Tassels will turn, caps will be thrown, and tears of joy and sadness will be shed. Graduation is a bittersweet event that seniors look forward to as they enter the new chapter of independence and adulthood.
On May 22, 2025, at First Baptist Church at 7:00 p.m., Texas High School’s class of ‘25 will walk across the stage, receiving their diplomas and some even receiving associate’s degrees.
Seniors reflected on their last year of high school with friends, events, and how they encouraged others.
Oviya Justin is Texas High’s class of ’25 valedictorian. She danced for the Texas Highsteppers throughout all four years of high school, was a dedicated editor-in-chief over the school’s newspaper staff, and president of Mu Alpha Theta.
“[Starting a new era] is exciting, but also nerve-wracking because school in general was something I’ve known for the past 12 years,” Justin said. “I think it’s a completely new chapter, and it’s going to be different.”
Leaving high school isn’t as simple as it seems. They’re also leaving behind close friends as well as family.
“It’s very sad [to leave my underclassmen friends] because I’m going to miss them,” Justin said. “In high school, I feel like you become friends with people who aren’t in your grade, which is different from previous years.”
Bryce DePreist was a Texas High school baseball player, a staff member in Tiger Vision, and a member of the student council.
“I’ve been waiting [to graduate] for a while now,” Depriest said. “[It’s] sad [ to leave my friends], and I’ve been in that boat before, so I know that they’re gonna find the right people that they’re gonna be with for the next few years, and I’m excited for them as well.”
Memories are important things for seniors to carry with them during the journey of their new lives.
“My favorite memory from this year was senior sunrise,” DePreist said. “We were playing a game called senior assassin, and I got out that morning, because I thought it was a school event, but I still got out, but anyway, so we’re taking pictures, or whatever, and I got offered to go do a backflip off the dock out there at Bringle Lake. And it was the offer I couldn’t say no to, so I did a backflip off the dock at Bringle.
Xavider Briggs was the president of Texas High’s Tiger Theatre Company (TTC) and a band drum major.
“[Graduating is] very overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. It’s a lot different getting to see the responsibilities for this new adult side of things, Briggs said.“It’s very sad[ to have to leave my friends]. The whole last month of school has been a lot of bonding and getting close with people, but I realize that in a month, I won’t be here, so it’s going to be extremely hard letting go of some of those friendships.”
Giving uplifting advice to underclassmen students and friends helps them prepare for the future and become more confident in themselves and their work.
“A piece of advice is to not wait until the last minute to get all of your college work and schoolwork done,” Briggs said. “Get it out of the way as fast as possible so you can sit back and enjoy senior year.”
Elle Floyd was Texas High’s Student Body president, president of RoseBuds, a member of the student council, and also played a role in Tiger Vision.
“I’m very excited and nervous for the future and all the new friends I’m going to make and the new experiences,” Floyd said. “It’s sad to leave my friends, especially Kenzi Hale. We got close, and I’m going to have to leave her and Sanders Wiggins, and I’m going to miss my underclassmen friends.”
Some seniors even use quotes from other celebrities to guide themselves and others through life.
“I like to use the quote from Ferris Bueller,” Floyd said. “Life moves pretty fast, and if you don’t stop to take a look around once in a while, you could miss it all.”
Mattison Wiley was our student body’s vice-president, a member of leadership and STUCO, and a Texas High cheerleader.
“It feels good and very exciting [to start a new era of life], but also nerve-wracking at the same time because it’s a new atmosphere with different people and different upcoming experiences,” Wiley said. “A piece of advice for them is to not get behind, and it’s never too soon to start applications for colleges, scholarships, and even jobs to help in the future.”
Max Likins was a state-qualifying swimmer for Texas High and a member of the student council.
“I’m a little nervous [to start college] and it’s scary that I’m going to be on my own, but it’s also cool that I’m gonna be on my own at the same time,” Likins said. “It’s sad because you get close to them, and then they’re not in the same stage of life as you, even senior friends. I think leaving my junior friends is sadder because we’re not just going separate ways like with the seniors, you’re just leaving them here altogether.”
As the final high school year comes to a close, being involved with multiple events and people becomes more of an increasingly important part of life than ever before.
“Just make sure you take it all in and never skip something because you’re tired or don’t want to go,” Likins said. “You never know what could happen at said event or place.”
