The top graduates of Shoemaker High School invoked words of wisdom from some of the greatest philosophical minds of the century during the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony Saturday at the Cadence Bank Center.
Valedictorian Angela Nguyen quoted Dr Seuss and salutatorian Winona Ochoa recalled the words of Winnie the Pooh.
The second-ranked graduate said she grew up with the nickname “Winny Poo,” giving her a natural affinity for the silly, old bear.
“It’s only fitting I open with a quote from Winnie the Pooh,” she said, “’How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Many of the 502 classmates seated in the arena dressed in dark blue Greywolf caps and gowns knew each other as children. Others came to know each other as they lined up to process into the arena.
“Saying goodbye to this part of our lives is hard, but maybe that’s a good thing. It means it mattered.”
As senior year closes out and graduates received their diplomas, Ochoa said, it’s the memories that would remain.
“We may all be heading in different directions after tonight, but the memories and the people are what made this worth remembering.”
“Like Winnie the Pooh once said, ‘A grand adventure is about to begin.’”
The top two Shoemaker graduates attended school together from their early elementary years all the way through.
The valedictorian thanked her family and friends for sticking by her even when she didn’t believe in herself.
“It’s hard to believe how much we’ve been through together,” said Nguyen, noting challenging classes and changes in schedules and policies.
“We’ve adapted and helped each other and more than anything we kept going,” she said. “If I can leave you with one thought, it’s that life won’t always follow the timeline we expect…We’ve made it through this and we’re stronger, more flexible and more capable than we realized.”
“Like Dr Seuss said, ‘You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can choose any direction you choose.”
Student Council President Zulyned De Leon recalled the challenging and wonderful days of high school and pointed her peers to the future.
“This ceremony isn’t just about caps and gowns, diplomas and photos. It’s about celebrating the hard work, the late nights, the friendships, the challenges we’ve faced and the growth we’ve experienced,” she said.
“As we walk across this stage, let’s not just take a diploma. Let’s take pride. Pride in where we’ve come from and excitement for where we’re going.”
Senior Class President Anya Fishburne presented the class gift, white noise machines for the special education classrooms for students with sensory processing disorders.
“It’s a tool for peace of mind,” she said. “It’s a small gesture that says, ‘We see you. We care,’” she explained.
“Our goal now as we leave the halls of our alma mater will be to make our namesake General Shoemaker proud by walking in his shadow and showing true love and kindness.”
Shoemaker graduation photo gallery:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720326357416/