The 2025 Riverside graduation ceremony, which took place on Friday, May 16, celebrated a class that had been through some tough times yet have embraced courage, preparing them for the road ahead.
“This class is full of heart, full of potential, and full of kindness with a splash of orneriness,” Kelly Kauffman, high school principal, said. “I see a lot of good human beings and that makes us proud.”
The school had a unique uncertainty up until a few days ago in deciding which top student would be named salutatorian and which would be valedictorian. According to Kauffman, it was the closest margin she’d ever seen. But a choice was finally made and the two friends—who share the same name with different spellings—each had a chance to encourage her classmates.
Salutatorian Jaidyn Jackson started by saying the one thing she’s learned about their class was that “we never back down,” adding she’s admired her fellow students for their courage and sense of community
.
“From here we set out on our own paths, ready to leave our mark on the world,” Jackson said. She emphasized the quote: “A fish can only grow as big as its tank” and encouraged her classmates to have big dreams and chase them.
“The only one who can limit your achievements,” Jackson concluded, “is you.”
Jayden Hoffer, valedictorian, described the class’s attitude of helpfulness as their “greatest gift of all.
“[It] wasn’t something we did for recognition, but a part of who we are,” Hoffer stated.
Riverside’s graduates have been offered scholarships and awards coming to $4,889,971, which includes a $100 gift to each graduate thanks to the fundraising efforts of Scherer Premier.
Danielle Turner and Lindsay Wyan served as class advisors, and the class chose a Mac Miller
quote to represent them: “People change and things go wrong, but just remember, life goes on.”
