Highland High School held commencement exercises for the class of 2025, where Principal Jeremy Chatterton and members of the Salt Lake City District Board of Education presented diplomas, named multiple valedictorians and recognized students for academic and extracurricular achievements.

The ceremony highlighted both accomplishments and personal resilience. Senior class president Fennell Longhi opened her remarks by telling classmates, “To the class of 2025, we made it,” and urged graduates to treat uncertainty as part of the next chapter. Valedictorian George Smith described classmates’ unseen struggles — homelessness, hunger and long immigration waits — and said, “You are probably sitting next to a classmate right now who endured trials you were never aware of.”

Administrators and student leaders used the event to note several school successes from the past four years, including state and regional athletic and arts honors and service by the National Honor Society. Principal Chatterton told graduates he would present each student a memento and recalled a childhood story about a box of crayons as a reminder to “always follow your dreams.”

The program formally recognized an extended group of students as valedictorians, described by the ceremony as having “maintained a 4.0 GPA with a rigorous academic schedule.” Names announced during the ceremony included Zahidullah Azizi, Benjamin Bauman, Aviana Kova, Moe Evans, Rachel Giles and others listed in the program. The faculty-selected Spirit of Highland award was presented to Michael Bridal in recognition of growth, participation in unified teams and community service.

Board members and district leaders attended the ceremony. A Salt Lake City District Board of Education representative, identified during the program as Board member Jensen, declared that the students had completed “all of the state and district requirements to be awarded a high school diploma,” and the district accepted the graduating class on behalf of the board. Board president Nate Salazar and other board and district officials were acknowledged onstage.

The event included musical performances by the Highland choir and a student trio, a year-in-review presentation from student government leaders and a tassel-turning ceremony led by a student volunteer. After diplomas were conferred and the tassel ceremony concluded, graduates exited to the right to begin post-ceremony photographs and celebrations.

The ceremony was celebratory rather than deliberative: no policy decisions or votes were part of the program, and remarks focused on student achievement, gratitude to families and staff, and encouragement for graduates’ next steps.