Valedictorian Randy Cruz

Hello and good afternoon. Thank you all for being here today. I know it’s hot, so per everyone’s request, I’ll try to keep this short—hopefully. First, I want to congratulate the Class of 2025. It’s been a hectic four years, but we finally made it. 

I could stand here and pretend like I know every single one of you but we all know that’s not true. Still, I want you to know that every interaction I’ve had with any of you, no matter how small, has left an impact on me. Whether we became close over the years or exchanged only a few words, I’ve come to realize that I am truly a collection of all the people I’ve ever met. Wherever I go—wherever you go—these memories and moments will continue to shape me. And for that, I’m truly grateful.

As I was writing this “final assignment,” I started thinking about all the things I’ll miss about Everett High: hanging around the lockers randomly throughout the day, the awkward hallway glances at old friends, seeing my past teachers, and even the tater tots at lunch.

It’s all the small things that suddenly become so important. That sense of comfort and familiarity is really what keeps you going.

So, as you venture into the world—whether you’re going to college, working, traveling, or just figuring it all out—find the little things that bring you joy. Find the people and places that make it hard to say goodbye.

Personally, I wouldn’t be standing here without so many of the people in my life. I want to thank my wonderful friends, my family, and my teachers—not just from Everett High, but going all the way back to the Lafayette.

One teacher in particular shaped me more than he knew—Mr. Patenaude, my very first teacher after moving to Everett in the fifth grade. He passed away a few months ago, and I want to honor him today. He welcomed me when I felt out of place, and his belief in me stayed long after I left his classroom. He set me on the path to becoming who I am today and I only wish he could’ve been here. 

To every teacher I’ve had throughout the years —thank you. I hope you know how important your role has been in my life. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. Now, more than ever this stands true. I want to give a special shoutout to the big three that guided me through STEM, Dr. Seiders, Dr. Backlund, and Mr. Munoz, you guys have shown me nothing but kindness and support and I’ll always remember that. 

To my friends, the OG Lafayette lions, little pieces, Kelly of course,  and so many more thank you for making this journey bearable. The memories we’ve created will live on with me till the very end. 

Finally, I want to take a moment to thank my wonderful family—who I hope is out there somewhere.  

Steph, thank you for your quiet strength and constant support. I know being the oldest isn’t easy, but you make it look effortless. You’ve been my guide, my role model.

Vale, thank you for the laughter, the chaos, the surprises. You remind me every day to live with joy. I can’t wait to see you walk this stage one day. 

And to my beautiful mom-
Mami, te quiero mucho. Gracias por todo lo que has hecho por mí. Todo esto es para ti. Espero poder darte todo lo que deseas un día.

Thank you, Class of 2025. I hope you remember that you were once part of something special  here. I hope you carry a piece of this place, these people, with you. And above all, remember to live and let time pass 

Congratulations.

Salutatorian Kelly St. Fort

Good Afternoon Family, Friends and Faculty,

It is an honor to stand here before you today as this year’s salutatorian. 

First and foremost I would like to thank my mom whose spirit and resilience has shaped who I am today. Mom you are incredibly strong and beautiful, I could not be up here today without your unwavering support and determination for a better life. I would also like to thank my father for the sacrifices he’s made that have led me to this very moment, and my older siblings Sandy, Ericson and Bianca for their wisdom and guidance through it all.

When I came to the United States at three years old after the 2011 earthquake in Haiti that left everyone in devastation, I wasn’t aware of the gift I had been given: a chance to start over. It’s easy to lose sight of that gift as life moves on. We get stuck on the superficial things in life like social media, Money and fame that we forget that we have so much love to share with the world and so much life yet to live.

Today marks the end of our time in Everett Public Schools but it also marks the start of our impact into the world around us. I want everyone here today to leave with the understanding that life is what you make it. You do not have to accept the cards that you have been dealt, but instead have the courage to change it to the way you envision. 

As I sat down to write this, I struggled to find something that would connect us all. I realized that we are connected by the invisible forces that make us who we are. We’ve seen each other almost every day for the past 13 years, and in that time, we’ve shaped each other in ways we may not even realize. At this point in our lives, nothing is more meaningful than the relationships we’ve built—because these are the people who will be there to witness and celebrate life’s biggest milestones with us. It truly is the friends we made along the way. 

I’d like to shout out Milena Antonio who deserves to be up here just as much as I do. Your accomplishments are extraordinary, NYU has gained not only a conscientious student but a humble and vibrant young adult and I can not wait to see what you achieve. 

To my fellow Haitians, I would like to tell you this: Kèlkeswa kote ou ale apre jodi a, pa janm kite yo bliye ke ou se Ayisyen. Kenbe tèt ou byen wo nan tout sa w ap fè. Pa kite yo bliye ke nou rezistan, nou entelijan e nou se yon fòs.

As the late Chadwick Boseman would say “to be young, gifted and black,” let today be a testament to you all of the power of minority groups. That once given a chance, an opportunity to thrive, we will soar.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming thinking of all the possibilities there are out there. Many of us want to be teachers, doctors, lawyers, artists, musicians and so much more. What happens when you want to be all? The answer is simple. Be all. Never shy away from opportunities and do not take what life has to offer for granted. Say yes to the things that scare you and if you’re not scared anymore conquer another obstacle. Be aware of the circumstances around you and how you unknowingly contribute to them. Always use your voice for what you believe in, even if it doesn’t reflect the status quo.

I would like to thank all the teachers who have shaped me from preschool to high school. I have not forgotten a single one and I hope you all take my accomplishments as your own. Shout out to the STEM Pathway for giving me a space to grow while pursuing my passions, but also for exposing me to a diverse group of people that I will always hold close. 

