001One, two, ready, go. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Don't heat. [Music] Stay on it. Oh my god. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] You are glory. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, hey. [Music] [Applause] Brother glory. Heat. Heat. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. Oh [Music] yeah. Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Good evening, Superintendent Sir, Principal Frell, Mr. Osborne, esteemed members of the Carbondale area Board of Education. Tonight's distinguished commencement speaker, Mrs. Jessica Brennan, faculty, staff, honored guests, proud parents, devoted family members, cherished friends, and most importantly, the Carboneler High School graduating class of 2025. [Music] Welcome to this milestone occasion, our commencement ceremony held in honor of the outstanding young men and women seated before us. My name is Larry Gabriel, assistant principal, and
002I am privileged to serve as your master of ceremonies this evening. Before we begin, I kindly ask that you take a moment to silence all cell phones and electronic devices, as tonight is a formal and respectful celebration of achievement. This event would not be possible without the efforts of so many behind the scenes. On behalf of our administration, I extend sincere gratitude to the following individuals for their tireless dedication to making tonight a memorable experience. Our superintendent, Mrs. Holly sir. Principal, Mr. Joseph Ferrell. Our graduation marshals, Mr. Tom Maro and Mr. Joe Barski. Our school counselors, Mrs. Megan Rogerio and Mrs. Carrie Rhola. Pair professional, Mrs. Carrie Burl. Our art teacher, Mrs. Janelle Phillips. our office staff of Mrs. Michelle Cavson, Mrs. Corey Wright, Mrs. Stephanie Miller, as well as our entire administration, high school
003faculty and staff that are stationed throughout campus tonight. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Scott Mahalik, Mr. Mike McConnell, Mr. Jeremy Dumbrosski, and Mr. Jeff McDonald, and our devoted maintenance department whose efforts have shaped the very environment surrounding us this evening. And most importantly to the parents, guardians, and caregivers. Thank you for raising this remarkable group of young adults. Your love, sacrifice, and guidance have shaped the class of 2025 into who they are today. You have every reason to be proud. And now it is with great joy that we turn our attention to the stars of tonight's celebration, the graduating class of 2025. At this time, Colin Hollis will please come forward for the presentation of the colors. We're asking that everyone please rise and remove your caps and remain standing while our
004advanced chorus class performs the national anthem followed by the pledge of allegiance and singing of the Carbondale area high school alma mater. Oh, say can you see by the dawn early light so Proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming who brought stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight for the rampards we watch were so gallently streaming and the rockets red the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh say does that star spangled away for the land of the free and the home of the brave. [Applause] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all inns [Music] are no [Music] mand to thee
005our carbonale area Bye. Tonight we recognize two students who have exemplified the highest level of academic excellence throughout their high school careers. First, our saludiatoran. Will our saludiatoran please come forward at this time? It is my distinct privilege to introduce a student whose dedication, leadership, and commitment to excellence has left a lasting mark on Carbondale area. Our saludiatoran of the class of 2025, Miss Abigail Wall. Abby comes from a proud line of Carbondale area graduates. Her mother Nicole Wall, her father Robert Wall, her older brother Robert, and her older sister Emily all walked these very halls before her. Today, she adds to her family's legacy with grace and distinction. Throughout her high school journey, she has been a true Renaissance student, balancing academics, leadership, athletics, and service with poise and humility. She is currently the
006class president, vice president of our National Honors Society. She has been a consistent leader in clubs like SAD, future teachers club, physics club, math club, library club, student council, and the science and technology club. She's held the role of treasure in both FBLA and the Spanish club, and was actively involved in the yearbook and photography club, prom committee, and scholastic ball. Her involvement doesn't stop there. As a four-year FBALA state qualifier and three sport captain leading our basketball, soccer, and cheerleading teams, she exemplifies what it means to be a Carbell Area Charger. Driven, passionate, and proud. Next fall, she will continue her academic journey at the University of Scranton, pursuing a degree in communication sciences and disorders with aspirations to become a speech and language pathologist, a field where we know she will continue to
007make a profound difference in the lives of others. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the saludiatoran of the Carbell Area class of 2025, Miss Abigail [Applause] Wall. Good evening, family, friends, faculty, administration, members of the board, honored guests, and most importantly, the class of 2025. I am honored to be standing here before you tonight as Saludiatoran. I want to start off by saying how proud I am of my class for finally making it to the finish line. There were bumps in the road that challenged us, but we always persevered. When our world was in shambles during CO 19, we were only middle schoolers. We were learning to adjust to our new high school surroundings. We were forced to leave. Going back to school when it was over was a challenge but we slowly
