South Laurel High School celebrated the graduation of the class of 2025 at the Corbin Arena Saturday afternoon. The class featured 241 graduates.
The ceremony honored the senior class for overcoming an especially challenging final semester.
Student speaker Addison Baker opened the ceremony with a welcome and prayer, joined on stage by fellow class of 2025 representatives Jamie Buenaventura and Brooklyn Goetze.
“Good afternoon, graduates, faculty, and everyone who came to support us,” Baker said. “Although this wasn’t the ending we were expecting, we are blessed to be here today to celebrate the achievements of the class of 2025.”
She closed by thanking God and leading the audience in prayer.
Buenaventura followed with a speech reflecting on the individual journeys of each graduate.
“Standing here today, I see not just over 200 graduates in very flattering caps and gowns, but individuals who have powerful and unique stories, each worth celebrating,” she said. “Some of us knew exactly what we wanted to do from day one. Some of us changed our minds a dozen times — myself included. Some of us had to work jobs late into the night, juggle multiple sports, take care of family, overcome personal struggles, or fight battles that no one else could see. The road to this seat wasn’t easy. It was earned.”
Buenaventura encouraged her classmates to measure success by growth and perseverance rather than comparison.
“Success cannot be measured solely by the accomplishments or physical awards we receive, but let it be by the love and contentment that we find within our lives,” she stated.
Goetze closed the student remarks.
“As we go on, whether to the workforce, college, or something else, we can look back on the days when we couldn’t wait to graduate and see how far we’ve come — not only as individuals, but as a worker, a parent, a caregiver, or in any other role you may fill,” she stated.
Goetze referenced the community’s recent hardships and the strength demonstrated during the final weeks of the school year.
“These last weeks alone that our community has survived is evidence of the especially hard work, perseverance, and unity that we’re surrounded by, and it’s a legacy we can continue to honor,” she said.
Goetze concluded with a quote from The Office character Andy Bernard: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
Laurel County Schools Superintendent Denise Griebel and Deputy Supt. Tharon Hurley were in attendance, along with members of the Laurel County Board of Education and South Laurel’s Site-Based Decision-Making Council.
Griebel commended the graduates for overcoming an unprecedented year.
“Congratulations, South Laurel High School Class of 2025. You did your job,” she said. “As superintendent, I’ve seen firsthand the difficulties you faced — disruptions, losses, uncertainty, and change that came faster and harder than any of us could have anticipated. But I’ve also witnessed your courage, your resilience, and your ability to adapt and rise above.”
Principal Dr. Jeremy Kidd addressed the audience and reflected on the May 16 tornado that disrupted homes and routines just weeks before graduation.
“This graduation ceremony is a symbol of resilience and unity in the face of unimaginable hardship,” Kidd said. “Class of 2025, you’ve learned a lesson many never will: the tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”
Kidd announced that the graduating class had received over $2 million in scholarships — not including KEES (Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship) money or athletic awards. He also said US News and World Report magazine has selected South Laurel as one of the best high schools in Kentucky for five consecutive years.
Academically, 42 students graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA or higher), 32 students received Magna Cum Laude honors (3.8–3.99 GPA), 38 students earned honors or honors with distinction, and 52 received the Work Ethic Seal on their diplomas.
The ceremony concluded with graduates turning their tassels and tossing their caps, followed by confetti from their handheld cannons.