Under the bright lights of Sharp Stadium, the largest class of Newton Rams in two decades officially made the transition from students to alumni.

Approximately 620 graduates heard their names called as thousands of cheering parents, siblings, relatives and guests roared in applause at their achievements.

Class of 2025 Executive President Chelsea Williams kicked off the ceremony by thanking the various Board of Education members, faculty and staff in attendance. Williams also provided her own words of encouragement to her fellow classmates.

“We made it – in spite of obstacles and challenges,” Williams said. “We made it – in spite of detours and stumbling blocks. We made it.”

Next, Senior Class President MeKailyn Harris took the stage to offer her own set of uplifting words while also paying tribute to a fallen classmate. 

Kameron Armstrong, a fellow member of the class of 2025, passed away on Dec. 9, 2024, just months before graduation. Filled with emotion, Harris shared what Armstrong meant to her and so many others within the graduating class.

“His legacy lives on in our hearts and in the way we treat one another,” Harris said. “With kindness, courage and joy.”

Salutatorian Nicol Vives was next on deck, beginning her speech by joking about her often mispronounced last name. Vives also took the time to pay tribute to her parents, who immigrated from Colombia 17 years ago in hopes of giving her a better future.

After thanking her parents in Spanish, Vives switched back to English to remind her class to thank the ones who helped shape their lives.

“Translating once again, but this time for you, from you. Look for your loved ones in the stands and lift your hands and your voices to thank them for making this moment possible,” Vives said.

In concluding her speech, Vives spoke about the future and the many ebbs and flows that may come with it. She compared this to waves in an ocean.

“Our journey through high school was anything but stagnant, and our futures will certainly be no different,” Vives said. “They will surge and retreat. But as we navigate them, we must meet our futures with open hearts and unwavering resolve, pouring all that we are into every experience.

“Because just as foam forms and disappears with the waves, we too will find our place into that vast ocean that is the world.”

The podium was then turned over to Valedictorian Aniya Wren, who began by delivering a few lines of the song “Dreams and Nightmares” by Meek Mill.

Wren’s speech was a message of H.O.P.E., broken down into four characteristics: Hold on, overcome, persevere and evolve.

Throughout her speech, the valedictorian spoke on some of her personal struggles, including losing her father to stomach cancer at the age of 12. This tragic event resulted in Wren taking the meaning of hope quite literally.

“I chose to persevere,” Wren said. “I decided to honor my father’s memory by pushing through my grief and finding the joy in making him proud.”

After elaborating on the acronym – and sprinkling in more Meek Mill references in the process – Wren challenged her class to follow the meaning of hope throughout their respective journeys.

“Hope is not an emotion. It is a decision,” Wren said. “So what will you do? Will you choose hope? Will you hold on, persevere, overcome and evolve? The future is yours, and I can’t wait to see the amazing things you’ll accomplish.”

Principal Dawn Price-Williams later acknowledged the class of 2025 by providing a breakdown of the numbers.

In addition to being the largest graduating class since 2005, 448 of the 620 students boasted GPAs higher than 80%. Other notable numbers include:

• 113: The number of students who took one or more dual-enrollment classes
• 361: The number of industry certifications earned
• 295: The number of students who completed a CTAE pathway
• 65: The percentage of students who applied to at least one college, tech or trade school. 
• 65 million: The approximate amount of scholarship money earned by the class of 2025

“Your collective strength and courage serve as a powerful reminder even in times of adversity and sorrow,” Price-Williams said. “Rams Rise. And through every challenge, the class of 2025 managed to keep the main thing, the main thing.”

Following words from Newton College & Career Academy CEO Chad Walker and Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley III, the 620 graduates’ names were called one-by-one as they got their shining moment.

Over an hour later, Devonae Browning led the class in the turning of the tassels, but not before leaving some parting words.

“Today, we stand on the edge of yesterday and the promise of tomorrow,” Browning said. “This tassel represents the challenges we’ve overcome and the growth we’ve achieved. Now, with the excitement in our hearts and hope in our hands, let us turn our tassels to the left to the right. Congratulations, Class of 2025, we did it!!”