008found our way back to normaly. We were lucky in a sense that we were young enough to that our high school days were still ahead of us to experience. When tasked with writing the speech, I wondered how I would be able to sum up all the growth, mistakes, lessons, memories and relationships that have happened over the course of many years in just a few paragraphs. A few special memories I have here at Carbondale area are cheering at football games on Friday nights, the countless Duncan open camping trips, pie Mr. Murphy during a pep rally, going on many field trips, crying about my first ever geometry test and making Mr. Foot very uncomfortable. Almost dropping physics after my first quiz. My sophomore year English class getting Mr. Perry very riled up after wishing him a happy
009birthday when it was not his birthday. having my brother-in-law teach me English for the last semester of my senior year, selling a million bags of fruit snacks for physics class, and finally, my best friend, Elelliana Connelly, getting me out in Senior Assassin when the game had just begun. One day, we will look back at all the memories we have made here at Carmill Area and feel nostalgic about these moments, the good and the bad. Each of us had had different experiences that have shaped us into who we are today. And we will always hold on to these high school memories. Without my family, friends, and teachers, I would not be who I am today. To my mom and dad, thank you for always pushing me to be my absolute best and always supporting me through
010everything. You are truly my biggest fans, and I'm thankful to have parents like you. To my sister Emily, thank you for being my built-in best friend and an inspiration to me. To my brother Bobby, thank you for always being there for me and loving me even when I annoy you. To my grandparents, extended family, and boyfriend, thank you for the love and support you have given me. To all of my friends, thank you for the constant laughter and being a shoulder to cry on when times are not easy. I will miss the fun times we shared together that made school a place I looked forward to going to. To my teachers, thank you for guiding me in the right direction and committing your time to furthering my education. The bonds I have made here at
011Carbondale area have made my school experience unforgettable. In life, it is not where you are, but who you are with. I am forever grateful for the people that Carbondale area has surrounded me with, and I hope to stay connected with many of them for the rest of my life. Too often in life, we take time for granted. As we all know, time is a thief. We wish for Friday to come sooner when the long week feels like it's never going to end. We wish for summer when it feels like we are stuck in a constant cycle of long, cold winter days. We are always looking forward to what is coming next when we really should be appreciating where we currently are because we will never get this moment back. As Ferris Buer says in the
012movie Ferris Buer's Day Off, life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. We are at our high school graduation. A moment that we've been waiting for our whole life. So stop, look around, and take it all in. The emotions you're feeling right now. The sadness, the happiness, the confusion, the nervousness. Cherish this moment because someday it will be it will just be a great memory. But right now, we are living it. Today, June 6th, 2025, will forever be remembered as the end of a long chapter in our lives and the beginning of a whole new journey with limitless possibilities. It's okay to be unsure of what you want to of what you want to do right now. It's okay to start over, but it's
013not okay to give up on yourself. We are all capable of doing great things with our lives, but it's up to you to determine what your next step will be after walking out of this school. We are the future of the world, so go set it on fire. Congratulations to the Carbell Area class of 2025. Thank [Applause] [Music] you. It is a true honor to introduce the valadictorian of the carbonary class of 2025. Will the validictorian please come forward? Our validictorian is a student whose brilliance, humility, and quiet determination have earned her the top academic rank since the very start of her high school journey in ninth grade. Miss Hong Tran Hong is the daughter of Tan Tran and Hyen Wyn and the proud older sister of Haley, currently in sixth grade, Heather in fourth
014grade, and their younger brother Hudson. From the classroom to the courtroom, from the stage to the stars, her high school years have been nothing short of exceptional. A student who attained perfect attendance all four years. She has exemplified commitment and discipline in every aspect of student life. She served as president of the National Honor Society, was named NEIU Scholar of the Year, and remained on the academic honor role throughout her entire high school career. As a dedicated scholar and leader, she's been deeply involved in over a dozen extracurricular activities. She served as the secretary of the Future Teachers Club, where she also tutored fellow students and held the role of treasurer in the French club. She was a fierce advocate and leader on our mock trial team for three years serving as both captain and
