step, there are three C's to guide you through life. I want you to think about them. One is character. Your character, you're going to be building on your character day after day after day, making the right decisions.
028We could define character as the mental and moral qualities that you may have now but that may change tomorrow the next day as you grow as responsibilities come as you become now you have a family you you become a parent. Character means everything on the next stages of life when you go out into the real world for not just that job but that career. The second C that you need is competence. And I hope that the 12 to 13 years you spent here, you're going to remember something from high school. As you advance yourself, the competence that you develop are is going to grow year after year. Become smarter. I'm not that good. I can't really do that job. You haven't tried. I'm not that good as a speaker. Well, you got to speak every
029day. Build up your comp the competence. Build your confidence. The third C that I hope you always remember is change the world. you from the number one in the class to the bottom of the class, you all have the opportunity to change the world in some way. Somehow you make that decision to change the world. If it's just helping out at a soup kitchen, if it's actually getting that loan to start a new career, to open a business, to help out change the world, you can do that each day. You just haven't been given the opportunity yet, but you're about to get it. Then you have to say to yourself, why not me? Why not you? Why not you? Why not? Why can't I not become an astronaut? I'm not good at science, so work
030harder. I don't know why I can't be a leader who says you can't. You just haven't tried. And to be able to get through those moments in life that are going to challenge you day after day after day. Follow this path. Follow this phrase. You have to try. You will fail and you will fail again and you will fail again. But eventually you will succeed. I can't be the person to tell you that you only will fail three times, four, maybe once. Maybe you get lucky in that first time you go for a job that you actually get it that first time. But understand something here as you leave the den of South Anchorage, you no longer, we can't protect you anymore. You have to be able to understand to try your dreams. Try them,
031fail at them, and fail at them again. But keep trying because you will succeed. You will succeed. If you don't try, if you quit the first time, you're not living life. Life is so exciting. We got one shot at this. Live every day to your fullest. I don't say these things because I read them out of a book or watched a YouTube video. I had to do the same thing. I'm a graduate of ASD a thousand years ago. We used to use chalk and stuff on a board, but we still had to sit there and learn. I never knew that I could work in the medical field, but I had to do 12 weeks. 12 weeks of combat training, learning your skill as a medic. You take a written test in the morning, a hands-on
032test in the afternoon. You don't get above a 70%, you fail. You go back to the next class two weeks later. You fail again. You become a rifleman. The lowest of the low. Though I thought it was pretty cool. But it was the pressures that were put onto me that I learned at high school that there are pressures in life. You just have to forge through them. And I know this class will. One of the greatest gifts that God gave to me was the ability to coach. The ability to coach is means that I can change a life every day by a simple phrase, by just a simple thank you, by listening to you. But every year my life is blessed because I get that opportunity. You too now will have that opportunity in life
033to take those same challenges, work the three C's and become somebody again. 10 year reunion. Nobody remembers who was the number one in the class or who's on the bottom. They remember for who you are at that moment and what you're striving to be. And you will be you will be blessed. You will be blessed. Last thing I have to say is through life, one thing you have to do every day. You got to tell somebody you love them because that means you're true in your heart, you're honest, and you have a warm heart. Class of 2025, I love you and I will miss you. Thank you very much. And Coach Lewis has been doing verbal warm-up exercises all day. You can tell he's he he pushed through. He's taking his own advice. He's sick.
