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Newton High School awards diplomas to Class of 2025; leaders highlight scholarships and career pathways
Summary
Graduation ceremony at Newton High School recognized 620 graduates, honored an AJC Cup recipient and memorialized a late classmate while officials ceremonially released diplomas and recapped academic and career-preparedness achievements.
Newton High School ceremonially awarded diplomas to its Class of 2025 on May 20 in a commencement program featuring remarks from school leaders, student officers and the superintendent.
The ceremony concluded when Dr. Duke Bradley, superintendent of Newton County Schools, released the diplomas after confirming the class as graduates, and graduates turned their tassels to mark completion. Principal Dawn Price Williams told the audience the class included 620 graduates and recited metrics showing postsecondary and credentialing outcomes.
Why it matters: The event highlighted local education outcomes — scholarship totals, college and career preparation, and industry certifications — that the district and community often use to measure high school performance and postgraduation opportunities.
Bradley, identified in remarks as superintendent of Newton County Schools, told graduates he was “brief” because he was the only person standing between them and their diplomas, and urged them to embrace opportunities despite risk. During the ceremony he confirmed the class as graduates and, later in the program, said, “I hereby release the diplomas of the Newton High School class of 2025.”
Dawn Price Williams, principal of Newton High School, presented the class-level data included in the program. She told the crowd the graduating class of 620 is “the largest graduating class since 2005,” said 113 students took at least one dual-enrollment course, the class earned more than 361 industry certifications, 295 students completed a CTAE pathway and the cohort collectively secured nearly $65,000,000 in scholarship offers. She also listed athletics and other accomplishments, and presented Victor Kirkland as the recipient of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) Cup for all-around achievement.
Chad Walker, CEO and principal of Newton College and Career Academy (NCCA), asked NCCA graduates to stand for recognition and said 22 students — about 20% of the class — completed the academy program. Walker praised students’ “grit, perseverance, and the kind of determination that will carry you far beyond this moment.”
Student leaders provided addresses and acknowledgments: Chelsea Mariah Williams, Newton High School executive president, gave a commencement-style speech about resilience and legacy; Makaylin “Katie” Harris, senior class president, dedicated remarks to the memory of a classmate, Cameron Armstrong, saying the class carries his legacy; Nicole Vivas delivered salutatorian remarks reflecting on family sacrifice and community; and class valedictorian Anaya Ren urged graduates to choose hope and perseverance. Anaya Johnson, class executive vice president, led the Pledge of Allegiance earlier in the program.
The program included ceremonial elements — presentation of colors, student-led pledges and multiple student speeches — and concluded with the superintendent’s formal release of diplomas and the traditional tassel turn. Commissioner Daman Mason of the Newton County Board of Commissioners was recognized in the audience.
No board votes or policy changes were recorded during the ceremony; the program consisted of speeches, student recognitions and the ceremonial confirmation and release of diplomas.
Looking ahead, school leaders and student speakers framed the diplomas as a transition into diverse next steps: college (including dual enrollment and scholarship-funded pathways), military service, workforce entry or apprenticeship and career-technical education.