015attorney. Her other involve involvements include the math club, FBLA, SAD, Scholastic Bull, yearbook and photography club, science and technology club, library club, medical club, physics club, student council, astronomy, and much more. She also participated in PJAS, qualifying for states both years. Outside the academic world, she spent seven years dancing with Faith Anne Leuzo School of the Performing Arts, and she currently works as a trusted babysitter, showing that her care and responsibility extend well beyond the school walls. This fall, Hong will attend Temple University, where she will begin her studies in pharmacy with the goal of becoming a pharmacist, combining her passion for science, precision, and service into a future dedicated to helping others. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the validictorian of the carbonial area class of 2025, Miss Hong
016Tran. [Applause] Before I begin, I would like to welcome family, friends, unhappy siblings who are dragged along, faculty, administration, members of the school board, and most of all, my fellow 2025 graduates. We would not have made it here today without the help and support from our friends and family. So, I would like to take this time to thank my mother and father for being there for me every step of the way. To my younger siblings who argue with me 247. My best friends who made the long days few shorter. To Alyssa Bon, Olivia Baron, Stephanie Baker, Riley Brink, and Caitlyn Burns for coming into my life and being my biggest support system, standing with me for thick and thin. I would also like to thank our teachers and guidance counselors for your perseverance, patience, and
017high expectations. But I know the majority of us tested the patience part. Thank you to her principal, Mr. Pharaoh, assistant principal, Mr. Gabriel, and our superintendent, Mrs. Ser. And thank you to my classmates for being a part of my story. I'm proud and honored to be standing here delivering the farewell speech as valadictorian for the class of 2025. I would also like to express my gratitude to a specific teacher, Mr. Perry. If it was not for your guidance during my time in mock trial, I would not have the courage to stand up here and give this speech. Joining mock trial was definitely one of the best decisions I have made in my life. It allowed me to meet new friends, work as a team, and boost my confidence to present in a public setting. Thank
018you, Mr. Perry for believing in my abilities and giving me advice whenever I needed it. Standing here today is a moment I have dreamed about, but I never would have thought that it would come so fast. Six years ago, we entered the new building as little seventh graders. We were told that our time in high school would fly by in the blink of an eye. None of us believed it then. We have faced many challenges, including a global pandemic that struck during our seventh grade year. Well, as seventh graders, we genuinely thought the world was ending when the two weeks out of school turned into a year. The world, in fact, was not ending. It was just strange. The daily classrooms were replaced by online classes and conversations turned into texting. Returning to school after
019the after the pandemic meant learning how to reconnect with one another, not just going straight back into a classroom and doing an 18step proof. Mr. foot. We learned to be a part of a team, learned to not give up, and learned that mistakes and failures do happen. We didn't just survive a pandemic. We returned stronger, wiser, more grateful, and more determined. That's what makes our class so special. And here we are, Carbondale graduates. Although it is the end of our high school chapter, we've made countless and unforgettable memories to carry on with us. our sophomore year where all we remembered were cells. Right, Miss Jadik? I assure you, we all know that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Other memories are when walking through the halls, we can hear Mrs. Stemcheck on the
020other side. Or when Mrs. Garzani teaches us a lesson but forget to step in the beginning, so he had to restart the whole problem. Or when Mr. Baroski teach us into the next class period. Even though many memories were made, we will never forget the ones that were created during senior year, especially when the weather showed us no mercy. For almost every field trip this year, the sun did not smile upon us. Instead, we were greeted with rain. Student council trip soaked. FBLA, it rained. PJS, it drizzled. And senior trip to Dorney absolutely drenched the first hour there. But we learned that we don't need the perfect weather to make the best memories. It's the people around us, the people who makes us smile and stays by our side. Now, let's take a moment to
021recognize our graduates commitment and achievements. In the classroom, some balanced AP and honors classes. Several of us excelled in academics being members of National Honors Society and high honors. Beyond the classroom, numerous students were involved in extracurriculars, sports, and volunteer activities. The drama production put up an amazing performance showcasing Annie Jr. Our boys and girls sports teams rigorously practiced winning several games and matches. Students were also involved in many clubs bringing unity to the school such as Avidum and SAD. We've also organized food drives helping with the community. Each of us impacted the community in our own way by listening, supporting, and including each other. Tonight does not mean it is the end. Tonight is when we end one chapter and tomorrow starts our new chapter. Like Elanor Roosevelt wisely said, the future belongs to
