Westlake High School Class of 2025 Celebrates Graduation

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Student Council Executive Board President Danielle Michilli served as master of ceremonies, warmly thanking her father “DJ Serg” for helping her prepare for the momentous occasion. Class President Sophia Ruggerio then delivered heartfelt remarks that captured both the joy and bittersweetness of graduation day. “We did it! The 13-year plan is here,” she told her classmates, while honestly acknowledging that “the road ahead is foggy.”

Ruggerio’s speech wove together shared memories that defined their high school experience—from the excitement of spirit week to the daily competition for the last remaining parking spots. She poignantly observed that this milestone marked “the first first day without each other” and reminded her fellow graduates that “we will never all be in the same place again.”

Rather than dwelling on uncertainty, Ruggerio embraced it as an opportunity for growth. “Let uncertainty push you to take risks to discover who you are,” she encouraged. “Make mistakes, and stand taller after them. Every wrong turn brings you closer to certainty.” She assured her classmates that they would always have Mount Pleasant to fall back on as “the light that guides us through the fog,” concluding with an inspiring quote from “The Life List”: “Life is beautiful and messy and complicated and sometimes doesn’t look the way you think it’s supposed to look and that is ok. Keep going.”

The ceremony took on special significance as it honored retiring Principal Keith Schenker after 15 years of dedicated leadership. Introduced as someone who “didn’t just run a school, he built a community,” Schenker opened his remarks with characteristic humor, saying “This is getting weird!” His warmth extended to recognizing other retiring colleagues—Mike Cunzio, Anne Stern, and Ken Amann—as well as thanking Dr. Bronstein, who was departing to serve as superintendent in Somers.

Schenker shared how finding inspiration for graduation speeches “isn’t easy—usually music or family inspires me. This year I was stumped.” The breakthrough came during a house sale when he discovered a bag of childhood items from his son, including a Batman mask his son had worn at age three. This simple discovery sparked his central message about finding significance in life.

“How do you know what you want to be? Batman?” he asked with a smile. “Why did I decide to be an educator? Significance—how do you find it? Is it money or cars or status? No. It’s how you impact others. It’s being significant in the life and lives of another person.”

Drawing from his years of experience, Schenker emphasized life’s inherent unpredictability: “As much as we set goals and plan, we are never sure what will happen. You can achieve anything if you’re willing to work hard and you need to be flexible. The greatest gifts in life are not in the plans, they’re in the detours.” His parting advice resonated throughout with graduates and guests alike: “Stop stressing about every decision, stay curious, be willing to go to new places and meet new people, stay true to your goals but every once in a while stop and enjoy the moment. Remember you have the power to impact people.”

Board of Education President Mike Horan reinforced that graduates had truly earned their achievement, encouraging them to carry forward three essential qualities—gratitude, courage, and hope—as they embarked on their new chapters.

Salutatorian Sukhsimran “Sukhi” Kaur brought levity to her address by opening with humor about being the middle child and “never speaking in front of this many people.” Her message centered on the importance of recognizing support from others: “Being self-made doesn’t exist—learn to say thank you.” She offered particular gratitude to her mother, sister, and grandmother, who “is always learning.” Kaur encouraged her classmates to approach challenges with creativity, sharing wisdom from her brother that “there’s always another approach. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.”

Valedictorian Danielle Motta reflected thoughtfully on the transition from seeing each other daily to “scattering” along different paths. She emphasized the value of learning from both triumph and setback, noting that “experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” Her message struck a balance between realism and optimism: “Embrace the success and failure. Define yourself by your ability to learn from your mistakes.” She concluded with confidence that “we will all go on to do good things” and assured her classmates that “we will always be bonded together. We will always be wildcats.”

As has become his trademark, Superintendent Dr. G brought the ceremony to a close with remarks centered on a song. This year’s selection was The Doobie Brothers’ “Listen to the Music,” which he said reflected “the joy that so characterizes the Westlake Class of 2025.” He provided historical context for the 1972 song, explaining that it was written during a time of global tension, including the Vietnam War, with lyrics reflecting “a somewhat Utopian view of the world” where music could inspire peace and understanding.

“Music, like life, is a collection of sounds, voices, notes in harmony and tension,” Dr. G observed. “Each of you is stepping into the song of your own life, ready to find your melody and add your voice to something greater.” He praised the graduates for learning “how to listen—to one another, to yourself, to the world. And you’ve learned how to be heard—with kindness, with courage, and with clarity.”

Dr. G challenged the graduates to “be the bridge—the connecting chord between difference and understanding.” His advice was both practical and profound: “Be the one who listens before speaking, who chooses kindness over quick judgment, who turns disagreement into dialogue.” He invoked Mary Oliver’s timeless question: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

He concluded with traditional wishes that emphasized how “life, like music, is meant to be shared.”

Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized that this achievement represented not just individual success but the collective effort of families, faculty, PTA, WAC, and the Education Foundation. The ceremony celebrated both the accomplishments of the past and the promise of the future, with graduates prepared to carry forward their Westlake foundation while remembering that “once a wildcat, always a wildcat.”

As the Class of 2025 prepared to scatter to colleges, careers, and new adventures across the country and beyond, they left armed with the wisdom of their teachers, the love of their families, and the unbreakable bonds forged during their years together at Westlake High School.

Congratulations Class of 2025!