With cheers echoing through the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center, the Academy of the Canyons Class of 2025 took the stage not just to receive diplomas, but to celebrate the courage it took to get there.

The indoor Academy of the Canyons (AOC) graduation ceremony was filled with emotion, inspiration, and a sense of reflection, especially during two powerful speeches from student speakers Noemi Rozbruch and Jeremy Lopez.

Academy of the Canyons (AOC) graduation ceremony (Sophia Lesseos KHTS)

Rozbruch opened with a personal story about discovering an old, dusty candle tucked away in her room, an object she used as a metaphor for hidden potential and missed opportunities.

“For most of the time throughout high school, I played the role of the unlit candle who let fear get the best of me,” Rozbruch said. “But as I stand here today… I discovered that being unseen didn’t protect me. It only left me wondering, ‘What if?’”

She encouraged her classmates to take chances, speak up, and step confidently into the unknown. 

“Every single one of us in this audience has a light to shine, something unique to share with the world,” Rozbruch added during her graduation speech. “Don’t be afraid of tomorrow’s sun.”

Lopez followed with an equally reflective message focused on overcoming the fear of failure. He shared his own experience grappling with academic struggles and the realization that mistakes aren’t the end of the world.

“Life doesn’t end after we fail,” Lopez said. “We are all the wardens of our prisons, and we can set ourselves free.”

He urged his fellow graduates to stop letting fear dictate their paths and instead use setbacks as stepping stones toward growth. “May we all indulge in that feeling [of failure] and use it to make ourselves better,” he said.

Following the student speeches, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Cherise Gerber and William S. Hart Union High School District Board Member Dr. Aakash Ahuja took the stage to officially certify the Class of 2025 had met all graduation requirements. With that, the graduates were formally awarded their diplomas.

Academy of the Canyons (AOC) graduation ceremony (Sophia Lesseos KHTS)

ASB President Tristan Bartholomew Simincioni and Vice President James Chen then read the names of each graduating senior as the audience erupted in cheers and applause.

From reflections on fear to declarations of resilience, the evening captured more than just academic success, it honored a class ready to carry their light into the world, unafraid of challenge and fueled by possibility.

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