022those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Every one of us here tonight believes. Although we might not know exactly where we're headed when we flip the page, we have learned to believe and trust ourselves as well as each other. As Abby turns her tassels and we receive our diplomas, we are not just celebrating what we've achieved or who we have become, but also to move on. To move on from our daily routine that we complained about so much. Moving on from high school students to what's next. To be honest, moving on is moving on is scary. We really don't know what is next, but let's not be afraid of the unknown future. Let us welcome it and live through it. So, here's to the late study nights, stressful tests, friends made along the
023way, and unforgettable memory. We made it, and we're just starting our new beginning. Thank you, and congratulations, class of 2025. Good evening. Before I introduce this year's commencement speaker, I'd like to take a moment to recognize some of the remarkable accomplishments of the Carbondale area class of 2025. Six members of this class have consistently earned first place awards at both the regional and state levels of the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science. Of those six, three have received the prestigious prestigious persever perseverance award for participating in PJs from 7th grade through their senior year. A testament to their dedication and passion for scientific inquiry. Our senior members of Students Against Destructive Decisions have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, organizing schoolwide initiatives to promote suicide prevention and mental health awareness. They also took the lead in this year's Prom
024Promise program, further emphasizing their commitment to student wellness. Senior members of the Science and Technology Club created and led our elementary STEM nights, mentoring younger students in cultivating an early love for learning and discovery. Throughout their time at Carbondale area, several seniors have participated in Michaela's voice, the polar bear plunge, and unified sports. These students have led by example in promoting inclusion, empathy, and kindness in our school community. Four seniors proudly represented Carbondell area in WVIA Scholastic Scrimmage and the NEIU Academic Challenge, demonstrating academic excellence and school spirit on a regional stage. One of our seniors earned the title of state champion in Future Business Leaders of America, while four others placed in the top 10, a remarkable achievement in a competitive field. 10 seniors took center stage and work behind the scenes as dedicated
025members of the drama club, enriching our school with their creativity, talent, and storytelling. Two students have used their design skills to create nearly all the banners featured on our school website and social media accounts over the past four years using Canva, lending their artistic vision to our school's public image. Nine seniors served as peer tutors and mentors through their involvement in the future teachers club, helping to guide and support their classmates throughout the year. Our 32 National Honor Society members upheld the pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character, collectively contributing nearly 500 hours of community service during the 2024 2025 school year. Two seniors were selected to perform with Marywood University's Northeastern Youth Band, and one senior earned the honor of performing in the 2024 PMEA District 9 Band Competition. Five seniors participated in a
026mock trial with four earning awards for their performances in various competitions, exemplifying their analytical and public speaking skills. One senior organized the food drive to benefit St. Francis of a kitchen, demonstrating compassion and civic responsibility. Several of our athletic teams advanced to the district 2 playoffs this year, a testament to their hard work and their determination. One senior was named a softball all-star, proudly representing Carbondale area on the field. 31 seniors took part in co-op and internship opportunities, gaining valuable realorld experience before graduation. Six students earned the certified manufacturing associate credential through Lacawana College, positioning themselves for immediate success in the workforce. 14 seniors earned a combined total of 84 college credits through a dual enrollment program, giving them a head start on their post-secary education. The following is a list of the post-graduation plans
027for the class of 2025. 68% of the students will be either attending a 4-year college or university or a two-year college, technical school, or trade school. 26% will enter the workforce with full-time employment. 6% are currently undecided and five members of the class will nobly be entering the military. At this time, I would ask those five members, those five graduates who will be entering the military to please stand and remain standing. If there are any veterans or active members of the military as well as first responders, police officers and firefighters or EMS personnel, please also stand and remain standing. We thank you sincerely and wholeheartedly for your service and your selfless commitment to others. Please be seated. At this time, it is my pleasure to introduce this year's commencement speaker. Dr. Jessica Coslo Brennan is
