FCHS Class of 2025 takes center stage

By Heather Michon
Correspondent

It was a perfect night for a graduation.

With unseasonably low temperatures and a steady breeze to keep them cool and collected under their caps and gowns, the Fluvanna County High School class of 2025 filed onto the football field Friday (May 23) to cheers and the occasional blast of an air horn from the packed bleachers.

“Today, we gather not just to celebrate a moment, but to honor a journey,” said FCHS Principal Margo Bruce in her opening remarks.

The journey, as valedictorian Zachary C. Rhea and salutatorian Bela H. Varga noted, had begun during COVID. 

“At first, I found virtual learning to be a hassle and an inconvenience,” said Varga. 

Over time, he said, he had begun to view it differently. “In this instance, I realized the power that came from focusing on the positive scenario.”

Rhea said that virtual learning had left them feeling isolated, even when they resumed in-person learning, “almost as though the people we had grown up knowing were somehow more distant than before.”

However, eventually, “we were able to establish new bonds and reconnect with those around us,” he said. 

Co-valedictorian Anna E. Amato talked about finding inspiration in Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge. In 2019, Kipchoge set a record by running a marathon in under two hours, a feat most experts believed was decades away.

“He sent a message to each person on this planet: no human is limited,” she said. “Class of 2025, as we go out on our own, I urge you to remember Kipchoge’s words – each and every one of you has unlimited potential.”

“I believe that all of us did an amazing job,” said co-salutatorian Alexzander S. Stillwell. “This year, we went from tough moments, such as first presentations and much more, all the way to fun moments with friends. I believe everyone here is successful.”

Some graduates are heading for the military, while others are going directly into the workforce. The majority are heading to two- and four-year college programs, with Bruce announcing that the Class of 2025 has been awarded $1.69 million in scholarships.

Wherever they go, Superintendent Peter Gretz said, “I hope you will always remember that you have a giant, unstoppable, and unshakeable Fluco family here. We believe in you, and we are here for you.