Three hundred sixty-six Durango High School students graduated Friday evening, marking the largest graduating class in over a decade, DHS Principal Jon Hoerl said at a commencement ceremony held in DHS Stadium.
The commencement was a celebration of students’ hard work and dedication, but it was also an honoring of significant academic and athletic achievements made over the last school year and an observance of DHS teachers and staff retiring, bringing a combined 138 years of experience with them.
Parents, grandparents, siblings and friends packed the grandstands at DHS Stadium to holler and cheer for the fresh graduates. Live translation services were provided in Spanish throughout the ceremony.
Class President Cully Feeney said in a speech the ceremony marked the end of his cohorts’ high school career and the beginning of a future up to them to forge.
“Here we are on the edge of something new. And as we step into the world, we do so at a profound moment in history in America,” he said. “Young voices are not just being heard, but they are making a difference in the halls of government, on university campuses and in workplaces. Our generation is shaping the future.”
He said the Class of 2025 is faced with a burdensome responsibility but also amazing opportunities.
“If I've learned anything from all of you in our last share of four years, it is that the Class of 2025 at Durango High School is prepared to make a difference. I love you all. Go chase greatness, and don't forget where you came from,” he said.
Hoerl mentioned a number of accomplishments by graduates in the 2024-25 school year.
Seven students received the Seal of Climate Literacy, which recognizes their course work and service to improve the environment. Eight students earned the Colorado and global seals of biliteracy, verifying their fluency in two or more languages.
Graduates completed over 250 capstone projects and received over 50 industry certifications, and the Class of 2025 was the first to complete Fort Lewis College’s collegiate pathway, with many individual graduates earning over 20 college credits last year alone ‒ collectively saving their families more than $775,000 in college tuition.
Keynote speaker Eric Jackson, who is retiring from teaching science at DHS, addressed the graduates with a humorous and inspirational speech that drove home three pieces of wisdom: No. 1, choose your attitude. No. 2, take moments to make someone safe. And No. 3, don’t forget to smile.
He said teaching is the hardest job he’s ever had ‒ his task is to teach roomfuls of students a variety of things in complex subjects such as anatomy and physiology in under 90 minutes every day ‒ but it’s also been the most rewarding job he’s ever had. He said the key to his success is to make it fun.
Student speakers included Hazel Piccoli, Zoe Golden, the city of Durango’s designated Rising Poet Laureate, and Brady Sutherlin. Student readers were Molly Best, Joseph Voiles, Jordan Davis and Siena Harvey.
Bayfield High School held its commencement ceremony in its gymnasium on Sunday, May 18. Ninety-eight students turned the page and began the next chapter of their lives.
Renae Foutz and Christiana Sutherlin were recognized as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, and over 50% of the graduating class graduated with academic honors, reaching a grade-point average of 3.2 or above.
“This was a killer class,” BHS Academic Counselor Jen Leithauser said.
Ignacio High School will hold its graduation on Saturday, May 24, in its gymnasium. Thirty-three students will embark on their next journey.
The valedictorian is Victoria Brown, and three students tied for the title of salutatorian ‒ Lincoln Gillespie, Audry Roderick and Cadence Vezeau.
Six students will graduate with GPAs over 4.0.
A foreign exchange student will receive an honorary diploma ‒ exchange students aren’t eligible for formal diplomas, IHS Academic Adviser Camille Lindsay said.
Big Picture High School held its graduation on Thursday at Rotary Park in Durango.
Animas High School held its commencement ceremony Friday afternoon at the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall.
cburney@durangoherald.com