034He still showed up. All right. Thanks, Coach Lewis. I want to turn the microphone back over to Millie. She will offer some of her thoughts to her class. Millie plans to attend the University of Ellsworth in Iowa to continue her softball career and major in dental hygiene. Millie worst. Everyone, good evening faculty, family, friends, and of course, graduates of the class of 2025. My name is Millie Worst, and it's an honor to deliver to deliver a speech to everyone on this graduation day. I've thought about this speech for the last couple of months and reflecting on these last two years, I've learned so much about myself and others. The most important thing is that having kindness is essential, change is constant, and maintaining a positive outlook makes all the difference. What I've learned most from
035meaningful relationships is the importance of kindness. This made me realize the people who care for you will always be there and will support you in any choice you'd like to make. They will also tell you the truth even when it's hard to hear. If you care for someone in either a friendship, relationship, or even a family member, then show them you care because you truly never know when the chance will be gone. Show kindness towards others. You never know what they are going through. There is one thing in this lifetime everyone is capable of doing, and that one thing is being kind. In a world full of so many negatives, choosing to spread positivity is a thoughtful and powerful way of showing light, not only for ourselves, but also for everyone around us. As we
036move to our next adventures, always be mindful of others thoughts and feelings, and continue showing up for the ones who care. Because in the end, it's not just about where we go. It's also about how we treat each other along the way. Just like how kindness shapes the way we connect with others, change shapes the way we grow into who we're meant to be. Every single one of us has dealt with change. Change can be scary, overwhelming, and become a word that holds so much negativity. But when you shift your mindset to a positive outlook, change becomes a place where growth begins. It's okay to say you're scared for what lies next in your life because that just means the past mattered. What's important is to keep moving forward even when the path ahead is
037is uncertain. A quote written by Ryan Holiday states, "Everything is change. Embrace that. Flow with it." Which should show you that change isn't something to resent or resist, but something to continue to grow through. You don't need to have all the answers right now. Just know you are capable of handling whatever comes next. As we enter a new change in our lives, welcome it with open arms, knowing it's not the end of something good, but the start of something great. As we all gathered here today, take a moment to feel proud dressed in your caps and gowns, surrounded by the ones who helped us on our journey. We should all be proud of the growth and change we are making to achieve our accomplishments today, as well as the accomplishment of reaching this milestone in
038our lives. Graduation is more than simply just moving to the next chapter. It's about carrying all the knowledge we've gained, the relationships we cherish, the path we've discovered, the path we've discovered throughout ourselves. Even if the future is unpredictable, it's also full of so many opportunities. So, class of 2025, let us step forward into our new journeys with kindness, positivity, and open minds. Congratulations to all. Now I would like to welcome South High's combined choirs per performing Have It All featuring seniors Ryan Soulberg, KJ Snder, Kaden Traxler, Jocelyn Moon, Gabriella Kern, Chriselle Tik, and Ariana Smith. [Applause] [Music] May you have auspiciousness and causes of success. May you have the confidence to always do your best. May you take no effort in you being generous, sharing what you care, nothing more, nothing less. May you
039know the meaning of the word happiness. May you always leave from the beating in your chest. May you be treated like an guest. Make it to rest. May you catch your breath. And may the best of your days be the worst of your tomorrow. Wo. And may the road less faith be the road that you follow. Here's what [Music] IS have it May you be as fascinated as a slap bracelet. May you keep the chaos and the clutter off your desk. May you have unquestionable health stress having no possessions or measure of wealth. May you get a gold star on your next test. May your educated guesses always be correct. And may you win prizes shining like diamonds. May you really own it each moment to the next. May the best of your days be
040the worst of your tomorrows. Wo and may the road less fade be the road that you follow that [Music] you going to impossible to love you I want you to have you don't need money to be sad about I want you to have it all. I want you to have it all. I want you to have it. I want you to have it all. I want you to all imagine. No matter what your path is, if you believe it, then anything can happen. Go raise your glasses. Go, go, go. You can have it all. I love to change the impossible ways to love you. I want you to have you don't need money. You got free pass. Here's the fact that I'd be sad without you. I want you to have it all. I want
041you to have it all. I want you to [Music] Here's to the good times we going to have. Here's to you always making me laugh. Here's to the fact that I'd be sad without you. I want you to have it all. Oh, thank you choir. Before we move forward with graduation, we would like to recognize our retirees. Here's Dr. Almond to send them off. You make me feel so much. All right, I'm going give a choir just a second to take a seat and then we'll get started. Another round of applause for the choir. Let's fill the silence. E. All right. In addition to our graduating seniors, today we also bid farewell to retiring staff members who have made a lasting impact on our graduates, our school, and our community over the last several years.
