By Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy mhgm@thecoastlandtimes.com
The William P. Dillon Memorial Gymnasium at Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies was jammed Saturday evening, June 7, 2025.
For the Class of 2025, some 527 chairs were set out and most all were filled with family, friends, community folks come to see graduates walk across the platform and receive diplomas. Late arriving folks stood for the 90-minute ceremony.
The graduation band under the direction of Sean McCroskey played “Pomp and Circumstance” the traditional processional music for 42 members of the school’s Class of 2025 to enter the venue.
A U.S. Coast Guard Color Guard presented the colors, Kristen Bennett led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance and the graduation band played the National Anthem with gusto. Then came the time for speeches.
At Cape Hatteras Secondary Commencement ceremonies, some speeches are delivered in English and Spanish.
Audrey Kramer and Jayde Hernandez Selvan delivered the welcome. Jonas Eatmon and Amy Briones Montiel introduced the guest speaker, high school teacher Jordan Tomberlin. Kevin Gonzalez-Caldera delivered his closing remarks in English and in Spanish.
Kirra Enseñat, the class valedictorian, and Colin Midgett, the salutatorian, delivered their speeches. Midgett’s was laced with some humor. Previously, both Enseñat and Midgett received Associate degrees from College of The Albemarle. Enseñat is headed for Western Carolina University for her post-secondary education. Midgett will attend North Carolina State University.
Cape Hatteras Secondary School Principal Beth Haneman-Rooks tapped Kaylee Sue Kathleen Mackenzie for the Class of 2025 Citizenship Award. Mackenzie was praised
the diploma table, Prin-
cipal Beth HanemanRooks handed diplomas to graduates of Cape Hatteras Secondary and Dare Learning Academy Principal L’Tanya Murray presented diplomas to four students.
Receiving diplomas from Principal Rooks were Teigan Keel Augustson, Kristin Alaina Bennett, Charlie Connor Brinson, Amy Selene Briones-Montiel, Ivonne Abigail Cirisa, Kayla Chrissy Cochran, Acelia Hope Davis, Jonas Allen Eatmon, Kirra Beth Enseñat, Elizabeth Ann Fairbanks, and Madison Elizabeth Fiscus, Caroline Grace Fuller, Kevin Gonzalez-Caldera,Thomas Joseph Gwin, Tommy Dwayne Harness, Jayde Nicole Hernandez Selvan, Jade Cecilia Hernandez-Sanchez, Lydia
Raine Hooper, McCoy Frederick James, Savannah Grace Johnson, and Audrey Lillian Kramer, Benjamin John Kulick, Kaylee Sue Kathleen Mackenzie, Ashlyn Jayne Midgett, Bryanna Sue Midgett, Colin Tracy Matthew Midgett, Savannah Belle Moore, Hailey Nicole Netherland, and Rylee Gail Oberbeck, Mia Palestina-Juarez, Catherine Reed Parker, Bryson James Hunter Petry, Emma Marie Riggs, Sachmo Donald Lee Straw, Shaytana Garcia Trejo, Briana Tyler Wess, White Gracie Elizabeth, Dawson Patrick Williams, Ainsley Aryn Wilson, and Tyler Lee Winslow.
Receiving diplomas from Principal Murray were Daylynn Marie Meekins, Sally Morgan Newton, Chandler Joel
Thomas and Ruby Elizabeth Whitehead.
Graduating but not attending the ceremony were Sachmo Donald Lee Straw and Gracie Elizabeth White.
As is tradition, Dare County Schools Superintendent Stephen G. Basnight III declared the class to be graduates of Cape Hatteras Secondary School, but not before suggesting the class stand to deliver applause
The Citizenship Award recipient for the Class of 2025 at Cape Hatteras Secondary School is Kaylee Sue Kathleen Mackenzie, who is standing with cousin Leo Jennette and his spouse Heather Jennette.
