LYNN — Early Saturday morning, families, friends, staff, and community members came together to celebrate the graduation of 125 students at KIPP Academy’s commencement ceremony.
The Valedictorian Address was given by Arianna Stanford. In her speech, Arianna looked back on the graduating class’s journey, emphasizing the harsh realities of high school life and how it brought them together and created a stronger feeling of community.
“When I first imagined this day, I thought I’d be standing here talking about dreams, achievements, maybe throwing in a few cheesy quotes. But as I stand here now, I don’t want to tell you what we already know—that we’ve made it, that we should be proud. We know that,” she said.
Stanford continued, “High school wasn’t always locker smiles and Friday night lights. There were days that felt impossible. Days where the weight of grades, family expectations, heartbreak, loneliness, and just…life, sat so heavily on our shoulders we wondered how we were still standing. We saw classmates fight battles we never fully understood. We lost people — to distance, to time, to pain. Some of us came here with wounds that school couldn’t fix. Some of us left and came back changed. And some of us barely made it here today, but still did — and that matters more than any GPA.
“And through that, we learned what kind of people we want to be. We learned to look out for the quiet kid, to say ‘Hi’ even when it felt awkward, to speak up when something felt wrong. We learned that empathy is a kind of intelligence, too. And maybe the most important one. So today, as we throw our caps into the sky, let’s not forget the weight that kept us grounded — the real things we faced, the tears behind the smiles, the times we almost gave up. That’s what makes this moment so powerful.”
Stanford finished by saying, “We didn’t just get through high school. We grew through high school. Together.”
Principal Shauna-Kaye Clark said that the class of 2025 had established a high bar for future classes.
“Today is a celebration. A celebration of accomplishments, of growth, of resilience, and of a journey well-traveled. And standing before you today, I can say without hesitation: this is one of the strongest graduating classes we have ever had the privilege to mentor,” Clark said. “Class of 2025, you have demonstrated a kind of strength that goes far beyond academics—though your academic performance has been nothing short of exceptional. You’ve challenged yourselves with your coursework, pushed the limits of your potential, and risen to meet high expectations.”
Clark concluded her speech by emphasizing the potential this class has in the future, “As you step into the next chapter of your lives—college, careers, or service—I want you to remember what you’re capable of. You’ve already proven your strength. You’ve already shown your commitment. And the progress you’ve made is just the beginning. On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, I offer you our heartfelt congratulations. We are so proud of you. We believe in you. And we can’t wait to see what you will accomplish next.”
Clack said the class of 2025 has been acknowledged as an incredibly successful academic batch of students, as evident by it’s class average GPA of just over 3.4.
She said that many students were accepted to universities including Duke University, Boston University, Northeastern University, and the University of Richmond.
