“Now is when the struggle becomes real for you, and it will become real,” Putnam County High School Principal Dr. Andrew Cooper told 193 graduating seniors last Friday night at Al Reaves Field, behind Putnam County Middle School.
“So, pull from perhaps inspiring words that a teacher may have shared, or a lesson you may have learned along the journey, or from some of the snapshots of your high school experience that you take with you to help to push you to the dreams you have. It’s the lessons learned, the confidence built, more than anything. I hope that you find your passion and that your passion can make for you a good life.”
Following those final few words of advice, Cooper turned his attention to personally welcoming each graduate to the stage, where he handed them their diploma and sent them on to accept congratulations from Putnam County Charter School System Superintendent Derick Austin.
Prior to Cooper’s words, though, Salutatorian Mackenzie Degner and Valedictorian Prasang Patel each addressed their fellow graduates as well as families and friends that packed the stands of War Eagles Stadium.
“Standing here as your salutatorian, I may not have it all figured out, but I know I’ve grown. We all have, and that’s what gives me hope for the future,” Mackenzie said. “Knowing how far we’ve come together and how much is still ahead of us, to the Class of 2025, this is real. We’re stepping out of the world we’ve always known and into whatever comes next, and that’s no small thing. So be proud. You’ve earned this.”
Prasang, who joined the early college program in the seventh grade, said he was surprised to be named valedictorian but felt honored nonetheless.
“Charles Dickens started a novel with the words, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ I think high school is a lot like that,” he said.
However, Prasang added, “Our experiences in the best of times and the worst of times from these last four years can guide us forward. We can take real-world lessons from the worst of times. Failures and shortcomings are inevitable if you’re challenging yourself. But remember, you only really fail when you refuse to try again, so I challenge you to embrace the unexpected.”
Serving in his first term as PCCSS board member, Charles Trumbo called it “exciting” to participate in his first graduation ceremony in an official capacity.
“One thing I definitely loved was just seeing all the smiling faces, all the happiness, and just knowing that the goal is complete and that they’re done and moving on,” Trumbo said.
“And then it was great to hear all the statistics, especially having over a million dollars’ worth of scholarships earned. That was impressive,” Trumbo continued. “It’s encouraging for Putnam County and its education system in general. In fact, with the leadership that we have now, I believe our school system is on the rise.”
With the ceremony over and fireworks filling the night sky, Cooper sat on the podium watching the students celebrate with their families, friends, and fellow graduates. He said graduation day remains one of his favorite experiences of each school year.
“It’s exciting and fulfilling. A lot of times, leading up to the last day of school, it’s sometimes tumultuous, and sometimes people are on edge," he said. "So, when you finally get to the program and you see how happy the kids are, and how happy they are to shake your hand and take the diploma, and how proud they are in themselves, it makes all the hard work worth it.”