On June 3, 81 members of the Class of 2025 at Columbia High School celebrated graduation with a ceremony held at the school that featured speeches focused on the theme "Finding Your Way."

Principal Kendall Pankake kicked off the 153rd annual commencement ceremony by telling the class she was filled with pride and gratitude as she addressed the students.

"Today is not just a milestone," she said. "It's a celebration of your strength, your growth and everything you have done to reach this moment. ... All that each student has accomplished thus far has prepared them to spread their wings and find their way."

She also introduced valedictorian Brielle Jones and salutatorian Eva Fanous, noting that both students have attended the district since kindergarten. She requested that the parents of both students stand in the audience while she highlighted the accomplishments of their daughters.

"Eva is a bridge builder who is always kind to others," Pankake shared. "She is a leader in class discussions and always strives to be the best version of herself." Eva's involvement at Columbia included serving as president of Student Council and as a member of the marching band and the school's theater department, among other activities.

Describing Brielle, Pankake said, "She brings light into any environment, always does her best and encourages others to do so as well." She noted that Brielle's teachers used words including respectful, responsible, funny and adaptable to describe her. At Columbia, Brielle participated in numerous activities, including symphonic and marching band, color guard and choir. "Brielle won the class superlative as 'Most Likely to Win a Supreme Court Argument,'" Pankake remarked.

Zion Mekonnen, Alexymahr Whitley and Samir Milligan were the student speakers.

"I found myself staring at a blank document for days, just hoping some profound idea would suddenly appear in my head, yet nothing came," Zion said of trying to find inspiration for her speech. She recalled trying to think of one big moment to highlight before coming to the conclusion that she doesn't have it all figured out, and that's OK.

"Finding your way isn't about having some perfect, planned-out path," she said. "It's about being lost sometimes. It's about not knowing what's next and moving forward anyway. Your path, my path - it's not supposed to look like anyone else's."

Alexymahr acknowledged that most people, including himself, struggle with figuring out who they are and what their purpose is. He remembered the ups and downs of the past few years as he worked on finding his way.

"My path started with theater," he said of joining the school's drama program. "Without theater, I couldn't have become who I am today. ... Theater was my upbringing, and it was a start to a future I could be happy with." He explained that participating in the theater program helped him break out of his comfort zone and gave him a voice he didn't know he had.

"If you put your heart into what you're passionate about, you will find your family," he said. "You'll find a reason to keep moving forward, and you will find your way."

Samir recalled that a few years ago, he could not have pictured himself on the graduation stage because he had multiple school absences and tardies as well as an overall disinterest in school. Now, he said, he's facing a future of attending college to pursue a career as a mechanical engineer, complete with a scholarship.

"How did I find my way?" he said. "The answer is simple. I tried things. I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I kept searching for my path. ... I never gave up."