Nearly 4,000 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools seniors walked the stage and began the next chapter of their lives during last week’s graduations.
The Class of 2025 is the first graduating class to have had their entire high school experience in a post-pandemic world. They spent a massive amount of the last four years adjusting to remote and hybrid learning models and developing an understanding of a modern economy in constant flux, all while still facing the standard academic and emotional rigors of high school. Their success at this level despite myriad challenges bodes well for what comes next.
“High school hasn’t always been easy,” Walkertown High School Assistant Principal Roshanda McCrimmon said. “You’ve faced challenges. You made it, you adjusted, you overcame. That resilience is your superpower.”
Between the 3,953 graduates, prospective college students racked up an astounding $85.1 million in scholarship funding. Ten earned flagship full-ride scholarships to University of North Carolina schools, and five more were accepted to United States Military Academies. Hundreds more have already secured job offers and apprenticeships so they can begin their careers immediately. There’s a success story in this class everywhere you look, and it speaks to the ambition and desire for personal growth that these graduates embody.
“Put yourself in positions that will allow you to grow,” East Forsyth High School Valedictorian Drew Wright told his classmates. “Attack everything with all the effort and determination you have.”
Whether they’re heading off to four-year universities, community college, the workforce, military enlistments, or anything in between, all of these graduates have immense potential. They’re an informed and passionate group who have spent years dreaming of how they can make their communities better. Armed with the experience and insight they’ve picked up in school, they’re excited to put their skills to the test.
“You serve a unique purpose in your community,” said Irvin Josue Sorto-Sanchez, Carver High School’s valedictorian. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I don’t want to waste any more time or any more opportunities.”
WS/FCS strives to enrich every student and help them find their “why”, whether it’s through academics, athletics, the arts, career training, public service, or any other venue they can use to contribute to society. The Class of 2025 has been thoroughly prepared, and educators can’t wait to see what these graduates will do with what they’ve learned.
“The world doesn’t need more people who try to fit in,” said Board of Education Vice Chair Alex Bohannon, who spoke at the ceremonies for John F. Kennedy High School, Parkland High School, and West Forsyth High School. “It needs more people like you.”