028a 2002 graduate of Carbondale area. She is the daughter of Kathy and the late Gene Coslo. Dr. Coslo Brennan is a leader, a mentor, a scholar, and a fierce advocate for education and community service. With an academic journey that includes a doctor of occupational therapy from Jefferson University and a master's in occupational therapy from Philadelphia University, both completed with Magna Kumladi honors. Dr. Coslo Brennan exemplifies lifelong learning and academic excellence. She currently serves as assistant clinical professor and academic fieldwork coordinator at Kings College where she is shaping the next generation of occupational therapists with passion and purpose. Prior to this, she played a pivotal role in fieldwork education at the University of Scranton. Her contributions extend far beyond the lecture hall. She spent 12 years in clinical practice as an occupational therapist throughout both Scranton
029and Carbondale. As a lead wound care OT, certified brain injury specialist, and dementia specialist, Dr. Brennan has developed evidence-based programs that have made a tangible difference in patient care. Her research on medication adherence in older adults has highlighted how occupational therapy can can transform public health practices. Her current research includes sports related sports related head injuries in youth sports. Dr. Coslo Brennan is also a devoted community leader serving on multiple executive boards including the greater Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Association, the Community Action Network for Alzheimer's for both Lacawana and Luzern County, members of the Walk to End Alzheimer's Committee. She is also the chair of Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association's 2025 state conference, a reviewer for both the American Occupational Therapy Association and the World Occupational Therapy Association. She is a leader in the occupational therapy profession. In
030addition to these professional boards, she also contributes her time to local youth sports as a member of the Carbondale Junior Charger Board of Directors and cheer coach. She serves as a member of the board of directors for the Carbondale YMCA and is chairperson of the advocacy committee at the Greater Carbondale YMCA. Her impact is deeply felt not just in the professional realm, but also in the lives of those she serves locally and nationally. Dr. Klo Brennan, a lifelong Fel Township resident, currently resides with her husband, Mike, also a 2002 Carbondale graduate, and their two children, Bailey and Brody. She enjoys gardening, reading, traveling with her family, scuba diving, reading, and Florida trips with her mother. Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Coslo [Applause] Brennan. Good evening everyone. Good evening, esteemed faculty, administration, board members, proud families, friends,
031and most importantly, the graduating class of 2025. I am grateful to have been invited tonight to give your commencement address. As a proud 2002 graduate of these very halls, I look back and think of just how many ways this school has helped shape the person I am today. I stood here just a few short years ago on my graduation night, excited, nervous, naive to the future. But I look back on this time so fondly. Some of my best friends were formed in these halls. Well, actually Fell Elementary, which is the ultimate elementary school. If you know, you know. Shout out to my America. I will always be her Salica. Many of you know her as Mrs. Keeler. I know her as my mayor girl. My future was also formed in this hall as I married
032my high school sweetheart and became even though in seventh grade he threw Mrs. Torch's fruit flies in my hair and ruined mine and as you know Mrs. Mascos's science project. The memories I have here will last a lifetime as I do hope they do for you as well. Now enough about me because tonight is about you. But before we get to you, there are some other important people we have to get to. I want each of you to stand, please, and take a moment to clap and thank everyone who got you here today. So, let's stand up and let's clap. Ready? Okay. You're good. you can sit because whomever you have out there in the audience and whomever is live streaming us to see you guys on this monumental night. I want you to thank
033them and appreciate them because for this night is not only about you. It is about them. This achievement is just as much theirs as it is yours. All their long nights, their worries, their struggles to get you here to this point must be recognized. So, you all should give yourself a pat on the back. They are the people that clap for you, that cry with you, and they're just your presence. These are your north stars. I am not naive enough to realize that my life and my educational journey would not have been successful if it wasn't for the people that I've had around me, my true Nort, my mom, my dad, my brother, my husband, and my children. They are my supporters, my teammates. And for them, I am forever grateful. Tonight, we gather not
034just to celebrate what you've accomplished, but to recognize what you're stepping into. This moment right here, right now, this moment is a bridge. On one side, you have all the years of learning, the late nights, the doubt, the laughter, the growth. On the other side, you have possibility. See, high school was never just about grades or tests, even though you might think it was. It's about discovering who you are. It was about the late nights, the talks, the early morning alarms, the wins that made you proud, your losses that made you tougher, maybe love, even some heartbreaks. Now, tonight, you stand on the edge of that new beginning. And that can be exciting. But let's be real, it can also be terrifying. Now, if you're feeling a mix of excitement and terror, congratulations, my friends.
