Families and friends filled the towel-ordained seats of Nugent Stadium on Friday evening to celebrate the 233 members of the Rye High School Class of 2025. The ceremony began with the traditional procession across the bridge from all graduates, faculty, staff, and Board of Education members, and ended with a joyful cap toss and cheers from the stands.
After Vincent Sculti (vocals) and ASL performers delivered the National Anthem and a musical interlude of “Changes” by David Bowie, Principal Andrew Hara opened the commencement with reflections on the past year, marking a milestone as his first graduating class as high school principal. Quoting Marion Wright Edelman, Hara urged the graduates to lead with integrity, empathy, and kindness, and to shape the world positively. “That quote is as follows: ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children,’” Hara said. “Class of 2025, you are no longer the children we once protected. You are the leaders we now depend on.”
Superintendent Dr. Eric Byrne mentioned New York State’s revised educational goals in 2023 to prepare graduates as problem solvers, communicators, global citizens, and culturally competent individuals. He aligned those objectives with the School District’s Rye Commitment, which emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and socially responsible, caring citizens.
Byrne goes on to highlight the importance of these skills in the digital age, where students must navigate a flood of information. “The Class of 2025 are going to need those critical thinking skills we imbued you with to cut through all the noise and to evaluate what is true and what is right,” Byrne said.
Following the Latin Oration by Katherine Ebeling and Madeline Kilroy, Charles Cosenza delivered his Senior Oration, congratulating the class for its academic and athletic achievements. Quoting his father, Cosenza urged his classmates to listen, reflect, and have fun as they embrace their journey into the future.
Bill Chen followed with his Salutatory Address to the graduates, reflecting on his journey from elementary school, where he struggled to be “cool,” to finding his passions in middle school and high school. He redefines “cool” as honesty, passion, empathy, and kindness, observing these qualities in his classmates.
Amélie Coghlan and Haley Kloepfer led the second musical interlude, performing “For Good” from Wicked.
In her Valedictory Address, Julie Rotondo tied David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water” speech to the obvious, yet important and beautiful realities within Rye. She reflects on her 11-year experience in Rye, highlighting the city’s familiarity and sharing those familiar moments with the people around her. “No matter where you find yourselves after leaving this school, I encourage the graduating class to use every opportunity to foster meaningful relationships with the people you need,” Rotondo said. “Because when we move from one stage of our lives to the next, what we retain is not the place we leave behind, it’s the relationships we build.”
Here is the entire Class of 2025:
Henry Harrison Abt
Kimaya Agarwal
Ali H. Alfalahi
Nathaniel William Allison
João Victor Araujo Ventrice
Aidan B. Arouh
Fiona Elizabeth Asgeirsson
Alexandra Marie Ausfahl
Taylor Brydon Bainbridge
Max Lucas Bajuk
Erin Anne Ball
Jackson Brian Beatty
Charles Archibald Berkery
Charles Brewin Berkoff
David Preston Berrocal
Myla Carlon Bisceglia
Rocklan Carl Boisseau
Connor Daniel Brady
Aydan Breen
Elle Brennan
Cameron Grace Brooks
Bowyn Brown
Sophia Marie Bubeck
Sebrina E. Bucalo
Molly Dylan Budk
Reed Allman Budke
Kathryn Elizabeth Burbank
Olivia Lorena Cabrera
William Joseph Cadigan
Hollye Ann Collins Caffrey
Parker Grant Canna
Chase Nicholas Caridi
Jaclyn Marie Cassano
Joseph Carlo Cavatoni
Brendan Charles Chapman
Bill Runxi Chen
Elena Brooks Chesley
Andrew Lothrop Chun
Laeticia Elistana Clauss
