Cornwall Central High School conferred diplomas to the Class of 2025 during a commencement ceremony that highlighted student achievement, community service and the personal advice of both student and district speakers.

The ceremony, held at Cornwall Central High School, included remarks from senior class president Isaiah Reynoso; valedictorian Andrew Wu; salutatorian Ava Rich; Board of Education President Jim Kriegen; and Dr. Terry Dade, superintendent of the Cornwall Central School District. The principal, Catherine Wilhelm, opened the event and recognized retirees and students who committed to military service.

Isaiah Reynoso opened as senior class president and reflected on the graduates' ability to adapt to change, saying, "We've proven what we're capable of and we're just getting started." Valedictorian Andrew Wu urged his classmates to avoid regret and "take a leap of faith," telling graduates, "do not live with regret." Salutatorian Ava Rich framed graduation as a collection of meaningful moments and quoted Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's admonition to "leave tracks," saying graduates should "leave the world a little better for your having lived."

Board President Jim Kriegen praised the class's resilience, noting they had "come through a global pandemic that uprooted your lives as you began in this building," and urged graduates to value relationships as they move forward. Dr. Terry Dade addressed families and students and offered several practical pieces of advice to graduates, including a memorable instruction to "call your parents."

The superintendent and other speakers also noted academic and extracurricular accomplishments: the class of 249 took nearly double the number of AP exams compared with 2021 (as cited in the transcript), produced a high-quality theater production, and set a new record for community service diploma endorsements with 33 recipients. Diplomas were conferred by Dr. Dade and other district officials as the graduates moved their tassels from right to left, marking their official transition.

The ceremony followed customary academic traditions and concluded with final congratulations to the graduates. No board votes, policy changes or budgetary actions occurred during the commencement itself.