With hugs, claps, and cheers, Highland Park High School’s class of 2025 crossed the stage and received diplomas on May 23 at the Moody Coliseum.
During the commencement ceremony, student leaders reflected on the legacy of the Class of 2025, and shared advice on facing new challenges in the years ahead.
Class vice president Marshall Haggar told students that their choices and values have the power to shape the future.
“‘Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good,’” he said, quoting former president of Illinois Wesleyan University Minor Myers Jr. “When we focus not only on achieving success, but also on making a positive impact, we begin to realize that our true purpose is found in the good we do for others.”
Salutatorian Lakshmi Vemula, who graduated with a GPA of 4.75 and will attend Brown University, reminded students that both high school and life are unpredictable.
“It’s OK not to know exactly where you’re going. What matters is that we keep moving forward, stay open to change, and allow ourselves to dream, whether those dreams are wild and epic like mine, or quiet, real and right in front of you,” Vemula told her classmates. “Thank you all for making this high school roller coaster absolutely unforgettable.”
Neighborhood Spotlight
Park Cities
Where the Park Cities Stay Connected.
Valedictorian Anna Qian was also this year’s Homecoming Queen. During her speech, she recalled moving to Highland Park from China in sixth grade. “I didn’t understand the culture,” she said, “and I had no idea where I belonged.”
But that quickly changed thanks to seemingly random decisions that led her to form deep connections with teachers and other students.
“Your future may be shaped by the big decisions you make, but it will be defined by the little ones, like where you choose to sit,” Qian said. “Whether it’s your first day of college, your first job orientation, or a conference room full of strangers, sit somewhere new, talk to someone unexpected, take a seat that feels a little scary.”
Qian, who graduated with a GPA of 4.839 and will attend Yale University, was ranked first in a class of 565 students that included 15 National Merit Finalists, 39 National Merit Commended Students, six National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars, one National African American Recognition Program Scholar, three National Indigenous Recognition Program Scholars, and two National First Generation Program Scholars.
The Class of 2025 excelled on the playing field, with 123 students receiving academic all-state honors, and 21 graduates planning to compete at the collegiate level. This year’s graduates also tallied 71,100 total service hours, with 22 graduates each donating more than 500 hours, class secretary David DeVega said.
While the senior class has many accomplishments to be proud of, facts and figures are only part of its story, HPHS principal Kevin Hunt said. He praised the students’ empathy, kindness, and perseverance.
“Like the incredible leaders you are, you have modeled to me and all the younger students at Highland Park High what it means to be a Scot, and what it means to demonstrate integrity and high moral character every day,” said Hunt, who is completing his first year as HP’s principal. Later, he added, “Class of 2025, I will never forget the valuable lessons I have learned from you this year.”