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Class of 2025
First Flight High School Class of 2025 celebrated at evening graduation ceremony
The graduation ceremony for First Flight High School’s Class of 2025 was held Friday evening, June 6 on the Warren C. Judge III Field on the grounds of the school in Kill Devil Hills. A livestream was available for those unable to attend the event in person. Members of the First Flight High School Class of 2025:
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Hanks
• Elias Hannon
• Vada-Lyn
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• Madelyn Hopkins
• Marley
• Dresden Jackson
• Suvellyn Jimenez
• Blake Johnson
• Cody Keller
• Peyton Kelly
• Jordan Kempton
• Andrew Kilburn
• Jack Kleinstuber
• Aaliyah Knieper
• Kai Lambroff
• Luke Lamoureaux
• Karleigh Lane
• Kainalu Langan
• Benjamin Lashley
• Giana Lawrence
• Jasmine Lewis
• Mer Lige
• Olivia Lilliston
• Kayden Lindsey
• Devyn Lister
• Martin Liu
• Mackenzie Liverman
• Catalina Lokie
• Anderson Long
• Reanna Louther
• Timothy MacBride
• Nevin Makohon
• Emerson Mann
• William Martello
• Kyle Martinez-Estanol
• Robert Matis
• Jacob May
• Mackenzie McAvoy
• Claire Meads
• Isaac Mejia
• Xavier Menendez-Lopez
• Vylette Mezzacca
• Amerie Mickens
• Liam Minnich
• Christina Moldovan
• Makia Moldovan
• Damien Moncrieff
• Stefani Monica-Vazquez
• Alayna Mooty
• Abigail Morales
• Betty Morales Bravo
• Rosa Moreno Elguera
• Ayden Morgan
• Joshua Mouser
• Lara Nadolny
Cosette Norris • Christian Novello
• BellaRose Novgrod
• Maddoc Nowell
• Zachary O’Neil
• Ella Ogburn
• Everest Ouellette
• David Alphonse Pangilinan
• Anthony Perez Gonzalez • Joshua Peters
• Aubrey Phanton
• Cameron Piland
• Aliyah Plona
• Jack Posko
• Adam Pritchard
• Christopher Ramirez Corona
• Jasper Reece
• Noah Respass
• Venice Sebastian Reyes
• Noah Reynolds
• Benjamin Rhodes
• Trace Riden
• Rebekah Newell • Wyatt Nolan
• Peyton Ritchie
Manteo High School celebrates 2025 graduates
Currituck County High School’s Class of 2025
Photos courtesy
Currituck County High School
Ocracoke School celebrates Class of 2025
Photos courtesy Ocracoke High School
Class of 2025
Columbia Early College High School celebrates Class of 2025
Columbia Early College High School honored the Class of 2025 with a graduation ceremony in Columbia. The dual enrollment program allows students to take college courses while in high school. Forty-nine students received high school diplomas, including 10 who also earned associate degrees or certificates through Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC).
Those 10 students participated in Beaufort CCC’s larger graduation ceremony on May 8 alongside other college graduates. In total, 37 members of the graduating class completed 893 college credit hours, saving an estimated $77,691 in tuition. Students who did not finish a degree may stay for a fifth year to complete it or transfer their credits to a university.
Graduates were recognized for a range of achievements. Reagan Atkinson, Jada Brickhouse, Sania Crandall, Jacob Davenport, Brody Fleming, Yulissa Ochoa-Gonzalez, Karen Santibanez-Castaneda, Alex Sevilla Raygoza, Kayla Spencer, and Aleigha Sykes earned associate degrees or certificates through Beaufort CCC. Brody Fleming received the Beatrice Calderon Citizenship Award. Ethan Basnight earned the President’s Award for Educational Achievement. Reagan Atkinson and Karen Santibanez-Castaneda received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence.
The class earned $207,199 in scholarships. Karen Santibanez-Castaneda, who graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA from Beaufort CCC, was named valedictorian. Yulissa Ochoa-Gonzalez was salutatorian. Nelson Smith delivered the commencement address, with additional remarks from Superintendent Dr. Michael Bracy. Students at Columbia ECHS can choose to complete a fifth year to earn free additional college credits. This year, nine students opted to return. While a traditional four-year track is available, most of the Class of 2025 graduated with at least some college credit. Beaufort CCC offers dual-enrollment opportunities through partnerships with Washington County Early College High School, Hyde Academy and Beaufort County Early College High School. Eligible students from all area high schools can take free college courses through Career and College Promise.
Members of the Columbia Early College High School Class of 2025:
• Jose Aguinaga Garcia
• Reagan Atkinson
• Ethan Basnight
• Jada Brickhouse
• Elijah Bryant
• Emily Chiprout-Cisneros
• Tory Combs
• Sania Crandell
• Emmanuel Cruz Reyes
• Daniel Cuevas Rodriguez
• Austin Davenport
• Jacob Davenport
• Tucker Davenport
• Brody Fleming
• Gustavo Gonzalez
• Yulissa Gonzalez-Ochoa
• Artemio Gutierrez Cruz
• Maggie Halperin
• Celia Harris
• Mason Hassell
• Kiara Horton
• Izayah Jackson
• Christopher Johnson
• Jacob King
• Jennifer Lara Hernandez
• Ke-Mora Leary
• Ariel Leigh
• Zakayiah Maldonado
• Andi Mora-Reyes
• Amy Nguyen
• Sophie Olecki
• Ja’Myra Overton
• Porsha Pinchback
• Keonte Respass
• Alexania Rivera-Toledo
• Ashanti Rodgers
• Sergio Rogers
• Jordan Rowe
• Melanie Sandoval Simental
• Karen Santibanez-Castaneda
• Hannah Sawyer
• Alex Sevilla Raygoza
• Kayla Spencer
• Ny’Javeus Spencer
• Shetana Spencer
• Aleigha Sykes
• Riely Taylor
• Christopher Toodle
• Brandon White
COURTESY TYRRELL COUNTY SCHOOLS
The Columbia Early College High School Class of 2025.