035You are human. So, let me tell you something that you may not hear enough or even often at all. You do not need to have it all figured out right now. In fact, life often works best when you don't. Because it's in the uncertainty, in the struggle, in the brave first steps that you take into the unknown that your real power begins to show. Here's the truth. The path forward, it won't always be clear. You're going to face uncertainty. You're going to hear no. You might even doubt yourself along the way. But let me remind you of something powerful. You made it here and you made it to this moment. And that means you, my friends, can make it anywhere. Tonight marks the end of one chapter and the thrilling uncertainty beginning of another. And
036so it feels only fitting that we talk about something that will accompany you from this day forward. Through every twist, every leap, every stumble, and that is change. Change is a very strange companion. It shows up unannounced. Sometimes it brings joy. A dream job, a new city, unexpected love. Other times it arrives like a storm through unexpected losses, failure, a path that suddenly vanishes. But change, whether welcomed or or resisted, it's inevitable. And you have already experienced it. You arrived here as one person and you're leaving as another. Maybe not completely different, but you're leaving wiser and stronger. More aware of what excites you, what scares you, and what drives you. That transformation didn't happen overnight. It happened through late night study sess sessions. Through friendships made, heartbreaks endured, sports, and lessons you never expected
037to learn. You changed. And that's the beautiful liberating truth. You will keep changing. Some people are going to try to sell you the myth of permanence that you must have everything figured out by a certain age. Find that one path. Stick to one version of yourself. But life, see, it doesn't work that way. Life rewards curiosity, resilience, reinvention. So allow yourself to evolve. Change careers, change cities, change your mind. The ability to adapt, adapt isn't a survival skill. It's a superpower. Here's the other side of that coin, though. While the world around you shifts, there's something you might have to fight to be constant in your life, and that's your values. Let your integrity, your empathy, your sense of wonder be your true north. Let those who you feel closest to in your heart guide
038you when the ground feels unsteady, when you're unsure of your next step. Change is going to test you. It will ask you who you are when everything and everyone you leaned on no longer seems to hold. But it will also show you what you're truly made of. It will stretch you into the person that you're meant to become. Not once, but it will happen again and again throughout your lives. See, progress doesn't require perfection. It requires forward. That's it. One inch, one idea, one chance at a time. Forward is more than a direction. It's a mindset. It's the quiet courage to keep going when it would just be easier to stop and not move on. It's choosing growth over comfort, action over fear, purpose over perfection. Forward is not always fast, and believe me, it's
039not always easy, but it's always progress, and it's always worth it. So now I'm just quickly going to share with you three simple truths that I hope you carry on with you the world beyond this night because I am not going you are not going to remember me. Two days ago one of my friends asked me who our commencement speaker was in 2002 and I have no idea who it was. So I'm not naive that you guys are not going to remember who I am. Maybe Olivia Baron but that's about it. your progress or not. First of all, you are not behind. In a world obsessed with timelines and benchmarks, remember your path is your own. Life doesn't care if you arrive on time. But life only requires if you show up real, present, ready
040to grow. Don't ever measure yourself by someone someone else's ruler. A motto I instill in my children is that we are leaders, we are not followers. So I want every one of you to lead and not be a follower. Second is failure is not the a is not the opposite of success. It is actually a part of it. Some of the most successful people failed more times than they can count on. I myself have failed at many things and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. But here's the difference. I did not stop and neither did they. We learned, we adapted, we moved forward. So fall and fail, but get back up. Getting back up is all it takes. That's not weakness, that's resistance. And the third one is something that
041my heart my husband's going to argue with me about, but I believe that kindness is strength. In your career, in your relationships, in your quiet moments, lead with empathy. Empathy is simply the ability to share and understand the feelings of others. This world is noisy and it's often harsh, but compare but compassion will always cut through the noise. Be the one who listens, who uplifts, who brings light into the room. The truth is character is often forged in the quiet moments that no one sees. So now, as you leave this place that you have called home, full of memories, caffeine, if you were like my class, a little or a lot of chaos, know this. You are not the future leaders. You are the current leaders. The world doesn't need you to wait. It needs
