Bucktail’s Class of 2025 Takes Final Bow: 24 Graduates Celebrate Bonds, Memories, and New Beginnings
By Kevin Rauch
FARWELL – With hundreds of family, friends and well wishers in attendance, twenty-four students from Bucktail Area High School graduated during the schools 58th Commencement Tuesday evening on Dwyer Memorial Field.
Although just two dozen students made up the class of 2025, that small of a size allows for friendships throughout not only their class but the entire school, as those speaking recalled memorable times not just with themselves but for many with the faculty and staff as well.
“Tonight we celebrate not just an ending but a new beginning for the class of 2025” began Class Secretary Lilian Sporny. “To our graduation class, congratulations, our journey to get here has been nothing short of extraordinary” Sporny said to her classmates.
“There were Challenges to overcome, and countless memories made, as we stand on the brink of a new, chapter remember to hold tight to the lessons that we have learned and a friendships that we have made” Sporny encouraged her peers.
“Thank you to our amazing families, your support, sacrifices, and guidance throughout every moment of our lives has led us here today, in our caps and gowns” Class President Brody Pentz addressed the crowd and parents sitting in it. “Thank you for believing in us no matter what and always making us your top priority”.
“My advice to the underclassmen is don’t rush it. “Go to the game, join the club, live in the moment and have no regrets. You only experience high school once and then in the blink of an eye it will all be over” Pentz finished.
“Feels like yesterday we were wide eyed 7th graders, most likely getting lost between classes, I know I was,” said class Valedictorian and Class Vice-President Mattisyn Mason. “Now look at us, here we are on the stage in our caps and gowns ready to take on the world”.
“Let’s be honest, our journey together has been far from smooth sailing, we’ve had our disagreements, conflicts and some heated debates in the class group chat” Mason remembered. “These things make us the family that we are today, we push each others’ buttons, challenge each others’ perspective and ultimately learn to appreciate each others’ differences”.
Class Salutatorian Martin Lewis gave his thoughts on how quickly the 24/25 school year went by.
“Though this last year felt especially long sometimes, it also flew by. It feels like just last week I was standing on this very field in helmets and shoulder pads, getting ready to play my final varsity football game.
Lewis pointed out the changes that the world has seen since the Covid 19 pandemic that occurred as the class of 2025 was in middle school.
Technology has evolved and changed everything, from how we live to how we learn, society has evolved and the economy, do I need to say more?” asked the Salutatorian.
Lewis left the evening by reciting a quote from Maya Angelo “Success is loving life and daring to live it.”
Following class songs and declaration of graduation from Superintendent Dr. Francis Redmon, the Bucktail class of 2025 walked off Dwyer Field as the newest alumni of Bucktail Area High School and into their future as adults.
