Class of 2025 challenged to lead with kindness, empathy
Valedictorian Abby Horton left her classmates with a reminder to remember the present and not to “chase success the way the world defines it” at Oglethorpe County High School graduation last Friday.
“The future feels uncertain, (and) we don’t know exactly what’s coming next, but that unknown also holds so much potential,” she said. “It means we still have room to grow. We get to choose who we want to become.”
Horton’s speech was one of several as the OCHS Class of 2025 — which numbered 150 — listened to administrators and classmates at Patriot Stadium. Adorned in blue caps and gowns, the graduating seniors gathered at the center of the football field as family, friends and alumni watched them receive their diplomas.
In his address to the class, principal Bill Sampson said to be kind and remember the Golden Rule.
“Even when you’re tired and frustrated and someone was pushing every button you have, it is always possible to respond kindly and show respect,” he said. “Be the person who leads with kindness and empathy and lifts others up.”
He advised the class that “(they) will face adversity” and “there are going to be haters,” further emphasizing “for every action there’s a reaction, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a negative reaction.”
Honorarian Emily Carter said to “enjoy every moment instead of rushing past them” and “look to the future with hope” in her address.
Salutatorian Alie Duffell told her classmates that “life is made up of memories” and “not about what (they) have earned on paper.”
“All the challenges we have overcome, whether it was getting to a passing grade or just making it into class before the bell rings, have prepared us for what is to come,” she said. “If there’s anything I can possibly leave you with, is that we’ll be all right.”
Horton thanked the families, teachers, administrators and God for providing support to the graduating class.
She said graduates have “earned the right” to celebrate their achievements, and “at the end of the day, who (they) are isn’t measured by what (they’ve) done,” but by how they have lived.
After receiving their diplomas, the new high school graduates turned their tassels and tossed their caps into the air, marking the end of a chapter and the start of a new one.
“(Success is) about being your best self,” she said. “It’s about who you are when no one’s watching. It’s listening instead of speaking. It’s standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable.”