And to Randy Cruz, my very best friend I would like to remind you: First is the worst, second is the best.

As we leave this stadium tonight, be excited for the new lives you will start. You will constantly face failure but never forget that it costs nothing to get back up and start over again. Good Luck Class of 2025 and know that I will always be in your corner.

Class President Emilia-Maria Babcock

Good evening everyone! My name is Emilia Maria-Babcock, and I’m proud to represent our class tonight as your EHS class president. It is a privilege to speak on this unforgettable day. Before we begin, of course we need to start off by giving ourselves a round of applause!! You should all be proud to be here today and excited to see what you can now do with tomorrow. 

Before I get into my speech for real for real, I just want to take a moment to show my gratitude. I’m genuinely honored to have been chosen to speak today, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity. I am starting by thanking all the staff at Everett High who keep this place going, including teachers (especially ms. jones), coaches who have dedicated their hearts to their teams, deans, janitors, lunch ladies, school committee members and our Superintendent, Mr. Hart. Thank you to all the families who have supported and pushed their graduates to get here today. Don’t get me wrong, yes we are the ones graduating, but all of us couldn’t have done without you, so thank you. 

And how could I forget the amazing EHS Class of 2025? From start to finish, you’ve brought so many laughs and made this experience one to remember. Like spirit weeks in Mass ave, even though my locker was more like a side street, myself and many others still found our way there. When the lights went out at the boys soccer’ senior night, we wasted no time and kept having fun. We turned on our flashlights, blasted music, and kept the energy alive. Even as simple as walking to classes together or laughing in the back of math class—still having no clue what was being taught. It’s moments like these that made our high school years unforgettable.

Now I would like to make this more personal. I thank God for walking with me through every high and low, and for being the foundation I can always lean on. I want to thank my grandma and my abuela for the love and strength they have shown me. I would like to thank my Tia Fatima, for being my second mother and always treating me like her own. I want to thank my Papi. He has shown me what it means to work hard and what staying determined looks like. He would sit down and help me work through complex math problems until I got them right, he would play catch with me for hours. If it was a nice day out you already we take it to the courts and we would run one. Still can’t beat him in a 1v1, but one day…hopefully. But he is truly my inspiration to work hard and stay driven. 

Finally, I would like to thank my amazing mom. She is actually right behind me as a school committee member. (Hi mom). I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for her. From being my biggest cheerleader or my most brutally honest critic (and let me tell she can being prettyy honest at times), I am grateful for it all. She has been my rock. Every first step, every accomplishment, even every failure… she has been there. My mom is one of the most selfless people I know, not only does she put me and my family before herself, but anyone she thinks needs it. My mom is everyone’s team mom. She does such an incredible job showing the people around her what it feels like to be loved, and I hope that this message can reflect that same feeling on to her. I love you to the moon and back, thank you. Okay now enough with this mushy gushy stuff…now it’s time for the real deal…I promise it’s not too long. 

There is a philosophy I made in the 7th grade that I try to live my life by. It was also my yearbook quote. “Do and regret. Don’t overthink and never do. I’d rather apologize for taking a risk than never knowing the outcome. Now, just to be clear—I’m not saying you should go out and rob a bank, and if you do, please don’t say, ‘Emilia said it was okay!’ That one’s on you (hopefully they laugh). But you gotta just do things you believe are right and worth it. This philosophy has had a profound effect on my life, and I would like to share some advice that it has taught me with you all today… in hopes that it will have the same effect on you guys.

First off, you can’t plan your way into happiness. Some of us knew exactly what we wanted to do after high school. Some of us changed our minds every semester. And some of us are still figuring it out. And that’s okay because we are living in a very uncertain world. Sometimes, the best parts of life happen when you stop planning and just say yes. You don’t always find joy by following a script. Some of life’s greatest adventures begin the moment you stop overthinking and just go for it.  

If we’re always overthinking or overplanning, then we’re not truly present. We have to write our own story…one moment at a time. That means being aware, staying curious, and leaving room for change. My mom has a passion for photography, and I’ve come to really admire how she freezes moments in time, creating little pieces of memories we can hold onto. But I’ve also learned something else: if you’re always behind the lens, you might miss the actual moment. Being fully present—eyes open, heart engaged—is the real memory-maker.

Some of my favorite memories didn’t come from a to-do list. They came from saying yes to something unexpected. Spontaneity is where the stories live. The kind that starts with, “Okay, so we weren’t planning to, but…” and ends with something you’ll talk about for years. For example, we planned our senior prank 12 hours before it happened. Now we have a story to tell. The truth is being spontaneous isn’t just about doing fun things. It’s about trusting yourself enough to take a chance. It’s about knowing that even if it doesn’t work out exactly the way you thought it would, you’re still going to have a story to tell, a memory that’s yours, or a mistake to learn from.

Mistakes teach more than perfection ever could. Perfection might feel safe, but it doesn’t challenge us. Mistakes, on the other hand, force us to think differently, to adapt, and most importantly, to grow. Every wrong turn, every failed attempt, every “I wish I’d done that differently” moment all carry a lesson that perfection can’t offer. You don’t grow by staying in your comfort zone, and you don’t learn from the things you’ve never dared to try. Growth happens when we make mistakes, and wisdom begins the moment we embrace them.

Look, even if you zoned out during the last few minutes and didn’t catch what I’ve been saying…just remember this… Nike was onto something with that motto. Sometimes, you’ve really gotta just do it. If we are always planning, then we are just humans doing rather than humans being. Listen to that again… If we are always planning…then we are just humans doing…rather than humans being. So to the Class of 2025, I hope you take the risk, ask the question, have fun, and say yes to something unexpected. You won’t always get it right—but you’ll always get a story. And sometimes, that’s even better.”