EHS Class of 2025 Celebrates Milestone at Commencement Ceremony

On Friday, June 27, 223 Eastchester High School seniors reflected on the end of a rich chapter in their lives and cast their eyes to the future, as they gathered for the last time as a unified student body at the EHS 2025 Commencement Ceremony. 

In front a host of friends, families and teachers, members of the EHS Class of 2025 strode confidently across the stage erected on the baseball/softball field and received their high school diplomas, a significant milestone for any young person, but also a leaping-off point for those motivated to make their own mark in the world.

Aidan Ruane, the Valedictorian for the Class of 2025, urged his classmates to continue to approach each new challenge in life with the same tenacity and optimism that served them well throughout their time in Eastchester, using his speech to remind his fellow graduates that some of the greatest advancements in human history—including manned flight and space travel—were made by motivated individuals who refused to accept the concept of “impossible.”

“Today, we are actually done with high school; it’s important to feel proud of ourselves, but it’s also easy to be a little uncertain as to what the future holds,” said Ruane.  “We’re stepping into a world full of intense challenges, one that might seem overwhelming at first, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that ‘impossible’ isn’t a stopping point; it’s a dare.”

EHS Principal Chris Welsh imparted a similar message to the graduates, reminding them of the importance of betting on oneself and how self-discovery and risk-taking can often go hand-in-hand. 

“Life is filled with uncertainties, and it is often in those moments of risk that we uncover our greatest potential,” said Welsh. “As you step into the next phase of your lives, don’t shy away from taking risks; growth often lies just beyond your comfort zone, and taking risks can lead to unexpected opportunities and remarkable achievements.”

Salutatorian Grace Sheehan noted that while the challenges that lie ahead for each Eastchester graduate will be different, the lessons learned over the last 13 years have provided the cohort with the skills and resources they will need in order to continue to grow as individuals. Those lessons, she said, have also helped to form an unbreakable bond among Eastchester students, who will always be able to find common ground with their classmates no matter how far their life’s journeys may take them.

“Our grade is made up of 223 very different people, who, after today, will all head in different directions,” said Sheehan. “But in order for paths to diverge, they must first begin in the same place, and ours did. The diameter of your crater of impact is likely larger than you realize, so I hope that no matter how far we go, we remember that we’ll never truly be strangers to each other.”

To watch the 2025 EHS Commencement, click on the link HERE.