Talawanda Class of 2025 braves bad weather to graduate

Dark clouds drifted over the ceremony and high winds swept through the field. But a little rain and wind couldn’t stop the Talawanda School District’s Class of 2025 from walking across the stage and accepting their diplomas.

Talawanda held its graduation at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 at Talawanda High School’s (THS) Marvin Wilhelm Athletic Complex.

The ceremony began with the graduates walking across the field, through a red and blue arch with “Talawanda” along the top, to their seats, while the band played the classic “Pomp and Circumstance.” Krupa Patel, National Honor Society vice president, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and THS’s Chamber Singers performed the national anthem.

Patel greeted everyone with a welcome speech. She encouraged graduates to reflect on how they’ve changed since their first day of kindergarten and be proud of who they’ve become.

The next speech was by Julian Danoff, the class vice president, who thanked the families of graduates. He defined education as “learning how to be a person in the world” and said this definition makes parents crucial to their children’s educational careers.

“You have not only guided us to this point, but you have fundamentally shaped who we are,” Danoff said. “I know that I would not be the person that I am if my parents hadn’t fostered in me a love of learning, instilled in me great values and encouraged me in my interests.”

Lilly Chenoweth, the first Summa Cum Laude speaker and class secretary, said she hopes the graduates can be excited for their futures while looking back on their past fondly.

“Every step we take on our journey is not just a means to a final destination, but a unique journey of its own,” Chenoweth said.

Victor Li, the second Summa Cum Laude speaker, said he hopes graduates approach their fears about post-grad life with excitement. Dominic Pirigyi, class president, said they should not be scared of making mistakes.

Principal Scott Davie thanked faculty, the Board of Education and teachers in his speech. He also advised students not to hold onto anger and focus on prioritizing becoming the person they want to be instead of their accomplishments.

He took a moment to acknowledge the graduates who were enlisting in the military and those aiming to become first responders or educators. He also acknowledged any active service members, veterans or educators in the stands.

Rebecca Howard, president of the TSD Board of Education, affirmed that each student on the field had met the requirements necessary to graduate.

The ceremony continued as nearly 250 students got their moment to walk the stage and accept their diplomas. The sounds of cheers and airhorns could be heard from the stands on either side of the field. Almost 60 students graduated with honors, three received a certificate of attendance as foreign exchange students and 13 received Butler Tech GPA recognition.

A short speech by Kylie Cobb, the class treasurer, followed. She said graduation was not only a celebration of the end of high school, but also of the graduates' perseverance and growth.

“We didn’t just complete a high school education; we built resilience, formed friendships and discovered pieces of ourselves that we may not have known were there,” Cobb said.

The ceremony concluded with the turning of the tassel, led by Cobb. The graduates celebrated by throwing their caps in the air and walking off the field to meet their families.

Graduate Lauren Dysert said she feels sad to be graduating, but she is also excited to be done with high school. She said she felt like her time at Talawanda went very fast.

“It doesn't feel like very long ago that I was a freshman, let alone coming out of middle school,” Dysert said.

Dysert said she will miss the clubs and activities she was involved with at THS. Dysert was co-editor of the Talawanda Tribune, a member of the orchestra and heavily involved in community service.

Dysert said she’s looking forward to attending Miami University, where she will study biochemistry and environmental science. She is excited to experience college alongside people she already knows, a unique experience she said comes with living in a college town. 

“You get to stay close to a lot of people that you've grown up with and just keep growing up together,” Dysert said.

Graduate Ryan Wright said he was nervous to walk across the stage in front of many people, but he was also excited to finish his high school career and start something new. He said he’ll miss the THS faculty and teachers and the support they’ve offered in the past four years.

“I think just … all the teachers in a whole do a really good job of preparing us for our future,” Ryan Wright said.

Ryan will be attending Miami University to study biology with a pre-med track.

Carrie Wright, Ryan’s mother, said it felt bittersweet watching her son walk across the stage.

“You're excited for their future, but [a] little sad that they're all grown up,” Carrie Wright said.

She said she is excited for Ryan to go to college to experience new things and meet new people. Her advice for graduates is “If you believe it, you can achieve it."