Cornwall Central School District conferred diplomas on 249 members of the Cornwall Central High School class of 2025 during a commencement ceremony that included speeches, musical performances, retirement recognitions and a roll call for students committing to military service.

CCHS Principal Catherine Wilhelm said, "This is a special group of 249 graduating seniors," noting the class’s accomplishments across academics, the arts, athletics and community service. The remarks opened a program that included a valedictory address, a salutatorian speech and the presentation of a community-service endorsement for 33 students.

Joseph DeBold, director of guidance for the Cornwall Central School District, introduced the community-service diploma endorsement recipients and framed their recognition with a story about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the power of individual acts. DeBold said, "These are our community service diploma endorsement recipients from the class of 2025," and then read the 33 names called for the 200-hour endorsement.

Valedictorian Andrew Wu urged his classmates to avoid regret and "take a leap of faith," and salutatorian Ava Rich invoked Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s admonition to "leave tracks." Board of Education President Jim Kriegen told graduates, "Go make a life worth remembering." Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade offered practical advice in a short address, including "Call your parents" as his first listed suggestion.

The ceremony also recognized faculty and staff who are retiring after long tenures. The principal said five dedicated members of the high school staff are retiring; the ceremony named four of them: Matt Cook (about 30 years at CCHS), Julie Moran (about 35 years), Brian Creedon (about 35 years) and Kathy Finnerty (about 21 years). The principal noted a fifth retiring staff member but did not specify that person by name during the remarks.

A roll call during the program recognized graduates who have committed to military service; the ceremony called several names including Simon Bowen (U.S. Army, enlisted), Austin Colson (Norwich University Army ROTC), Daniel Degnan (appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point), Dylan Maldonado (U.S. Army reserves, enlisted) and Zachary McCormick (U.S. Army, enlisted). Attendees who have served or currently serve in the armed forces were asked to stand for an additional recognition.

Musical performances during the program included the CCHS band under director Jake Hoover and the CCHS concert choir under director Tony Ravinsky. Students received diplomas in a customary tassel-moving moment near the close of the ceremony; Dr. Dade formally certified and presented the graduating class before asking students to move their tassels from right to left.

The program included several locally notable achievements called out by speakers: the class’s expanded participation in AP exams compared with 2021, a student theater production noted as the first in New York State to stage a particular show with wide acclaim, and athletic and extracurricular highlights cited by speakers. The ceremony closed with the formal conferral of diplomas and a final congratulations from the superintendent.