Salutatorian Brenna Clark

On the evening of May 31, 2025, the familiar walls of Bob Burton Gymnasium in Paden City echoed with pride, laughter, and a few bittersweet tears as the 74th and final commencement ceremony for the school unfolded.

The bleachers were filled with proud parents, doting grandparents, and lifelong friends who had come to witness a milestone, not just for the 31 graduating seniors, but for the school itself.

As the familiar notes of Pomp and Circumstance swelled through the air, the seniors made their entrance, each stepped down the aisle a symbol of years of hard work and growth. They wore their caps and gowns like armor, faces alight with anticipation and nerves.

Jordyn Rose, one of the shining stars of the class, stepped forward to lead the packed gym in the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment that brought everyone to their feet in unity. McKenzie Simpkins followed with a heartfelt welcome, addressing the sea of familiar faces with warmth and gratitude.

Next, Jordan returned to the microphone to present the class history, recounting memorable moments, challenges, and triumphs that defined the Class of 2025. The audience chuckled, nodded, and at times wiped away tears, recognizing the journey these young adults had traveled.

Salutatorian Brenna Clark delivered an address filled with sincerity and reflection, reminding her classmates of the strength they had gained from both adversity and friendship. Then came Valedictorian Riley Blake, whose speech blended humor with hope, offering a vision for the future that stirred something powerful in everyone listening.

The ceremony reached its emotional peak as the seniors were called, one by one, to receive their diplomas, a moment made more significant by the knowledge that this would be the final time diplomas would be awarded under the name Paden City High School. History was not just remembered that night; it was made.

As the ceremony drew to a close, the students stood as one. In a moment steeped in tradition, they turned their tassels, symbolizing the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Then, with a jubilant shout, they flung their caps into the air. The gym filled with applause as the Alma Mater played, voices rising in a final tribute to a place that had shaped so many lives.

And just like that, a legacy was sealed, not only of a graduating class but of a school whose spirit would carry on in every one of them.