042Retirees, when I call your name, please stand and be recognized. Hillary Hansen, who is seated over to my left, will provide you with a traditional sunflower, and we will share some of your achievements and future plans. Please remain standing until we have recognized all retirees and have a chance to give you a final farewell cheer. First up is Madame Freeman. Katherine Freeman is finishing her 12th year with the Anchorage School District for Romik Middle School and Hansu Middle School and eight years at South Anchorage High School. This is not a retirement but her husband's and they are trading Alaska for North Carolina to be closer to family. Katherine made longtime memories with colleagues and students, especially taking her students to France on six trips. That was a highlight. Her plan now is to explore Asheville
043and its surroundings and continue to travel internationally. A wonderful way to turn the page and enjoy new adventures without the alarm clocks buzz. Kathern Freeman. Our next retiring staff member is Cara Craravens. She is finishing her 17th year with the Anchorage School District. She spent 10 years at Northern Lights ABC, starting as a kindergarten TA, then moving to the front office as an administrative assistant. Cara has spent the last seven years in the activities office at South. Interacting with students and their sports was her favorite part of the job. She is moving out of state to be closer to family and to help care for her aging parents. Round of applause for Cara Craravens. Thanks, Cara. And our last retiring staff member is Amy Thompson Utley. Amy grew up in Moscow, Idaho, then went on
044to attend the University of Oregon. As much as she would like to say that living in Alaska was always her dream, the reality of the situation is that in 1989, she went to Togeiak, Alaska to work in a fish processing plant to help pay off two years of college debt. It was a three-month job that turned into a six six-w week job due to the Vald's oil spell since there was no fish. Luckily, she happened to be dating Michael Utley, a U of Oregon alum who lived in Anchorage. So, she stayed with him and just never left. Eight years and three children later, she graduated with a bachelor's of education from UAA and has worked for the Anchorage School District ever since. Since 1997, an Amy has worked in four different schools, taught most of
045the core English and social studies classes, coached DDF, and worked as the yearbook adviser. Though she earned her MEED in administration a few years ago, Amy has since decided that she'd rather achieve enlightenment by studying and teaching yoga. Round of applause for Amy. I can promise you Amy yoga is probably more relaxing. Okay, please give all of our retiring staff members one more round of applause. All right, and now we are entering the home stretch. So, class of 2025, before I present you formally to the superintendent and the school board, and before you walk across the stage and go your separate ways, I just want to share one simple idea with you. And I hope it's one that you'll take seriously as you enter what I would call the middle years of your life. At
046this point, as part of this ceremony, you are no longer children, nor could you really be considered genuine adults. And you have a lot of them surrounding you, and I think they'd agree with me there. and you are still far from being elderly. So you are just somewhere in between. And so for the next 30 to 40 years, you will be somewhere in the middle, neither a child nor an elder. Yet it is both from the young and the old that we can learn a valuable lesson while we make our way through the middle part of our lives. In short, the lesson is this. Do not lose your spark for life. Don't retreat from wonder and don't give up on adventure. This is a lesson the young and the young at heart live. And it
