Woodville‑Tompkins certifies class of 2025; teacher Albert Blocker honored

Woodville‑Tompkins Technical & Career High School held its 2025 commencement ceremony where Superintendent Dr. Watts certified the class of 2025 as graduates of the Savannah‑Chatham County Public School System and the Board of Education of the State of Georgia.

The graduating class reported collective achievements including 1,530 college credits earned, 6,929 community service hours and $11,500,000 in scholarships. The senior class selected Albert Blocker as the school’s Inspirational Educator; the Educate Chatham Foundation presented a $1,000 classroom grant to Blocker during the ceremony. The Virginia Deloach award was presented to student Eva Aguilar.

Why it matters: local commencements are a formal certification of students’ completion of state and district graduation requirements and an occasion to recognize educators and student accomplishments that feed into college and workforce planning across the Savannah‑Chatham County community.

Superintendent Dr. Watts formally declared the students graduates during the ceremony. "Having met the requirements of the Savannah Chatham County Board of Education and the Board of Education of the State of Georgia, I hereby declare you, the class of 2025, are graduates of the Savannah‑Chatham County Public School System," the superintendent announced.

Senior speakers highlighted individual and collective achievement. "Whatever your worries may be, the future is not set in stone, and taking even the tiniest step forward will always be progress," said Salutatorian Faith Adeni. Valedictorian Faith Agbehanu, who announced she will attend Brown University on a full academic scholarship, thanked her parents and urged classmates to enjoy the journey: "Everything I accomplish is for you, and I only hope that moments like these make at least a fraction of your sacrifices worth it," she said.

The Educate Chatham Foundation, which the ceremony identified as a district fundraising partner that supports teachers and students, presented the Inspirational Educator Award. Tamika Tribble of the Educate Chatham Foundation presented the award and $1,000 grant to Albert Blocker, whom the senior class selected in secret. "We are pleased to recognize a teacher who has not only inspired, but has nurtured, pushed, and, yes, loved the students in their charge," Tribble said.

Principal Maguire read student accomplishments that the school attributed to the class: two students heading to Ivy League and flagship institutions on scholarships, a three‑time state champion among the graduates, student pilots, and the totals noted above for credits, service hours and scholarships.

During the ceremony Board of Education President Mr. Moss and District 8 representative Dr. Tanya Howard Hall, among other board members and staff, were in attendance. The ceremony closed with the school alma mater performed by national recording artist and class of 2024 graduate Angel Cummins.

The certification is a formal administrative act by the district and does not, by itself, change students’ postsecondary plans. Several graduates named in the program were recognized as honor graduates; individual diploma conferrals and college matriculation steps will follow the usual district and postsecondary processes.