042your ideas now. Your voice, your courage, your questions, your fire. So whether you're heading to college, going to trade school, joining the workforce, proudly entering the military, exploring your passions, or honestly, you have no idea and you're just figuring it out one day at a time. Don't chase perfection. Chase progress. Chase purpose. So go forward. Make mistakes. Learn everything you can. Build things. Love big. Dream wildly. And when life says you can't answer, watch me. So graduates, please remember your journey does not have to be perfect. It just needs to be your journey. Chase what moves you. Help someone along the way. And when you fall, because we all do, just remember to get back up and keep moving forward. The world around you is going to change. Your plans are going to shift. But
043the power of forward, that's yours to carry always. And you have everything it takes to continue to move forward. So congratulations, class of 2025. Keep going, keep growing, and keep moving forward. [Applause] We now turn to one of our most cherished commencement traditions, the conferring of the senior mantle, symbolizing the passing of leadership from this year's senior class to next year's rising seniors. Following the mantle ceremony, Mr. Frell and our director of guidance, Mrs. Megan Rogerio, will present the Ruth Giles Shrader Scholarship. Please welcome our senior class president, Miss Abigail Wall, and our junior class president, Miss Olivia Lawler, as they carry out this symbolic gesture. [Applause] This mantle will will be presented to the Carinal area class of 2026. It represents many fine qualities such as academic pride, a prestigious heritage, and special friendship
044between classes. We, the senior class, wish the class of 2026, the best of luck as you strive to uphold this mantle's fine qualities and traditions. As president of the senior class of 2025, I bestow this mantel upon your class and acknowledge you to be the Carbondale area senior class of 2026. We, the junior class, accept this mantle with eagerness and pride. We will strive to emulate the qualities it exemplifies. academic pride, a prestigious heritage, and most of all, friendship between classes. Tonight, we, the junior class, congratulate the senior class of 2025 and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. We look forward to the challenge of attaining the same reputation and the everlasting tradition this mantle represents. Thank you. As a trustee of the Shrader scholarship, I would like to make the
045following facts known to the Carbondale area community. Yeartoyear, the number of eligible applicants, the economic factors, as well as the investment climate all blend to determine the precise size of the scholarships awarded to applicants. In the past 39 years, the Shrader Scholarship has awarded over 1,273,000 of aid to Carbondale Area High School graduates. In the past, the recipients of the Shrader Scholarship have made positive academic contributions in their chosen field of scientific study. The trustees of the scholarship recognize that the endowments created by Ruth Giles Shrader have nurtured the academic proficiency of numerous Carbondale area high school graduates. The entire Carbondale area community and the world have been deeply enriched by the unselfish and community-minded spirit of Ruth Giles Shrader. Ruth Giles Schrader scholarship recipients for 2025. Please stand as I call your name. Caitlyn
046Burns, $10,000. Elelliana Connelly, $10,000. Angelica Prito, $10,000. Hung Tran $10,000. Abigail Wall [Music] $10,000. The total amount awarded this year, $50,000. [Applause] It is a pleasure and honor and with great charge or pride that I declare to you, Mrs. S, superintendent of schools and to you, Mr. Osborne, president of the board of school directors, that these members of the class of 2025 have met all the requirements for graduation, including required subjects and total credits. They are prepared to seek a new path and create new traditions, and therefore are entitled to receive a Carbondale Area High School diploma from the Carbondale Area School District. [Applause] Good evening, members of the Carbondale Area High School class of 2025, members of the board of school district, administrative staff, faculty members, parents, family members, and friends. Today, we gather
047not just to celebrate achievement, but to honor transformation. Seniors, you arrived here as freshmen, unsure and perhaps a little nervous. And now you stand before us dressed in caps and gowns, ready to step into the next chapter of your lives. You've heard from Hong about the metaphor of life as a book. How this moment is the turning of a page, the beginning of a brand new chapter. It's a beautiful image, and it's exactly right. But as you begin writing those next pages, I want to offer you a tool, a compass. A compass doesn't tell you where to go. It doesn't hand you a map or provide a guaranteed path to success. But what it does do quietly and consistently is point you towards your true north. In this rapidly changing world where careers are evolving