047is what makes a big difference. And it can make one for you, too. The young still have their sense of wonder and awe. They have not lost their playfulness, and they have hopefully not experienced enough disappointment to dampen their spirits. As countless sources have pointed out about this idea, we are all translators for messages the universe is broadcasting. We all start with it. As children, we accept new information with delight instead of making comparisons. We are more spontaneous than analytical. We are curious. Even the ordinary is met with a sense of awe. From age four to five, we are all romantics. We are royalty, budding ballerinas or intrepid astronauts, as Drake even mentioned. We are all fearless, open, affectionate, and beautiful. When young, we have good trouble to get into. Trees to climb, frogs to
048find, bikes to ride, and puddles to splash in. In short, we have things to do, and we are busy doing them. We wake up every morning to fall in love with the world all over again. So, even though this ceremony is supposed to mean you are grown up, please do not lose your sense of wonder and don't try to get too far ahead. There will be plenty of time to be serious. For now, try to look at the world each day from a beginner's perspective with unabinished hope and curiosity. This is what the young do automatically. It is also what youthful elders do to keep themselves energized. Like the young, they maintain a sense of awe and wonder. And perhaps the best expression of an elers's youthful perspective come from Lord Tennyson's poem Ulisses, which
049is told from the point of view of Ulisses. After returning from years of war, shipwreck, famine, and misadventure. Unlike the young, he has undergone great hardship. And despite not having the strength he once did, he still refuses to rest. He remembers that much has been lost, but there is still so much to gain. with the time he has left. So it's from that poem I want to read a brief excerpt and here is how it reads. I cannot rest. All times I have enjoyed greatly, suffered greatly. For always roaming with a hungry heart, I am part of all that I have met. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine with use. Some work of noble note may yet be done. Come my friends, it is not
050too late to seek a newer world. For my po purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset and all the western stars. Though much is taken, much remains. We must possess the will to strive, to seek, to find, and most importantly, not to yield. So the lesson I want to impart before you march is to not lose your spark. Don't yield. Instead, hold fast. And no matter which way the wind blows, welcome the experience that comes with it. A strong headwind can be cursed or be be seen as a means to get stronger. So as each of you begins the journey into your middle years, take wisdom from the young and the old. Choose to see each day as an opportunity rather than an obligation. Congratulations, class of 2025. Okay, here we go. 2025. Will the
