Washingtonville High School Class of 2025 celebrates graduation

On a warm summer evening, the Washingtonville Class of 2025 gathered with friends, family and faculty to celebrate a major milestone: graduation. The June 25th ceremony took place under a sky full of possibilities and an unforgettable mid-ceremony spring shower.

Cheers erupted across the field as 342 graduates processed to their seats – a sea of blue caps and gowns, smiles and joyful waves to seats on the football field and stands overflowing with proud loved ones.

Click here to view the Class of 2025 Graduation Gallery.

Principal Brian Connolly, delivering his final graduation speech after 15 years at Washingtonville High School, took the stage with a sense of reflection, gratitude and pride. He began by welcoming guests and graduates alike. He honored students entering military service and acknowledged the impressive amount of scholarship funds earned by the class before sharing his inspiration for the theme of this year’s address: “Our First Day as a Wizard and Our Last Day as a Wizard.”

Looking back at his very first graduation speech and ahead to the students’ futures, Mr. Connolly encouraged students to think about their own “firsts.” From the early moments of nervous excitement on the first day of school to more recent milestones like dances, football games and championship wins, he reflected on the important experiences that shape them.

“You've made some very significant ‘firsts’ of your own this year,” he said, highlighting several key achievements that distinguish the Class of 2025, including:

• Kayla Jackson became the first student member of the Board of Education.
• Two graduates, Max Mobray and Avery Upeslacis, are headed to Harvard University in the fall.
• Mason Ketcham made history as the first Washingtonville wrestler in over 30 years to become a New York State champion.
• Alexis Jones and Malachi Taylor broke multiple school records in track and field. 
• The Academic World Quest team won the Orange County Championship for the first time in its history.
• The boys’ tennis team became the first Section IX team to reach the state’s final four, an accomplishment that has not been achieved within the district or Section IX before.
• The district hosted its first Unified Basketball game, which Mr. Connolly described as an event where “sportsmanship, community and joy took center stage.”

He even gave a nod to this year's senior prank: a 3 a.m. bagel drop-off on his front lawn, executed with “military precision.” However, Mr. Connolly reminded students that while graduation may seem like an ending, it is truly just another beginning.

“You might be back 40 years from now as a member of the Board of Education, a teacher, a coach or maybe even the principal,” he said. “The truth is, there is no last day when you are a Wizard.”

“As you head into the world, into college, careers and adventures yet imagined, carry with you the lessons you’ve learned, the friendships you’ve built and the pride of being part of this incredible community. This is not the end; it’s just another first.”

Mr. Connolly then welcomed Class President Avery Upeslacis, whose message centered around how we carry the weight of our experiences and who helps us bear that weight. She referenced a video of a teacher holding a glass of water, asking students to answer how heavy it is and added that it depends on how long you hold it.

“Stress works the same way,” she explained. “The longer you hold it, the heavier it feels. Class of 2025, look around at the people who helped you carry that weight.”

Avery thanked the teachers who had made a lasting impact, helping her push through challenges while inspiring curiosity and confidence. She ended with a thoughtful story about a car that was built too tall to fit through a factory door, explaining how three different people, a painter, an engineer and a security guard, offered three different solutions.

“Three different people, three different solutions,” she said. “The point is, the world needs all of us. It's not about your title; it’s how you think, solve problems and show up when it matters.”

Next, Class of 2025 Salutatorian Sophie DeCarvalho delivered a profound message reflecting on the deep interconnectedness of our lives.

“To live is to be part of something that is bigger than our individual identity,” she said. “It is vitally important to take notice of the lives you will touch and those who have already influenced you.”

Sophie urged her fellow graduates to be mindful of their impact on the world and to act with grace, accountability and care. 

“Be aware of the world and your role in it. Understand the consequences of your actions, for better or for worse,” she said.

Sophie closed with heartfelt thanks to her family, especially her parents, her twin sister Olivia and her younger sister Emelia, as well as to every friend, teacher, teammate and staff member who helped shape her journey:

“I’d like to say that you have shaped my life, but really, together we have shaped each other’s.”

The Washingtonville Senior Choir performed The Times They Are A-Changin’ before Valedictorian Olivia Tran took the stage with a lighthearted and heartfelt address that blended humor with reflection.

“They gave me months to write this speech,” she joked. “Naturally, I did what any responsible student would do – I waited until the very last minute.”

However, she explained that the delay came from her attempts to capture the significance of the past four years, something no speech could fully encapsulate. 

“High school is weird like that,” she said. “Half the time you want it to go faster, and half the time you know you’ll miss it. And now it’s over. Somehow it felt both too fast and too slow.”

She encouraged her classmates to pause and acknowledge the people who made a difference in their lives. 

“While we were busy worrying about college applications or the next big thing, actual life was happening,” she said. “We grew up here together.”

Olivia’s closing advice to the Class of 2025 was simple but sincere: don’t rush ahead without taking the good memories with you. 

“Even if this is the last time we’re all together, I’ll always be grateful that we shared this chapter,” she said. “And regardless of where you end up, where you go or who you become, remember: You will always be a Wizard.”

Mr. Connolly then introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Colleen Decker, a proud member of the Washingtonville High School Class of 2008 and a third-generation Wizard. As a former basketball and track athlete, Ms. Decker went on to play Division II basketball at the University of New Haven, where she earned a degree in legal studies. She later received her law degree from New England Law and now serves as a staff attorney for the Orange County Legal Aid Society. She and her husband, also a WHS alum, are now raising the fourth generation of Wizards, their twin boys, right here in Washingtonville.

Ms. Decker opened her speech by confessing that she didn’t remember a single word from her own graduation speech many years ago.

“So my first goal tonight is a modest one: to say something you’ll remember longer than I did,” she laughed. “But my bigger goal is to say something useful.”

What followed was a thoughtful and inspiring message focused on self-honesty, resilience and the power of persistence. She urged graduates not to be mere passengers in life but “architects of the world,” encouraging them to ask hard questions, trust their passions and define success on their own terms.

Ms. Decker also spoke candidly about her struggles with imposter syndrome, explaining that it arises not because one is unqualified but because one cares. 

“It visits those who are growing, learning and daring to lead,” she explained. “You can feel like an imposter and still move forward with courage.”

Her final message was about the importance of simply showing up, especially on the days you don’t feel ready: 

“Sometimes, success isn’t about being the smartest, fastest or most certain. Sometimes it’s just about staying in the room, raising your hand and trying again.”

“As you leave here tonight and the doors of 54 West Main Street close behind you,” Ms. Decker concluded, “remember, you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep showing up with heart, honesty and the courage to be seen as you truly are.”

Following Ms. Decker’s keynote address, members of the Class of 2025 were called to the stage to receive their diplomas, with a light rain falling to mark the occasion.

Afterwards, Superintendent Dr. Larry Washington officiated the presentation of diplomas under a lovely sunset, concluding an unforgettable evening.

Congratulations, Wizards! Best wishes for the future!

Click here to view the Class of 2025 Graduation Gallery.