THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 13, 2025 Page 19 Class President’s Address By Emilia Maria-Babcock G ood evening, everyone! My name is Emilia Maria-Babcock, and I’m proud to represent our class tonight as your EHS class president. It is a privilege to speak on this unforgettable day. Before we begin, of course we need to start off by giving ourselves a round of applause!! You should all be proud to be here today and excited to see what you can now do with tomorrow. Before I get into my speech for real for real, I just want to take a moment to show my gratitude. I’m genuinely honored to have been chosen to speak today, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity. I am starting by thanking all the staff at Everett High who keep this place going, including teachers (especially Ms. jones), coaches who have dedicated their hearts to their teams, deans, janitors, lunch ladies, school committee members and our Superintendent, Mr. Hart. Thank you to all the families who have supported and pushed their graduates to get here today. Don’t get me wrong, yes we are the ones graduating, but all of us couldn’t have done without you, so thank you. And how could I forget the amazing EHS Class of 2025? From start to finish, you’ve brought so many laughs and made this experience one to remember. Like spirit weeks in Mass Ave., even though my locker was more like a side street, myself and many others still found our way there. When the lights went out at the boys soccer’ senior night, we wasted no time and kept having fun. We turned on our flashlights, blasted music, and kept the energy alive. Even as simple as walking to classes together or laughing in the back of math class---still having no clue what was being taught. It’s moments like these that made our high school years unforgettable. Now I would like to make this more personal. I thank God for walking with me through every high and low, and for being the foundation I can always lean on. I want to thank my grandma and my abuela for the love and strength they have shown me. I would like to thank my Tia Fatima, for being my second mother and always treating me like her own. I want to thank my Papi. He has shown me what it means to work hard and what staying determined looks like. He would sit down and help me work through complex math problems until I got them right, he would play catch with me for hours. If it was a nice day out you already we take it to the courts and we would run one. Still can’t beat him in a 1v1, but one day…hopefully. But he is truly my inspiration to work hard and stay driven. Finally, I would like to thank my amazing mom. She is actually right behind me as a school committee member. (Hi mom). I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for her. From being my biggest cheerleader or my most brutally honest critic (and let me tell she can being PRETTYYY honest at times), I am grateful for it all. She has been my rock. Every first step, every accomplishment, even every failure… she has been there. My mom is one of the most selfless people I know, not only does she put me and my family before herself, but anyone she thinks needs it. My mom is everyone’s team mom. She does such an incredible job showing the people around her what it feels like to be loved, and I hope that this message can reflect that same feeling on to her. I love you to the moon and back, thank you. Okay now enough with this mushy gushy stuff… now it’s time for the real deal…I promise it’s not too long. There is a philosophy I made in the 7th grade that I try to Class President Emilia-Maria Babcock live my life by. It was also my yearbook quote. “Do and regret. Don’t overthink and never do. I’d rather apologize for taking a risk than never knowing the outcome. Now, just to be clear—I’m not saying you should go out and rob a bank, and if you do, please don’t say, BABCOCK | SEE PAGE 22 Class Valedictorian’s Address By Randy Cruz Villanueva H ello and good afternoon. Thank you all for being here today. I know it’s hot, so per everyone’s request, I’ll try to keep this short—hopefully. First, I want to congratulate the Class of 2025. It’s been a hectic four years, but we finally made it. I could stand here and pretend like I know every single one of you but we all know that’s not true. Still, I want you to know that every interaction I’ve had with any of you, no matter how small, has left an impact on me. Whether we became close over the years or exchanged only a few words, I’ve come to realize that I am truly a collection of all the people I’ve ever met. Wherever I go— wherever you go—these memories and moments will continue to shape me. And for that, I’m truly grateful. As I was writing this “final assignment,” I started thinking about all the things I’ll miss about Everett High: hanging around the lockers randomly throughout the day, the awkward hallway glances at old friends, seeing my past teachers, and even the tater tots at lunch. It’s all the small things that suddenly become so important. That sense of comfort and familiarity is really what keeps you going. So, as you venture into the world—whether you’re going to college, working, traveling, or just figuring it all out— find the little things that bring you joy. Find the people and places that make it hard to say goodbye. Personally, I wouldn’t be standing here without so many of the people in my life. I want to thank my wonderful friends, my family, and my teachers— not just from Everett High, but going all the way back to the Lafayette. One teacher in particular shaped me more than he knew—Mr. Pattenude, my very first teacher after moving to Everett in the fifth grade. He passed away a few months ago, and I want to honor him today. He welcomed me when I felt out of place, and his belief in me stayed long after I left his classroom. He set me on the path to becoming who I am today, and I only wish he could’ve seen me now. To every teacher I’ve had throughout the years —thank you. I hope you know how important your role has been in my life. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. Now, more than ever this stands true. I want to give a special shoutout to the big three that guided me through STEM, Dr. Seiders, Dr. Backlund, and Mr. Munoz, you guys have shown me nothing but kindness and support and I’ll always remember that. To my friends, the OG Lafayette lions, little pieces, Kelly of course, and so many more thank you for making this journey bearable. The memories we’ve created will live on with me till the very end. Finally, I want to take a moment to thank my wonderful family—who I hope is out there somewhere. Steph, thank you for your quiet strength and constant support. I know being the oldest isn’t easy, but you make it look effortless. You’ve been my guide, my role model. Vale, thank you for the laughter, the chaos, the surprises. You remind me every day to live with joy. I can’t wait to see you walk this stage one day. And to my beautiful momMami, te quiero mucho. Gracias por todo lo que has hecho por mí. Todo esto es para ti. Espero poder darte todo lo que deseas un día. Class of 2025 Valedictorian Randy Cruz Villanueva Thank you, Class of 2025. I hope you remember that you were once part of something special here. I hope you carry a piece of this place, these people, with you. And above all, remember to live and let time pass Congratulations.
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