051class of 2025 of South Anchorage High School please rise if you [Applause] can. Dr. Bryant, the records have been examined and I verify that the students seated before you have met the credit requirements for graduation from the Anchorage School District. It is my pleasure to present to you the South Anchorage High School class of 2025. On behalf of the Anchorage School District Administration, it is my sincere pleasure to accept this graduating class. Schoolboard Representative Jacobs, I present to you the South Anchorage class of 2025. Parents, family members, and friends, on behalf of the Anchorage School District School Board, we accept the graduating class of 2025 for South Anchorage High School. Graduates, you may be seated. One more time. Before we begin roll call, I would like to request that we respect every member of the
052class of 2025 and their accomplishment by not using noise makers and by holding our applause until the end. I know that's going to be difficult. This will allow each graduate's name to be clearly heard and recognized by their family gathered here today. It is an important moment for our students and families. So, please help us acknowledge that. We will now begin roll call. Anna Kardashian, Suma Cumlad, validictorian, seal of biiteracy, Russian. [Music] [Applause] Drake H. Ward Magnaum [Applause] Laad Millisent V Worst Audrey V. Simmons, Suma [Applause] cumlad, Gabriel M. Simmons, Magna Cumla, Zoe G. Fencil, Suma Cumlad, Saludiatoran, Seal of Biiteracy, [Applause] Spanish, Sydney Osland, Jordan Aboud, Seal of Biiteracy, Spanish Aiden S. Agnu [Applause] Randelle D. Albbeza. [Applause] Happy birthday. Ramen Ramen H. Ali Dvoodi. [Applause] Alexander B. Alip, Gavin Anderson, Suma [Applause] Cumlad,
053Sheney NK, Anguai, [Music] Hacharak, Eli A. E. Armstrong, [Applause] Alyssa [Applause] Aerosmith Akajan [Applause] Ashimhan Ariana LL L [Applause] Heirs Brooklyn G. Bailey Sumakum laad seal of bi literacy Spanish Tegan T. [Applause] Bailey Gavin T. Baker Stella M. Baldesari Sumakum Laad Seal of Biiteracy [Applause] Spanish Evan J. Baldwin Rowan M. Ball [Music] [Applause] Grace A. Barrett, Sumakum Laad, Anna G. Boltz, [Applause] Scott H. Bartlett, [Applause] Justin J. [Applause] BB Alli E. Bergstrom Sumakum [Music] Laad Jacob R. Bergstrom Magnaum Laad Reagan L. Binnick, Sumakum Laad, Seal of Biiteracy, [Applause] French Khloe F. Bloom, Kum Laad, [Music] McKenna L. Bowden cumlad Magnus C. [Applause] Borst Aaron T. [Applause] Brandenburgg Ralph Braun [Applause] Eli E. [Applause] Briars Alexander Bugaren [Music] [Applause] Rea Sunny M. [Applause] Bullock Katrina M. Bush Magna [Music] [Applause] Cumlad Liam Sa Carr Avery R
054Carroll [Applause] Deanna D Case [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Hell yeah. Grant J. Ky look sumakum laad seal of by literacy [Applause] German Nyla M. Clark. [Music] Hi Cortez M. [Music] Klene Mayhe W [Music] Coffee Payton M. Connor Christopher Cook seal of biiteracy Spanish. Alexa Cortez where seal of biiteracy [Music] Spanish Michaela J. Kruden [Music] Asher C. Cubit Maya L. Kerp Sumakum laad seal of bi literacy Spanish Tristan C. Diamato Jenna G. Daniels [Applause] congratulations Trinity M. Davis Magna Cumlad [Music] Sedarth G Desai Cumla Seal of Biteracy German Chase W Dixon [Applause] Kayla Caleb C. Door [Applause] cumlaude Mason G. [Applause] Domic Isaiah M. [Applause] [Music] Duan Cotton J. [Music] Exin Sage A. Edmmonds Kai H. Is Eizert laad Colin D. Ellingsson [Applause] cumlude Toby L. [Applause] [Music] Ellingsson Abigail R. Ellis [Applause] Cumlaude Zachie S. Elropose
