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Two hundred ninety-three Mountlake Terrace High School students launched their caps skyward on June 14 to celebrate their graduation at the Edmonds School District Stadium.
The 2025 class is the first graduating class that did not have pandemic restrictions during high school and was able to have a typical in-seat experience for all four years.
The welcome message was delivered by graduating senior Neela Lopez Hernandez in English and Spanish. She is one of about a dozen students to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy at Mountlake Terrace High School, meaning they are fluent in English and at least one other language. She will be attending Edmonds College in the fall.
Mountlake Terrace High School Principal Crosby Carpenter delivered the principal’s message and served as the event’s master of ceremonies.
Haya Ibrahimy, who will be attending the University of Washington and majoring in education, gave a moment of gratitude to the families, teachers and staff of Mountlake Terrace High School.
“Today, many of us will say we made it, but I believe we haven’t quite made it yet,” Ibrahimy said. “Because it’s not about the cap and gown, it’s about what happens after you take it off, who we choose to be and what we choose to chase.”
Ibrahimy thanked her parents for leaving everything behind to come to the United States, saying, “You believed in me when the world tried to silence me, when the Taliban made education illegal for girls, when my books were taken, my right to learn stolen, you chose hope over fear.”
Ibrahimy said that every step she takes in this life is for her parents and the girls who do not have the freedom to learn and speak freely.
Associated Student Body President Minh Pham, who will be attending Shoreline Community College as a nursing major, spoke on “simply being human.”
Pham said that building an authentic connection not based on status, popularity or being the smartest reminds people that they are not alone. Additionally, becoming the confident person you aspire to be can be uncomfortable because it involves stepping outside your comfort zone, such as speaking in front of hundreds of people during a graduation ceremony, Pham said.
“The main point is that growing doesn’t happen in comfort,” Pham said. “It happens with the risks and challenges we face, even when they scare us a little.”
Senior Class President Justin Ho’s message to the graduating class was one of resilience in the face of disappointment, emphasizing that there will be times when students will not secure the job they applied for, will miss a note in a performance, or see their colleagues reach higher levels of success than they have.
“You will face challenges you can’t possibly fathom right now,” Ho said. “But remember, in your darkest times, I want you to look around, take time for yourself to return to the collective feeling in this moment and think about your neighbors here, assembled with you. Recall the resilience and strength that you and your peers have demonstrated.”
Class selected speaker Terina Papatu said that not knowing what’s next in life at age 18 is fine and not to worry, “because what’s next is life.”
“What’s next is everything, but at the same time, nothing yet,” Papatu said. “What’s next is yours, so make it yours.”
Papatu will be attending the University of Washington as a major in communications and marketing.
Selected valedictorian speaker Brody Myers-Little spoke of his pride as a member of the class of 2025, one he noted was “filled with tremendous talent, resilience and ambition.”
Myers-Little, who will be attending Butler University in the fall, brought up the saying, “Life is not about the destination, but the journey.”
“This quote reminds us that our life is not defined by one point or end goal; instead, it’s shaped by the ups and downs, the good and the bad,” Myers-Little said. “These experiences make you who you are and who you are supposed to be.”
However, a very similar quote also spoke to Myers-Little: Life is not about the destination or journey, but the people you are with.
“It’s the friendships that made late-night study sessions bearable, the teachers and mentors who pushed you beyond your limits and the family members who stood beside you,” Myers-Little said.
The Mountlake Terrace 2025 graduation program is available here.
To watch the complete ceremony, click here.
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