'Be bold and audacious'

SANDPOINT — As they stood on the edge of their next adventure, Sandpoint High School's Class of 2025 was celebrated at Friday's graduation ceremony.

As the sun warmed the early evening and some gathered on the field of Barlow Stadium at War Memorial Field with blankets and lawn chairs, SHS paid tribute to the 216 students who earned their diplomas and headed off into the next stage of their lives.

Among those paying tribute to the graduates was class president Ruby Jiles, who noted the unseen connections that bound the Class of 2025 together. The connections form a story of achievement and can be found in late-night talks, countless acts of encouragement and quiet sacrifices made on their behalf.

"Savor every moment," Jiles told her fellow graduates. "Imagine if every day you committed to being just a little better over time, those small changes will transform your life. The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday."

She reminded them that they're never too old for new dreams or to pursue their ambitions and goals.

"As we step into the real world, we realize that sometimes help may come, but no one is coming to rescue us. No one is going to wake us up early to chase our dreams. No one is going to hand us success. No one is going to fight our battles for us," she added. "If we want something, we have to go and get it."

Success, she reminded them, isn't about talent, luck or shortcuts.

"It's about persistence. It's about waking up every day, facing rejection, struggling through setbacks and refusing to give up," Jiles said. "It's about falling 100 times and standing up 101 times."

As they pursue their goals, Jiles asked them to remember others, to be kind and show great heart.

"It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate," she added, dedicating her speech to her brother Roman, who is fighting wildfires in Canada. "It takes strength to be gentle and kind. … Let's remember that kindness matters most long after grades fade, being a good person is a true achievement."

Like Jiles, salutatorian Calie Bailey said the four years of high school seem to have happened in the blink of an eye. As they look back on the years of "hard work, late nights and countless cups of any caffeinated beverage we can get our hands on," Bailey said the advice she would pass on to incoming freshmen stems from one of her favorite movies, "The Fantastic Mr. Fox."

It's easy, she noted, to see success defined by certain careers, awards or external benchmarks. True motivation comes from within.

"It's so important to remember that your path is yours alone. Don't let anyone else's expectations or limitations define what you're passionate about or what you choose to pursue," she added. "Your dreams are valid and your unique perspective is valuable. Trust yourself. Stay focused on what brings you joy, and don't be afraid to choose what you love over something that you may do just to feel a sense of validation from another."

After taking the stage, valedictorian Alton Dail introduced himself. For some, he is Alton Dail. To others, he is simply Fisher.

After joking that his parents might owe his teachers an apology for their confusion over how to address him, Dail said that in Sandpoint, he will always be Fisher, and in the world of airport security, he is Alton.

"This is the town that gave us Schweitzer, Lake Pend Oreille, City Beach and Memorial Field," Dail said. "It's a town where our whole community is behind us, literally and figuratively. It's an amazing gift, but it is a gift with limits."

To those who think they might have their entire lives planned out, Dail told his fellow graduates to focus instead on the foundation the community has given them.

"Be bold and be audacious. Go out and take your risks and say yes to the decision that scares you," he added. "Because if we stumble, and we will stumble, we can think back to this very moment. To all of my classmates, turn around and look behind you to the stands. We have a whole town, an entire community, cheering us on."

Over the past four years, they've learned from textbooks and lectures but also through their shared experiences, student speaker Maddie Mitchell told her fellow graduates.

They learned how to fall in love in psychology class, that high school is a lot like "Lord of the Flies" and about socialism in modern world history. They learned that some talk a lot during Socratic seminars, how to rotate graphs in calculus and that "basically anything is a viable project for the Science Circuit."

They learned about "The Little Prince," a theme of which is that you lose a part of yourself when you grow up, Mitchell said.

"Right now that theme seems very real," she told her fellow graduates. "We're in this transitional period of our lives where we're stuck between two chapters we don't know whether to celebrate or to mourn. For so long, we've been looking forward to being grown ups and making our own decisions. Now that it's here, though, I can't help but worry I'm losing a piece of myself."

As they move into the next chapter of their lives, Mitchell told her fellow graduates that they can do one of two things: Either let go of the curiosity that has shaped them to this point or continue asking questions.

From foods they haven't tried before to political discussions with people who disagree with them, curiosity should be a guiding light as they move forward, she told them.

"We do not have to halt our curiosity just to meet the criteria of being adults. It is the learning that keeps us growing," she added. "We're all in a hurry to move on to the next part of our lives. But while most of us are very focused on the future, it's important to pause and be in the moment to appreciate where we are right now."

As she closed her speech, Mitchell said she wanted to leave her classmates with the words of one of her personal heroes, Kermit the Frog.

"Kermit once said, 'Once you get the map out, you won't be able to refold it, no matter how smart you are. So, forget the map, roll down the windows, pull over and picnic with a pig whenever you can.'"

She encouraged them to slow down, look around and remember the people who love them and the places and experiences that have shaped them. Then, take a breath to ground themselves, and move into the future.

"Let's savor this moment and our gratitude for the people that have helped us to get to where we are right now, let's choose to continue to learn to ask hard questions, to be curious without judgment, and to appreciate the moment we're in," she added.

In honoring the 216 graduates, SHS Principal Jackie Crossingham paid tribute to their hard work.

"An extraordinary journey that has brought you to this milestone. Since your first day as freshmen … you have embodied the spirit of our school's mission to inspire a culture of learning, leadership, engagement and growth," she told the graduates. "You have thrived through challenges, built enduring relationships and friendships and grown into the inspiring individuals that you are now."

Crossingham told the graduates that their class motto — "Thrive in 2025" — perfectly reflects the resilience, heart and determination that they have shown throughout their four years at Sandpoint High School.

"It reminds us that thriving is not just overcoming obstacles but about embracing your inner spirit and holding fast to your values and facing your future with courage and conviction," she said.

The class mirrors the beauty of the region with members navigating the hallways and classrooms of Sandpoint High School with the same grace and enthusiasm they use to travel the community's trails, shores and lakes.

"It's these experiences that have shaped you, taught you to adapt and to lead and to find joy in both the quiet moments and the bold adventures, as you step into the next chapter of your lives," Crossingham said.

Whether they are headed to college, the military or the workforce — or another pathway entirely — the SHS principal said the Class of 2025 carries with it the ability to make a lasting impression as it carves its own unique way forward.

"It's these connections, forged within the walls of Sandpoint High School and rooted in the beauty of northern Idaho, that are the foundations of your story, a story that is uniquely yours, yet forever tied to this community," Crossingham told the graduates.

    Sandpoint High School graduates wait for the start of Friday's commencement ceremony.
  

    Sandpoint High School graduate Fisher Dial gets a hug from a school resource officer after crossing the stage to receive his diploma at Friday's commencement ceremony.
  

    Sandpoint High School graduates line up as they wait to enter Barlow Stadium at War Memorial Field for Friday's graduation ceremony.
  

    Ruby Jiles gets emotional while talking about her brother, Roman, who is fighting fires in Canada.
  

    Alton (aka Fisher) Dail points to a certificate officially noting his status as valedictorian of Sandpoint High School's Class of 2025.
  

    Sandpoint High School graduate Aiden Breneman grins in celebration after receiving his diploma at Friday's commencement ceremony.