The St. Louis High School class of 2025 officially graduated Thursday, May 22.
Many have long awaited this moment, which marks the beginning of a new stage in life for all in the graduating class. In fact, the concept of the American high school graduation ceremony only came to fruition in the early 20th century; as high school attendance rates grew, so did completion and graduation rates, prompting a cause to honor students’ accomplishments in a proper ceremony.
Graduation tends to be a bittersweet time for most, but for some students, it can be a time of total celebration.
One of those students, valedictorian Landon Pestrue, stated, “I was super excited to represent the class of 2025. I would say that me being valedictorian is a big part of that. It’s just something I’m super proud of achieving.” Regarding senior advice, Pestrue shared, “My advice would be at least to try out dual classes during your high school career to gain free credits. But also, l’d say not to be too scared of high school, and that things will feel normal very quickly. Personally, I wouldn’t do too much differently, but if I had to choose, I guess I would probably take even more dual enrollment credits.”
Fellow graduate, Annie Breen, shared, “I was really excited to graduate and be done with high school. Personally, I would advise incoming students not to hold back. Be involved and encourage your friends to be involved. One thing I would do differently if I could is branching out more.” Breen also shared a favorite memory from high school, saying, “My best memory from high school is probably BPA state. It was so fun to make new friends and be involved.”
After graduation, Pestrue plans to attend Michigan Tech for mechanical engineering. Alternatively, Breen plans to go to Mid-Michigan to become a nurse.