Amélie Mary Coghlan
Hannah Louise Collins
Jaymi Concepcion
Sienna Rose Connelly
Charles Tobias Cosenza
Will Crawford-Rubin
Ava Vieira Cross
Xiomara A. Cubas
Mia Lily Cunningham
Tess Elena Dalton
Peter Thompson Kelly Davies
Ashley Ryan Dehmer
Alexander Gerard Delgado
Aerin Delizia
Kathleen Clarey Denvir
Joy Rose DeSanto
Kaiya Devitre
Jack Kingsley DiMassimo
Drew W. Dolan
Caroline Kelley Doyle
Nicholas Doyle
Ava Noelle Drago
Maya Elizabeth Eaton
Katherine D. Ebeling
Ayla Celeste Ebers
Alice Kaz Enokida
Ella Mae Erickson
Lucas Robert Felshman
Archer James Fenton
Martin Robert Fields
Ava Lauren Donaire Fleckten
Charlotte Grace Fowle
Elina Callie Francis
Katherine Freilich
Benjamin George Fritsche
Ella Mia Froah
Margaret Grace Gallagher
Harrison Gelinas
Victoria Ann Fiorito Generoso
Eugenie Louise Gericke
John Anthony Getlik
Matthew Gabriel Giannetti
John Joseph Gilroy
Georgia Blue Nelson Girling
Matilda Vera Glitterstam
Carly Goldstein
Alexander T. H. Gordon
Brooke Caroline Gori
Kiran Martin Gounden-Kobes
Latanya Tianna Graham
Michelle Desiree Granda Rengifo
Jack David Graseck
Henry Wolfe Greenspan
Max Gressin
Gabriel Steven Grgas
Joost Oscar Griffiths
Sasha M. Gruber Garcia
Natalie Helen Guazzo
Ben Hammer
Keira Hanlon
Mary Grace Hansen
Liam G. Harrington
Aden J. Hess
Tucker Hess
Samantha Lynn Hobbins
Cecilia Wren Hoogstra
Brady Mathes Howard
Maximilian Huber
Thomas A. Iannucci
Yukino Ichinose
Christopher Michael Iuliano
Inga Bailey Iverson
Andrea Kamander
Harrison Kaplan
Anna Rose Kearney
James Finbarr Kearney
Lyla Keenan
Theodore James Kelleher
Margot Sutton Kelly
Rachel Anna Kelly-Walsh
Margaret Mary Kennedy
Jake Austin Kessner
Madeline Grace Kilroy
Dean Gimoon Lee Kim
Isabella Kim
Haley Rose Kloepfer
Kathryn Grace Kmetz
Allison Love Koford
Joseph P. Kostko
Mackenzie Paige Kressler
William Brooks Kressler
Michael Ladyzhensky
Adam Lahoumah
Justin Lake
Tara Noella Laschever
Luke Adam Latkany
Alexander James Leisengang
Reese Margaret Lejuez
Anina Mary Logudic
Zoe Nancy Loizeaux
Kayla Rose Lombardo
Sophia Elizabeth Lord
Charlotte Genevieve Lorraine
Daniel Luis Maisonet
Victor Mandrykin
Madeline Frances Marino
Chase Heaton Mattison
Justin X. McCarthy
Riley Maureen McCarthy
Chloe M. McComb
Tyler Douglas McDermott
Francis Rocco McGuigan
Patrick Henry McGuire
Audrey Elouise Meier
Karol Zadkiel Mendoza Fernandez
Brigitte Flora Middleton
Annabella Sophia Milano
David Efrain Mocha
Aidan Mohomedally
Spencer Andrew Monroe
Kathryn T. Morreale
Kaylie Ella Nakamura
Anna Nolasco
Tadhg Michael O’Brien
Timothy Neil O’Donnell
Peter Anatoli Olkhovets
Ian Oppermann
Henry Thomas O’Rorke
Habiba Osman
Margaret Grace Owens
Mia Kathleen Padovano
Sam J. Paradise
Margaret Kelley Parker
Matteo Parrode
Connor R. Pastor
Fernanda Oliveira Pedroso
Sabrina Brauna Veiga Pereira
Benjamin Alan Peron
Henry Anthony Petti
Aidan Piket
Angelene Sophia Poll
Scarlett Ada Press
Ty H. Ramachandran
Zachary Eduardo Ramsey
Hampton Craig Reddoch
Sophia Sanchez Redfearn
Clementine Mary Riegelhaupt
Josie Christine Rigert
Anisa Carolyn Rittironk
Leyla Rizvi
Nicholas Romano
Phoebe Frances Roseberry
Charles D’Agostino Ross
Juliet Grace Rotondo
Luke William Roveto
Jeremy L. Ruddy
Charles Dooling Rupp
Ella Ryan
Mary Elizabeth Sack
Gage Charles Sasse
Owen William Saya
Alexander William Schatz
Aidan Schmidt
Vincent Barone Sculti
Sally Seiler
Neila Shaka
Jack Patrick Sheridan
Alexandra Ellen Sherman
James McCollister Showers
Marc Harold Spinola
Caroline Storz
Charlize Simone Tavitian
Benjamin Shazam Taylor
Megan Tiedemann
Elizabeth Tietjen
Henry Michael Tighe
Haylei Toledo
Paloma Natalia Tollinchi
Natalie Rose Trolio
Leo Tse
Yesli Tatiana Turcios Rivera
Alexander N.A.D. van der Voort
Emalie H. Vera
Michael Paul Verille
Alice Mathilde Waddington
Caroline Frances Wade
Sienna Montana Wardle
Harrison George Ambrose Waters
Andrew Russell Wilmarth
Lucy Rose Wyckoff
Luca Zambianchi
Alejandro Zapata
Kaden Zion
David Zuniga