055Maxim Y. Espuma Sumlaude seal of biiteracy [Music] [Applause] Russian Finley A. [Applause] [Music] Fiakco Gabriel T. [Applause] Fiser Raphael P. Flores [Applause] Charlotte A. Fontana Magna Cumlad. Thank you for the Ryland L. Forth Cumlaude. Hi Jackson. Congratulations. Jackson Freeman. Cumlaude. [Applause] Sean M. Gallen [Music] cumlaude Elijah K. [Applause] Garcia Reese M. [Music] [Applause] Garland Reese D. [Music] Gabau Benjamin [Music] [Applause] Gilbert Brody W. Kramer Magna Cumla Seal of Iiteracy Spanish Nicholas A. Grande Liam J. Gross Magnaumlad [Applause] Benjamin R. Gust, seal of bi literacy, Spanish Corey Hackley, Katie R. Haka, [Applause] Jacob P. Haley Bailey F. Hamilton Suma [Applause] Kumlad Isaiah MB [Applause] Hamilton Michael E. Honan Kayn B. Hannon Ryan P. [Music] Hansen Lewis [Applause] Harkham Tyler J. [Music] [Applause] Harmon McKenna R. Harris Kumlad seal of biiteracy Spanisha S Harvey [Music] [Applause] Kumlad
056Eva A. [Applause] [Music] Hartwell Nvea J. Hartwell [Applause] Paige [Applause] Hines, Alan P. Henson, Gregory Z. Higashi, [Applause] Oh, you're Erica L. Holland. Sorry, Kensington R. How suma [Applause] kumlad Johan D. Warfano [Applause] Reyes Cooper D. Shaju Aaliyah B. Hufana Sumakumlad Seal of Biteracy French [Applause] Mason A. Hug. Kumlady. Seal of biiteracy [Music] German. Vincent A. Hug. Seal of biiteracy German. Faith C. Hughes. Nathaniel J. Houston, Suma Kumlady, Lisa Beth S. Vetting, Logan A. Iller, Evangelene R. James, seal of by literacy, [Applause] French, Gordon R. E. Jennings, [Music] [Applause] Torstston H. Johnson [Applause] Kumlady Thomas B. [Music] [Applause] Jones Greta A. Cars [Applause] Gabriella Kern Suma [Applause] Kumlad Leone M. Kim Suma Kumlad Seal of Biteracy [Applause] [Music] German John C. Kimura [Applause] Andrew P. Kinsey [Applause] [Music] Arni Kalisnik seal of biiteracy Russian and
057[Applause] [Music] Ukrainian Jasper J. Comomas KT Comov Magna Kum [Applause] [Music] Lai Maximus J [Applause] Canonan Lucas R Kazinski [Applause] Carson M. Lake [Music] [Applause] Nicholas Nicholas P. La Liberte Magnaum La Seal of Biteracy French. Anna Olafano. [Applause] Evelyn E. Lame Ellison T. Libby Suma Kum [Applause] La Skyler Jay Lynn Suma Kum [Music] [Applause] Lai Ava C Lindsay Hey Jackson doing buddy Jackson Luff Kum [Music] [Applause] Lexus Roff Magna Kum [Music] [Applause] [Music] La Marin Lun Sumakum Laad Seal of Biiteracy [Music] German Taylor Daddx X Magna [Music] [Applause] Cuml Hayden M. [Applause] Martin got wait Alejandra A. Martinez. Yeah. Martinovich. Bodon F. Martinoic. Did he just do a flip? He did a flip. Chase R. Meli, Etienne D. Matthew, Alexander Z. Matthews, Elise M. Matthews, Suma, [Applause] Kumlad, [Music] Drake, Angelica Vme, Suma Kumlad, Seal
058of Biteracy, Spanish [Music] Reese C. McBride, seal of biiteracy, Spanish. Good job, Patrick T. Mun. Jerick R. Meister, Grayson W. Melosick Magna Kum La [Music] Ava K. Mercer Caitlyn S. Mercer. [Applause] Thank you. Marcel K. Mike's [Music] Marcus D. Mike [Applause] Cumlad Loren Kr Miller Kennedy B. Michel Suma kum [Applause] la Maryanne M. Molina Ordonz kum la seal of bi literacy Spanish latia mamoia Roy B Mamoa Joelyn M. Moon, Suma Kum [Applause] Larry, Gracie R. Moore, Magna Kum [Applause] Larry, Margaret K. Mori [Applause] Arti Beck Beck A. Mormon Sage JL Morris Ruby E Moser [Music] Anita Moa Wyatt SB [Music] Mau Rebecca Y Mrick Noah D. A Nevin Katie A. Newell [Music] Kieran R. Nuland [Music] Evan A. [Applause] Nicholson, Matthew D. Nordstrom, Charlotte J. Noak, Magna Kum, L Brandon A. Olsen Guess Gus M.
