Throughout every graduating class there are students who have shown great dedication and perseverance to their academics. Two students often stand out among their classmates: the valedictorian and salutatorian. As graduation comes closer it’s time to recognize the speakers for the Class of 2025.
Valedictorian: Kobe Solano
Student athlete Leonides Kobe Solano has been named valedictorian for the Class of 2025. Balancing a 4.7 GPA with soccer, Solano not only excelled on the field, but also in his academics.
“Something most people probably don’t know is that I didn’t know I was actually eligible to become valedictorian until my senior year,” Solano stated when asked about his journey.
He made sure not to drain himself and balance his personal life and school life throughout his time in high school. Solano’s motivation to strive to the top was his parents and how important his education was to them.
A teacher who made a big influence for him is Mrs. Souza, science along with math being the class to impact him the most. The most challenging part of his journey was showing up even when he didn’t want to. When asked about why this title means a lot to him, Solano shared, “It means a lot to me because I know my parents really care about my education and have sacrificed so much along the way, allowing me to be who I am today.”
His favorite high school memory was playing soccer all four years and prom. To celebrate his accomplishment he went out to dinner with his family and girlfriend. He plans on attending University of California, Merced to pursue an education in civil engineering.
Salutatorian: Austin Toscano
Earning the second-highest academic rank in the class, Austin Toscano is this year’s salutatorian. While excelling in band, Austin maintained a GPA of 4.5.
“Most people don’t realize how much time and dedication it took to achieve salutatorian. Many people think I’m just smart, but they haven’t seen the countless late nights I’ve spent doing assignments to keep my grades up,” Toscano revealed when asked about his journey of becoming salutatorian.
Toscano stayed focused and on top of his school work. He took advantage of time like Pride Time and lunch to be on top of assignments, leaving him time to relax at home. Another method he used was completing assignments well before due dates, preventing assignments and stress from piling up. Toscano’s parents were a huge source of motivation for him; they knew his potential and pushed him to be his best throughout his life.
Mrs. Cavazos and music had a huge impact on Toscano, with music being one of his biggest hobbies. He also credited Mr. Stepro for pushing him to excel in math, which he developed an interest in. This interest helped shape his career goals. A challenge he faced was balancing school and extracurriculars with family life at home.
When stress caught up and Toscano thought of giving up, he reminded himself stress is temporary and consistency will pay off. Being salutatorian is important to him because it’s a reminder of all the work he put in that paid off.
“Being salutatorian is a reminder that all my hard work paid off in the end, but the title doesn’t define who I am. Even if I wasn’t salutatorian, I’d still be proud because I know I pushed myself,” said Toscano.
A favorite memory of his in high school was hanging out after Saturday practices with his drumline friends. Toscano celebrated by sharing news with family and friends immediately. Starting this fall, he’ll be attending UC San Diego where he plans to get a bachelor’s degree in structural engineering and possibly a minor in music.
As the graduating class prepares for the next chapter of their lives, Kobe Solano and Austin Toscano serve as examples of students who strive for excellence.
Congratulations to these two students and the Class of 2025!
