Class of 2025,

We’ve spent the last four years looking forward and planning for the future, thinking about life after high school, with college and work. If I got a nickel every time I got asked, “Do you know where you’re going to college?” this year, I might have enough money to pay my college tuition. Just kidding, it wouldn’t even cover half the cost.

Our high school years are often taken over by stress about the future. Are we taking enough AP classes? Which clubs look best on a resume? Where can I get a job? Throughout high school, we’ve explored our passions, tried new things, and taken different classes to find what we love. Let’s pause and reflect on why the last four years mattered. Class of 2025, I believe our story is a story of investment. Let me explain.

There’s a quote above the whiteboard in the band room that says, “Invest yourself in everything you do. There’s fun in being serious.” As an orchestra student, I’ve seen that quote during rehearsals nearly every day for the last four years. It’s something the jazz musician John Coltrane said, but taking your investment seriously isn’t just for music; it’s for sports, theatre, art, journalism, yearbook, robotics, academics—anything you spend time doing.

We’ve spent countless hours rehearsing for performances, shooting free throws in the gym, running up and down Wilsonville Road, and studying for the AP Chem and AP Calculus tests that just conveniently ‘happened to be on the same day’—Ms. Kilpatrick and Mr. Barkley, you aren’t fooling anyone.

I’m joking around now, but those hours and days of work were often grueling and mentally draining. “Invest yourself in everything you do. There’s fun in being serious.” We were being serious, but it was far from fun. However, all that time was an investment. An old proverb states, “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” Corny, I know. But it’s a reminder that our work goes beyond just passing an exam, sounding good on stage, or hitting a home run—although those are all great things. Those hours we put in have taught us the values of discipline, excellence, and leadership. Wildcats, we’ve learned how to learn through our investments in education. And you can’t put a price tag on education.

Class of 2025, the class of investment. As our final moments as high schoolers come to a close, our senior year has been all about our investments paying off. We’ve watched each other win state championships, perform in concerts and shows, organize school assemblies, build world-class robots, and strive to be the best versions of ourselves. 

Our education is valuable not because we memorized formulas, took some tests, did some labs, or got some As, but because we have come out on the other side better prepared for life beyond high school.

So, what does it mean to be the ‘class of investment’? Well, high school was the trial run. Our teachers and parents were holding our hands the whole way through. Not anymore. But we are now equipped with the values to thrive no matter where we are or what we do. Our discipline will keep us going when motivation fails, knowing that the long-term benefit is greater than the short-term reward. Our excellence elevates our work beyond the bare minimum. 

Wilsonville, our standards of excellence win us championships, give us trophies, and power our celebration culture. It will do the same for us in the future. And the most important value of them all: Leadership. How do we cultivate a classroom or workplace culture that serves the many and not the few? Quality leadership values dignity, displays humility, and empowers others through service. As Wildcats, we’ve shown this in our leadership as sports captains, robotics leads, elected club and ASB members, community volunteers, and more.

The timeless question parents always ask: “What’d you learn in school today?” Most of the time, my answer was “nothing,” but now I can confidently answer that we’ve learned that investment pays off. There’s fun in being serious.