The Class of 2025 celebrated their four years of hard work and said farewell to M-A at Graduation on Friday. The bleachers were filled with family, friends, and staff who cheered on their graduates.
The ceremony started with performances from the band and orchestra, who played a rendition of “Havana” by Camila Cabello and “Never-Ending Story” by Limahl before the seniors walked to the field to “Pomp and Circumstance” by Edward Elgar. Once seated, Senior Class Advisors Addy McCombs and Tula Basta greeted the audience before Senior Class Presidents Lainey Egnal and Kaitlyn Harding led the Pledge of Allegiance. Shortly after, senior Bianka Zelaya sang the National Anthem with senior William Knox on guitar.
McCombs and Basta then welcomed the three senior speeches. Senior Rose Klingsporn kicked off the senior speeches with her speech, “Generations of Connections.” Klingsporn spoke about their journey coming out as transgender in freshman year highlighted M-A’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club, which allowed her to come out of her shell and encouraged her to actively seek out genuine connections at M-A. They also acknowledged the universal feeling of being a teenager, and how it has connected generations despite the creation of social media and advanced technology.
“The difference between the way I lived in freshman year and the way I live now is hard to fathom. What that difference has shown me is that life is not worth anything if you don’t live it for yourself and the people you love,” Klingsporn said. “When you live that way, individual relationships and small moments become monuments. These connections are what shape us.”
Senior Wilder Perez Sanchez gave his inspiring speech, “My Journey,” on his experience as an immigrant from Guatemala who left his family for an education in the United States. “When I got to East Palo Alto, I didn’t know anyone. It was really hard because I also didn’t know any English. Everything was new to me,” Perez Sanchez said. “I put myself out there and asked for help, and soon I made connections at M-A.”
Being far away from home, Perez Sanchez thanked his friends and teachers for making him feel less lonely. To close his speech, Perez Sanchez gave words of advice to his fellow graduates. “If you have a dream and you want to achieve something, don’t give up until you succeed. If you have come to this country recently and still feel lonely, ask for help. This friendly M-A community will support you,” he said. He gave recognition to his teachers and his parents who were watching him graduate from Guatemala.
To conclude the senior speeches, senior Lilah Chen presented her speech, “What I Know About M-A.” She humorously talked about her time as a camp counselor where she learned that children don’t want an explanation, instead they want to reassure people that they know everything. She connected this experience with herself and how she has told herself that she has everything figured out as she transitions to adulthood.
“As we step forward into the unknown, maybe the best lesson we can take with us is the willingness to keep asking, to admit when we don’t know, to seek the answers, and to trust that figuring life out as we go is part of a process,” Chen said. “As we leave, we are stepping into a much bigger question: What comes next? Whatever the answer, I hope we stay curious. I hope that we remember that growth isn’t about already having all the answers—it’s about continuing to ask.”
Principal Karl Losekoot then gave appreciation to staff who have made M-A the community it is now. He recognized the three staff members retiring who have worked at M-A for over 90 years combined: Biology teacher Nancy Day, Woodshop teacher Mark Leeper, and bilingual resource teacher Stephen Reading. Losekoot then commemorated the four M-A staff and students who have passed away this year, including student Dylan Scirpo, history teacher Sam Harris, AVID tutor Diego Vasquez, and football coach Dylan Taylor. Scirpo’s sister, sophomore Mackenzie Scirpo, and his water polo coach and teammates accepted his diploma.
After a moment of silence to recognize members of the community who have passed, Losekoot celebrated the events, sports, classes, and clubs that have made a memorable year. He gave shout-outs to Leadership, M-A’s Robotic Team, and the M-A Chronicle. “Each student here has an individual story of hardwork, success, and joy. Moving forward, I encourage you to dream big, reflect on who you are and how far you have come,” Losekoot said. “My hope for each of you is that you find and hold onto some passion that brings you joy, open to different ideas and possibilities, and that you grow and nurture a vision for your future that is unique to you, that boldly imagines what you can accomplish and that enriches your and our community.”
For the seniors’ class song, senior Isabel Zohar and Knox performed a melodic cover of “The Way I Am” by Ingrid Michaelson. The performance filled the air with nostalgia before graduates received their diplomas.
As each student received their diploma from the principal or a staff member of their choice, the audience members eagerly cheered on the graduates with air-horns and confetti.
To conclude the ceremony, ASB President Abbie MacLeod and Vice President Lucas Selvik led their senior class for the tassel turning. As hundreds of graduation caps flew into the air, graduates joyously hugged and celebrated with their loved ones.
“It felt unreal when I received my diploma. I’m proud of myself and I’m proud to make my parents proud,” graduate Manases Lara said. “I’m finally done with high school. I thought it would take longer but it rushed by quickly. I will miss all the memories.”
