This afternoon, the Ridgefield High School Class of 2025 crossed the final threshold of their Ridgefield Public Schools journey—graduation. Held at Tiger Hollow Stadium, the ceremony marked the culmination of years of learning, growth, and community. We are proud to share the words of Valedictorian Will Carter, whose speech captured both the spirit of the moment and the strength of the class.
My name is Will Carter, and I’m here because I didn’t go outside for four years, but apparently that means I have to talk about the “academic journey” or something like that. If you asked me how I got here, I would say I drove to the parking lot and then walked down the hill, but that doesn’t make a great speech, so I guess I have to make up something a little more sentimental.
Eighteen years ago, Apple released the first iPhone, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, and the Class of 2025 was born.
Thirteen years ago, the Class of 2025 set foot in a classroom for the first time. We learned the alphabet, counted on our fingers, and formed bonds that last to this day.
Seven years ago, the Class of 2025 moved up to middle school. We read poetry and The Hate U Give, memorized the quadratic formula, and began practicing the scientific method. We learned to use Google Meet and Zoom, spent weeks in online games, and yearned for normalcy.
Four years ago, the Class of 2025 became a part of the Ridgefield High School community. We picked our first classes and stressed over midterms. We joined teams and clubs. We attended our first homecoming dance. Everything seemed so big back then: the school, the assignments, the seniors. Graduation seemed an eternity away.
Three years ago, the Class of 2025 stepped up a rank. We felt more comfortable and began to challenge ourselves, taking our first AP or honors classes. We made RHS our home and looked down at the freshmen below us.
Two years ago, the Class of 2025 pushed itself to its limits. We took on our hardest courseloads and studied for standardized tests. We worked late into the night, getting most of our sleep in long physics labs. We earned a hard-fought victory in Spirit Week. We learned time management and how to survive our parents complaining about our time management. We began looking at colleges and building our resumes. For the first time, our futures seemed real.
Two minutes ago, the Class of 2025 was already bored of this speech. Too bad.
Today, we look back on everything that has brought us to this moment. Of course, we can’t take all of the credit. Each piece of reassuring encouragement or unsolicited advice that maybe turned out to be true played an essential role in our development. We all owe an incredible amount of gratitude to the parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coaches, and supporters that have enabled us to become ourselves.
In our own lives, there has been a lot—both good and bad—that has led us here. Every one of us has had moments that we don’t want to leave behind and others we wish we could forget. But every challenge we have faced is evidence of our ability. We’ve experienced academic disasters, athletic setbacks, and social changes. I remember thinking my future was over when I got a 70 on a history midterm. Few of us would be able to say that this is exactly how we envisioned ourselves four, seven, or thirteen years ago. And yet here we are, beyond every hurdle that once seemed a mile high.
After this day, we chart our own courses, each one of us taking their own unique path into the future. Many of us will continue our educational journey, attending schools across 31 states and three countries. Many will sit in similar robes in four years, listening to a more eloquent speech, now experts in enterprise risk management, philosophy, and nuclear engineering. Some will still be working towards mastery in neuroscience or education. Some will already be building their careers.
These paths will not be smooth. We will face challenges that make us once again feel like kindergarteners. In those times, we will think back to this moment as proof that we can confront every obstacle and live to tell the tale.
Ten years from now, the Class of 2025 will change the world. Congratulations, Class of 2025!