BY DEBBIE PAGE

After presentation of the colors by the Mooresville High School NJROTC color guard and the playing of the National Anthem by the MHS student orchestra, Principal Samone Graham welcomed Superintendent Jason Gardner, the Mooresville Graded School District Board of Education, Chief of Schools Michael Royal, faculty, families, and guests to the Class of 2025 commencement ceremony.

Graham next led a moment of silence in honor of the late Ben Watson, a beloved MHS teacher, coach, and mentor who was known for his warm spirit and personal motto, “Livin’ the Dream.”

“He made a lasting impact on our school community. MHS will forever, forever, carry his legacy in our hearts,” she said.

Honor Speaker Izabel Zsuppán, a lifelong dance student, highlighted three life lessons that she learned in the dance studio.

“No one will do the hard work for you,” she said. “Unless we put in the work, we will never see a change.”

The second lesson was “finding your people” because friendships are the most important thing in life. 

Zsuppán’s final piece of advice is to “savor the moment.” A dancer spends months practicing technique and honing skills for that three-minute performance on the stage.

“Never forget the feeling of this moment,” she said. “In the end that means more than any grade you will ever receive.”

School board Chair Greg Whitfield congratulated students for reaching this milestone marking the culmination of 13 years of effort to earn their diplomas.

As the students plan for their various post-secondary paths, Whitfield reminded graduates that “the opportunities and possibilities are endless, and as you continue to grow and evolve, approach the future with confidence, knowing you are ready.”

“Dream big, take risks, and show gratitude and empathy for others. Use your experiences and education to positively impact the world. We all know that you have what it takes to be successful,” concluded Whitfield.

Superintendent Gardner urged graduates to reflect on “the incredible journey that has brought you to this point and to embrace the anticipation of the exciting future that lies ahead.”

After thanking the many who helped her get to this moment, Honor Speaker Logan Outlaw warned, “This chapter of our lives is officially over, and there’s no going back.”

“Though we are being thrust into a sink-or-swim world, there is nothing we can do to slow time. I don’t have any advice for you. All I can say is that I am right there with you.”

Referring to Principal Graham’s “All in” motto, Outlaw said though “cheesy,” the gambling analogy is appropriate to describe the future.

“Life is a constant gamble, and all of us are now officially ‘all in,’ ” Outlaw said. “Almost everything we do in life is a constant risk … at least we are not alone.”

Honor Speaker Ben Albaeck said much of his journey thus far has been shaped by grief after his father passed when Albaeck was in seventh grade.

“That kind of loss does not change your life; it changes you,” he said. “It made me grow up quickly, and there were days when the weight of it all felt too much. What got me through was the community I found here at Mooresville High School.”

“This class holds record breaking athletes, passionate artists, sharp thinkers, kind leaders, and people who quietly made others’ lives better every single day,” he added. “We’ve done big things, but more than that, it’s the small, consistent choices — the early alarms, the late-night study sessions, and the quiet moments of kindness that got us here.”

MHS taught Albaeck to move forward and that he was not alone. “We were challenged, but we were also supported,” he said.

Andrew Garfield’s words about the loss of his own mother helped Albaeck voice his unexpressed feelings: “Grief is all the unexpressed love. It’s the grief that will remain with us until we pass because we never get enough time with each other.”

Albaeck said all his actions since his father’s death have been “powered by that unexpressed love, and I think many of us are carrying something similar, whether it’s grief, self-doubt, or some invisible burden, but this class has pushed through it.”

“Today we do not just walk across a stage. We carry with us every memory, ever person, every late night, and every unspoken word that shaped who you have become. As we step forward, may we continue to live fully, love deeply, and lead with empathy. May we always carry that unexpressed love not as a weight, but as our greatest strength.”

After presentation of the diplomas to the 520 candidates, Graham declared them graduates of Class of 2025 to the cheers of proud family and friends.

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