048faster than ever and where the jobs of many of you will hold don't even exist yet, your compass, your values, your passions, your strength will be the most important tool. Career readiness isn't just about the skills you've acquired, though you've gained many. It's about learning to navigate, to adjust course when you need to, and keep moving forward even when the road ahead is uncertain. And in those moments when you feel uncertain, when you're asked to make choices without all the answers, look to your compass. And as you do that, remember one simple truth that you have already heard from Abby. You don't have forever. Whether you're heading to college, the workforce, the military, or taking time to figure things out, remember, every next chapter is not just written by the events that happen to you,
049but by the direction you choose. So yes, work hard, build your future, set your direction with purpose, but also take moments to pause, to reflect, to appreciate where you are even as you move towards where you're going. Because this journey isn't about reaching a destination. It's about becoming the kind of person who knows how to choose the right direction. So, as one chapter closes and the next begins, remember you're not just turning pages. You're setting a course. Trust your compass. Write boldly. And don't forget to look around once in a while. And remember, wherever you go from here, you will always be a charger. It is a pleasure and honor as superintendent of schools and appointed representative of the board of school directors of the Carbondale Area School District to accept the list of graduating
050seniors for 2025 from Carbondale Area High School. I do hereby certify and affirm in the presence of all assembled that each individual has met or exceeded the requirements for graduation set forth by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Carbondale Area School District and is ready to receive his or her diploma. Thank you. 2020 2025 class president and saludiatoran Abigail Wall. validictorian Hong Tran Ava Baldderas. Come to this side, Mr. Alyssa Michelle Bunk, [Applause] Riley O. Brink, [Applause] Caitlyn Burns, Elelliana Jade Connelly, Shelby Deck, Ian Peter Dieslack, Steven Enis, Leila Esgrow, Leila Livingston, Brienne Lucas, [Applause] Marissa Fay Matushik. Hannah McAffrey, Ethan McDonald, Keegan McDonald, Ava Grace, Peragan, Nicole Perez, Angelica Marina Prito, Logan T. SP, Riley Tulan, Jacob [Applause] [Music] Washleski, Ava [Applause] White, Summer Dawn Young, [Applause] [Music] McKenzie Alab [Applause] Piper Arthur, Stephanie
051Lynn Baker, Olivia Baron, Devonte Bash, [Applause] Ashton, excuse me, we have Okay, that's enough. Ashton Beater, Nevada Riley Berios, Alexis Black, Scarlet Sky, Kelton [Applause] Boris, Ashley Charlene Aguilar Velasquez, Jason Barero, Ethan Bruan, Caitlyn [Applause] Burns, Crystal Calderon, Aviedo. [Applause] Giana Carlo, Ariana Marie Castanita, Colin Ryan Clemo, [Applause] Nico Confetti, [Applause] Kira Marie, [Applause] Crumb, Adelfina Marie Dablato, [Applause] Cody John Dolph Kyrie [Applause] Doyle Robert J. Duplexus, Donald Jerry Fagan, Ryan [Applause] Fuller, Nathan Gallup, Autumn Gary, [Applause] Daniel Gonzalez, [Applause] Scotland an Graine, [Applause] Jaden Gregory, Samuel Grazanti, Unique Hamkey, Ryan Robert Haynes, Isabella [Applause] Hurley, Amber Marie Hilbert Folultz, Vanessa Mary Lee Hill, Genesis Hulk, Cruz, Dakota [Music] [Applause] Hoffacker, Elijah Howers, Logan Francis Houston, [Applause] Abigail A. Jones, [Applause] Colin Jordan, [Applause] Maggie Kain Jasmine N. Keith Isaiah [Applause] Kilmer Jeremy D. Knight
052Jr. Ian Martin Corner, Christopher Michael [Applause] Elaine, Jazelle Lar Roach, [Applause] Daniel Paul [Music] Lazorch, Alyssa Sheay Lewis, Chance, Love It, [Music] Elliot Mattage, Kamari Anthony [Applause] Mallaloy, Jada Tala [Applause] Malone, Alexi Marie [Applause] Manuso, Elvra Matilda Morero, Caleb J. Marsh, Sierra Martin, Juliet Martinez Deleó. [Applause] Elena Lynn Muhammad, Abigail Molinro, [Applause] Scarlet Masttowski, Meyers J. Mullhal, Jordan [Applause] Meyers, Kiara Lynn Neve. How are they doing? Jaden Neves, [Applause] Mason Narella, [Applause] Emily Northup, Annayia Marie Ortiz, [Applause] Jacob Piagua, [Applause] [Music] Alan [Applause] Perry, Victoria Propes, Ryder [Applause] Probition, Steven Pcell. [Applause] Abigail Repture, [Applause] Matthew Yomar Rivera, Yornette, John Alexis [Applause] Robles, Christopher Alexander Rodriguez Flores, Jacob Patrick Rosler, Yanna Salvador Diaz, [Applause] Victoria Angela [Applause] Sanabria, Connor Sanski, Scott Santos, [Applause] Kevin [Applause] Sizens, Santino, John Sha, Ryan Shear, Samantha Mia [Applause] Slabadnik,
053Olivia Marie Slackbower, Aiden Smmedley, Caitlyn Riley Smith Scott Matthew Snider, Ariana Maria [Applause] Sto Benjamin T. Styer Patrick L. [Applause] Styer, Cadence, McKenzie, Tacket, Carson Anthony Talico, [Applause] Madison Ty, Savine Casmmyra [Applause] Ty Adrien Christina Titley, [Applause] Jazelle Lena Torres, Madison Usher, Aiden Joseph Valenc, [Music] Aaron Vquero, Logan Weller, [Applause] James Arcadian West, Thomas [Applause] Wiggins, Ryan Yatlosski, My god. What's the name? I apologize. Genesis Vargas. Guess she wasn't. [Applause] Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the class of 2025. [Applause] I'm unable. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat up here. [Music]