Charter’s Class of 2025 came together in celebration of their four years of golden achievements. With over 100 selected senior leaders awarded and an outstanding amount of talent in different areas of their high school career, this evening was dedicated to this year’s graduating class.
The ceremony opened with Charter’s very own newspaper video coverage in celebration of PPCHS’s 25th anniversary along with a band performance. On the stage came senior class president Ava Mendez to host the event and welcome her fellow classmates into a night of honorary achievements.
To begin with the awards, scholarships ranging from service to art were presented by teachers, city commissioners, sororities, and outside organizations. New scholarships were presented this year such as the new Water Polo scholarship and a special scholarship presented to the engineering robotics team who are #1 in the state. Loud bursts of cheers and applause rang throughout the auditorium with the presentation of each one.
One that resonates close to the Charter family is the Lorraine Vazquez Arts Scholarship awarded to senior Sophia Assis. After years in the Charter family, Mrs. Vazquez’s legacy continues to live forward through the students and families she has inspired. Assis was one of those students who was thoroughly impacted by Mrs.Vazquez as she recalls, “My first day of freshman year, when I walked into 2D Studio Art 2, I didn’t know what to expect. I still remember Mrs. V’s warm smile at the door greeting me as I entered what would become my refuge for the next three years.”
Next came the department heads who awarded one student for each subject including electives, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies who did an outstanding job throughout their high school career. A short speech about each student was shared before announcing their name and presenting them with a certificate.
The annual Jaguar Resilience Award presented by Dion Philips and the Jaguar Perseverance Award presented by Dana Ostendorf were displayed on screen and followed by the supportive cheers of the crowd below.
In a class of over 400 students only 23 would make the top 5% and receive the title of Summa Cum Laude. One by one they were called up to the stage to receive their medallion. After four years of sacrifice and endless hours studying in preparation for their classes, they were recognized for their academic excellence.
Senior and Summa Cum Laude recipient Hannah Flores shares that after all the years of hardwork and dedication she feels, “honored to be alongside some of the people who have really motivated and inspired over the past four years!” Feeling prideful of the effort her friends and peers poured into their academics.
Principal Peter Bayer walked on stage to present the final Jaguar Pride award for two selected students who went through the application process. Holding breaths and clasping hands together, the screen revealed the two seniors Anabella Acevedo and Aarohi Bali who would officially hold the title of the 2025 Jaguar Pride winners and have the honor of presenting a speech at graduation.
“It was so surreal to see my name on the screen for Jaguar Pride while Mr. Bayer was announcing me. I was so grateful and excited, and it honestly took me a second to process what was happening. I am so honored to receive such a meaningful opportunity of representing my class,” exclaims winner Aarohi Bali.
Once the ceremony concluded with Mr. Bayer’s final remarks, students, families, and administrators made their way to the office’s prideful doors that opened widely to the public. Walking inside, the plaques of the two Jaguar Pride students hung proudly on the wall along with the 23 students who made Summa Cum Laude. On the preservenace wall hung the plaque of this year’s recipient and on the outstanding senior leaders wall hung the faces of the five selected senior leaders.
“Being able to host the senior leader awards was a very bittersweet and surreal feeling. It made me so emotional seeing everyone’s hard work finally paying off and it was truly such an honor being given the role of hosting such an important event for all of these seniors and families,” Mendez wholeheartedly shares.
As the evening came to a close, bright smiles and warm embraces were shared between families, students, and staff marking a closing to what was an inspiring four years at the Pembroke Pines Charter High School. As the class of 2025 prepares to walk the stage at graduation, they move forward knowing Charter prepared them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
