MDUSD Class of 2025 High School Graduations recap

The 2025 graduation season came to a close in MDUSD last week, after families, friends and District staff and community members celebrated the Ygnacio Valley HS and Mt. Diablo HS graduations the previous week, along with celebrations for graduates in the College Now and Ygnacio Valley HS CCAP STEM programs at Diablo Valley College. A recap of those graduation celebrations is here and in the May 30th Friday Letter. 

The Bridge Program, which serves students 18-22 with disabilities who have completed four years of high school, held its graduation on May 30 at the Loma Vista Adult Education Center in Concord. At the event, which was not live-streamed, 31 graduates received high school diplomas after learning life and work skills that will help them transition to adulthood, supported by enthusiastic families and friends. It included inspirational remarks from teachers Kim Huntley and Lynn De Mattei, Administrator Dr. Candace Edwards, and student speakers including Sergio Espinoza-Ortiz. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark, Chief of Special Education and Pupil Services Dr. Wendi Aghily, and Board Member Keisha Nzewi also celebrated the students' accomplishments.

The Concord HS graduation, which took place on May 30 at the Toyota Pavilion in Concord, can be viewed here. It included a welcome in several different languages from students Stephanie Perez, Oriana Castro, Wira Safi, Caitlyn Hoshida, Manizha Safi, Daisy Ann Meeker, and Zulikha Qurishi. It also featured inspirational addresses from Principal Julene MacKinnon, Dr. Clark, graduate speakers Aaimya Brown-Webster, Zainab Bakhshi, Brennen Pangilinan, Aisha Hamidi, Estefani Nieto-Benitez and Jenifer Cobian-Aguinaga; keynote speaker Mike Petta, who is an Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach and Special Education Assistant; and Board Member Tom McDougall. In addition, an honorary diploma was presented to the family of former Class of 2025 student Valentina Langhammer, who died during her freshman year.

The Alternative Education graduation for Glenbrook Academy, Horizons Center for Independent Study, and Prospect HS can be viewed here. It included inspirational speeches from Dr. Clark, Board President Linda Mayo, Horizons graduate Eliot Rentner and Prospect graduate Noemi Barajas. It also included the presentation of Mt. Diablo Council of PTAs scholarships and Mt. Diablo Alternative Education Foundation scholarships to several students. 

The Olympic HS and Crossroad HS graduation can be viewed here. It included inspirational remarks from Board Member Debra Mason; Olympic HS Principal Courtney Lyon and Crossroads Principal Coleen Martin; Dr. Clark; Crossroads HS speaker Valerie Alicatzy Galindo, Olympic HS speaker Ronald Morton Jr., and Olympic HS speaker Crystal Ochoa Gonzales, who is the Student Member of the MDUSD Governing Board; and teacher Lauren Ryan, who was selected by students for the Hilde Spritzer Award.
   
The College Park HS graduation can be viewed here. It included inspirational addresses by Dr. Clark, Principal Levirt Griffin, Board President Linda Mayo, Senior Class Officer Lila Nikolich, Senior Class President Aniyah Smith, and teacher Brinna Tom, who was chosen by students as their staff graduation speaker. 

The Northgate HS graduation can be viewed here. It included inspirational remarks from Principal Kelly Cooper; Dr. Clark; Student Speakers Devan Sughiarto and Simone Leto; Board Vice President Cherise Khaund; and retiring teacher Todd Bauleke, who is a Northgate alum. The event also included recognition of the Summit award winners, student musical performances, and the turning of the tassels led by Senior Class President Kathy Ly, Senior Class Vice President Devayani Batra and Senior Class Secretary-Treasurer Oladunni Akinsola.

The Adult Education graduation took place at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 7th at the Loma Vista Adult Center in Concord. It was not live-streamed. 

Click here to see a video reel highlighting the Bridge, Olympic and Crossroads high schools, Concord HS, College Park HS and Northgate HS graduations. 

Check out the High School Graduation Social media highlights below to see more photos from the Concord HS, Alternative Education, Olympic/Crossroads high schools, and College Park HS graduation ceremonies.

MDUSD high schools celebrated graduations with speeches, awards and musical performances. Recent social media highlights included: Concord HS celebrating its graduation on May 30th; Facebook posts from MDUSD Board President Linda Mayo recapping the Alternative Education graduation and Olympic and Crossroads high schools graduation on May 31, as well as the College Park HS graduation on June 2.