COURTESY BCCC
Shown, from left, are back: Brody Fleming, Jacob Davenport and Alex Sevilla Raygoza; center: Sania Crandell, Kayla Spencer, Reagan Atkinson and Karen Santibanez-Castaneda; and front: Yulissa Ochoa-Gonzalez, Aleigha Sykes and Jada Brickhouse.
COURTESY BCCC
Valedictorian Karen Santibanez-Castaneda with principal Brianna Williams.
COURTESY BCCC
Principal Briana Williams awards the Beatrice Calderon Citizenship Award to Brody Fleming.
COURTESY BCCC
Alex Sevilla Raygoza
COURTESY BCCC
Aleigha Sykes
COURTESY BCCC
Sania Crandell
COURTESY BCCC
Kayla Spencer
Class of 2025 celebrated at Mattamuskeet School
Mattamuskeet School’s Class of 2025 was celebrated at a graduation ceremony held Friday evening, May 30.
Members of the Mattamuskeet School Class of 2025:
• Lilith Hodges
• Niciara Washington
• Elijah Gibbs
• Brooke Williams
• Luis Capitanachi
• Tamia Keyes
• Diego Beltran Cuevas
• Bryson VanHorne
• Jaylin Buckingham
• Brayden Wayne
• Jahleya Gibbs
• Ke’erin Spencer
• Leslie Nucamendi-Mares
• Kensley Cox
• Jackson Gibbs
• Cheyenne Gibbs
• Taylor Calhoun
• Jonathan Peaden
• Colin Wagaman
• Tyrie Fonville
• Holden Williams
• Anthony DeCamp
• Jaila Williams
• Kara Williams
• Matthew Murphy
• Malik Scott
• Alexis Clark
Photos courtesy Mattamuskeet School
Wanchese Christian Academy celebrates 2025 graduate
Wanchese Christian Academy expressed congratulations to Joshua Pettit, the school’s 2025 valedictorian.
With a near-perfect academic status, Joshua Pettit’s future plans are to work with his parents’ water rentals for this summer but hopes to venture into electrical school, noted a WCA announcement. Recent career opportunities have enlightened him in the HVAC and electrical world. WCA noted that Pettit “has strong work ethics and is certain to do well!”
COURTESY WCA
Joshua Pettit
• Camren Sean McNab
• Waden Jace Midgett
• Zachary Daniel Midgett
• Madison Olivia Ann Moore
• Omar Morales Hernandez
• Kristopher Sterlin Morris
• Riyah Ritchie
• Herbert Robles
• Anahi Rojas-Castro
• Chloe Rose
• Sydney Ross
• Nicholas Rowell
• Channin Runkles
• Amanda Sanders
• Noah Saunders
• Michael Savage
• Noah Savage
• Macallister Sawyer
• O’Shea Sawyer
• Chelsea Sawyer
• Ariana Segoviano-Castro
• Mitchell Shackelford
• Christian Sheetz
• Landon Sherman
• Merrick Shumaker
• Vance Sillies
• Elijah Sills
• Miguel Silva Silva
• Desiree Soto
from 1B
to thank their families and friends and then taking a “selfie” with the class.
Good luck to the Cape Hatteras Secondary School Class of 2025. The commencement ceremony can be viewed at daretolearn.org/ news-and-events.
• Nicolas Gabriel Moyano
• Steven Anthony Munoz-Manueles
• Caleb Ayers Noone
• Braden Sheldon O’Neal
• George Davis
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• Nelson Steve Tello
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• Ashton Tyler Tinsley
• Cristian Jordy Tovar-Calderon
• Spencer Linwood Twiford
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• Caroline Anne Worthy Roughton
Marshals for the commencement ceremony at Cape Hatteras Secondary are, from left, Eliska Nuzzo, Porter Hall and Gabriella Baker. Chief Marshal Owen Austin was attending to duties.
MARY HELEN GOODLOE-MURPHY PHOTOS
Special handmade stoles for the Cape Hatteras Secondary commencement are worn by, from left, Jade Hernandez-Sanchez, Amy Selene Briones-Montiel and Shaytana Garcia Trejo. One stole has butterflies made from folded dollars and pesos; another has pinned flowers. Five students had decorated mortarboards.