059Olsen, seal of bi literacy, German. Luna Z P Suma Kumlady, seal of bi literacy, Spanish, right. James J. Polioli, Ryan B. Parch, [Applause] Devin M. Peterson Z [Applause] Phillip Kaylee N. Picado. How do you pronounce it? Envy R. Pazumpski. Oh, Finn a predigger. Kumlad syllabi literacy German. Reed a predigor seal of literacy German Christian a Price Declan H pretty magna cumlad Devin M. Prince Mutini did Deon M. Prince Mutini, Robbie, Rachel, Cashes, Q, Pium, Greta C. Reese, Simakumlad, McKinley L. Reed, Kumlady, Lizzy A. Riners Kim [Applause] Lady. Thank you McKenna L. Requaire. Thank you Corbin H. Wrighter. Magna Kum L. Jonas E. Reynolds, Lena K. Robertson, Keegan V. Robinson, Cumlad, [Music] Am Sienna L. Robinson, Mallerie M. Rodriguez Coste seal of bi literacy Spanish Ricardo Romo Lopez seal of biiteracy [Music] Spanish Reese N. Romford,
060seal of bi literacy, [Music] Spanish, Grayson A. [Applause] Ruth, Corbin A. Siri, cumlaude, Ethan A. Sapon, Magna Cumla, Toto mata say matula [Applause] army Ryland L. [Music] Sanderson Axel Santana Alexandra Erica G. Saspa seal of biiteracy to [Music] Galag Joy E. So cumlude Noah A. Schmidinger [Applause] Kylie Juel T. Schneider [Applause] John A. Shonweter Israel RC Ireland G. Selby Jackson M. Celipac Cumlaude Dne A. Sonaga, seal of biiteracy, Spanish Timothy A. Serrano, seal of biiteracy to Galague, Keegan R. Salo, Suma cumlude. [Applause] Paige E.J. Shankar cumlaude Augustine Z Schoffner cumlad seal of bi literacy [Applause] Spanish yonum Laura Cumyong Libby AC Skinner. Sebastian Schlens, foreign exchange student, Czech Republic. Ariana M. Smith, Sumakum Laad, Seal of Biiteracy, Spanish. Ryan A. Soulberg, [Applause] Lucas L. Solomon, Madison L. Sop [Applause] Steven A. Spangler Julia M. Spivey
061cumlaude Devin D. Stoddle Harmony R. Stanley Addison L. Stevens, Alexi M. Stone, Adam M. Starter, Corbin K. Strickler, Ashley Y. Sunstrom, Suma Kum Laad, Seal of Biiteracy, German and Japanese. Thomas G. Tabanor, Magna Cumlaude, Shaun C. Taylor, Crisel K. Tiko Josila S. Tama vona kumla Mason A. Tero Magna Cumla Diamond D. [Music] Thomas Coway [Applause] [Music] Eltoya Willick A. [Applause] Tony Kaden E. Traxxler [Applause] It's okay. You're Kaylee, right? Kaylee L. Troder, Zachariah T. Tui, Thomas J. Tenny, cumlaude, right? Marcus Owami cumlaude Rebecca S. Tyler Magna cumlaude seal of bi literacy [Music] Spanish Niko T Uriartez Emmanuel [Music] Valdez Vantasel Rick T Vantasel Anthony Vang Kum [Music] La Jada M Vang Kum Laude McKinley M Wagner [Applause] Okay. Kyber Watt Moarori Giani. Got it. Giani G. Walker. Wait. Cruz Z was sumakum laad seal of
062bi literacy German. Got it. Levi D. [Music] Watson, Bryce D. Web Kiana N. Webster, right? Megan M. We Sawyer R. Whites Kum La Ka Sliot Elliot J. [Music] [Applause] Whittison Jonah D. Windsor [Music] Jason C. Wise, [Applause] Aiden M. Woods, no I, right? Just Q. Q. Wolston, Suma Cumlaude, seal of bi literacy, Spanish. Cole A. Yarington Masimo A. Young Brener M. Zakaro. [Applause] [Music] I think standing is appropriate. Maybe we can get the rest. Wait till these Yeah, that was the third time. And now, the final act of our graduation ceremony. Please welcome Anna, Drake, and Millie back to the podium for the traditional turning of the tassel, which symbolizes your status as high school Graduates, please rise. On the count of three, we will all move our tassels. Ready? Ready, set, go. Three, two,
063one. [Applause] Okay, graduates. [Music] Thanks, band. All right, last instructions. Parents and family members, we invite you to stand and watch our students proceed out of the stadium. You are welcome to meet the graduates out front. And before we get into moving, thanks a lot to the South community. We appreciate your presence at graduation today. Have a great time tonight, graduates. Make good decisions. That's my last advice. Have a good [Applause] evening. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Yal. [Music] [Applause] [Music] You guys are going to hang up for just