Seniors sent off at inspiring commencement ceremony

And then, amid green confetti and a shower of blue and green balloons, the Class of 2025 jubilantly departed campus as RE alumni – a new role that ensures they remain a part of RE forever.

“This place is more than a school, it’s a community,” said board chair Miguel Duenas ’90, who attended RE with his twin brother and both met their spouses at RE. “One that spans a lifetime, and across generations. Today, students, as you prepare to leave it behind, you join it in a new way: as alumni. That identity and all the wonderful memories you formed here will stay with you, long after your last class, your last assignment, or your last grade. You will cherish these memories and the friends that you have made here for the rest of your life.”

The commencement speaker Lord – who along with professional partner Chris Miller is the creative genius behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Lego Movie and the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – entertained seniors with a speech that veered from hilarious to deeply thoughtful. The end goal: to help them believe they could accomplish anything. “Your job now is to go forth and make your way with the same love and care with which you were raised and fed and educated and coached,” he said. “Don’t waste any more energy worrying if you have what it takes. You do. Don’t waste energy looking up to people like me like we have some kind of secret. We don’t.”

Co-winner of the Founders’ Award for Distinguished Service to the Community Annie Lord ’97 admonished seniors to consider career paths in public service or, as she described it, as “goodness entrepreneurs.” She shared this year’s award with Roxi Vadia Morgenstern ’75, who was honored in April at the upper school awards ceremony. Lord, executive director at Miami Homes For All, works to ensure that all Miami-Dade residents have a safe, affordable place to call home. Chief Operating Officer David Clark ’86 lauded her work advocating for policies and providing programs that increase the amount of affordable housing and Miami residents’ access to it. 

Gedde talked about how he worried about what to say to his peers in his address, and finally settled on living in the present and appreciating every last moment together. 

“This one room holds nearly everyone who has supported us, cared about us, and who we’ve cared about, over the past four years,” Gedde said. “This moment might be the last time we’re all together like this … At its core, that’s what I think commencement is really about: pausing to savor this one, final moment of being Ransom Everglades high schoolers before everything changes. If we blink, we might miss it.”

Gedde received not only the valedictory cup, but also the Paul C. Ransom Founder’s Cup. The Marie B. Swenson Founder’s Cup was presented to salutatorian Sirja Joeveer '25, who made her address to the class during the May 18 Senior Send-off. (Find the salutatory address here.) Head of School Rachel Rodriguez presented the Faculty Cups to Rebecca Paresky ’25 and Alexander Sargi ’25 and the Head of School’s Cup to Mia Bouyoucef ’25. 

The ceremony featured music from the 2025 Ransom Everglades Commencement Symphony Orchestra under Jon Hamm, and by the RE Vocal Ensemble and RE Jazz Singers. Bella Sayfie Ranawat ’26 performed the National Anthem. Trustee emeritus Andy Ansin ’81 presented a diploma to his daughter Sophie Ansin ’25.

Head of School Rachel Rodriguez reminded seniors of the specialness of the day, and their class, and she urged them to be confident, bold, courageous and kind. She shared that RE’s 160 seniors were heading to 67 colleges around the nation and world after receiving offers of admission from 196 colleges and universities across six countries, 35 states and Washington, D.C. She noted that 41 seniors are the second child in their families to attend RE; eight are the third; and two are the fourth.

“Look around, take a deep breath, because this day is your day – both as a group, and individually,” Rodriguez said. “We believe in you and believe in you completely. You’ve got this. We believe in your strength, your potential and your heart, because we’ve seen it.”