SOLON, Ohio — Solon High School honored the 372 members of its Class of 2025 with a commencement ceremony May 22 at the State Theatre at Playhouse Square, celebrating both their resilience and accomplishments.
The day began with graduates riding school buses downtown for a rehearsal on the State Theatre stage. Afterward, they returned to the high school for one final lunch together.
Although rainy weather forced the cancellation of a planned outdoor pizza picnic, students gathered in the school’s pool lobby to socialize and enjoy their last meal as a class.
With commencement taking place at Playhouse Square, many students and families took advantage of the iconic marquee and ornate theater backdrop for photos.
Diplomas were conferred by Solon Board of Education President Julie Glavin. Student Council Co-Presidents Luke Kim and Alexis Choi read the class roll.
Instead of naming a valedictorian speaker, Solon High School invites all graduating seniors to audition for the honor of speaking at commencement.
This year, two students — Mandi Lu and Meenakshi “Meena” Puram — were selected to share their reflections.
Mandi‘s address centered on a metaphor comparing the graduates to cicadas, inspired by a third-grade memory of a classroom adopting a cicada named Sid during a previous emergence.
She reflected on how the Class of 2025 emerged from the challenges of COVID-19 — including remote learning and social distancing — to become award-winning students, athletes and artists.
Mandi described how the class evolved over time, drawing parallels to the cicada life cycle.
She highlighted shared experiences and milestones, from childhood music classes to championship seasons, and thanked Solon’s teachers and families for their support.
“We will walk down new roads carrying invaluable friendships, the boldness to chase ambitions, embrace change and remain persistently authentic,” she said.
Meena used superhero metaphors to describe the class’ journey, referencing Superman’s Cleveland origins and comparing students’ growth to classic comic book arcs.
She highlighted the importance of mentors — likening teachers to Alfred, club advisers to Tony Stark and coaches to Nightwing — and described the school as an ideal training ground.
She emphasized her classmates’ commitment to service, including volunteering, fundraising and tutoring, and concluded by encouraging them to carry that spirit forward.
“We’re not just stepping into the future. We’re stepping into a world that needs our fire, our courage and our heart,” Meena said.
Solon High School Principal Erin Short delivered remarks that blended reflection with forward-looking advice.
She described commencement as both a celebration and a new beginning, and urged graduates to define success not by titles or wealth, but by how they treat others.
“Share your kindness and good fortune with those less fortunate than you,” she said. “Focus on the impact you have on others.
“Successful relationships have nothing to do with your title, what you do for a living or how much money you make.
“If you show up for those you love, you will be remembered for how you made people feel, how you enriched their lives, and you will never go wrong.”
She encouraged students to live with courage, empathy and authenticity, and closed with a reminder that the next chapter of their lives is just beginning.
The Class of 2025 adopted a lyric from Natasha Bedingfield as their motto: “Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.”
Academic and extracurricular excellence
The graduating class included 27 National Merit Finalists, 28 Commended Scholars and 19 recipients of National Recognition Awards, with 72 students honored in total by the National Merit Scholarship Program, according to Solon Schools communication director Tamara Strom.
Ten students were named U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates, including two semifinalists.
Nearly 80 percent of the class earned Honor or Merit Roll status in their senior year, and more than half received Honors Diplomas.
Solon High School was ranked the No. 1 high school in Northeast Ohio by U.S. News & World Report. The district also received national recognition for its teaching staff and music education programs, Strom said.
Seven academic teams qualified for national tournaments, including Academic Challenge, Chess, Future Problem Solvers, Future Business Leaders of America, HOSA, Science Olympiad and Speech and Debate.
State runner-up finishes were earned by the Chess, Science Olympiad and Dance teams.
Solon students also took home state titles in individual events across speech and debate, business and problem-solving competitions.
Solon’s student news site, the Courier, received First Class Honors from the Ohio Scholastic Media Association.
The Drama Club earned five Dazzle nominations for Shakespeare productions, and Music in Motion won Grand Champion honors at every competition.
Student artists also received state and national accolades.
In athletics, Strom said the school celebrated four league championship teams: girls’ tennis, boys’ swimming and diving, boys’ track and girls’ track.
Three district titles were earned in girls soccer, boys soccer and girls cross-country.
Multiple students advanced to state-level competition, and four athletes received Division I or II college scholarships.
Throughout the year, students raised thousands of dollars for charity and volunteered many hours in the community, leaving behind a legacy of both excellence and compassion, Strom said.
Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.
