Portland High School, one of the oldest operating public high schools in the United States, held its 204th graduation exercises on Wednesday, June 4, at Merrill Auditorium. The late morning ceremony included remarks by Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Portland High Principal Sheila Jepson, speeches and musical performances by students and the presentation of awards and diplomas. 

In his address, Scallon told the 240 members of the Class of 2025 that their accomplishments were impressive. He cited the following highlights:

●      Four graduates named as Finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program, which honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for college success and one student becoming a National Merit Scholar, winning a National Merit Scholarship.

●      Thirty-two students earned college credits while in high school, with one class member taking a total of seven college classes.

●      Twenty students graduating with STEM diploma endorsements recognizing their extensive work in the vital career fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

●      Thirty-six students earned the Seal of Biliteracy, showing their competence in English and at least one other language. The seal recognizes students the bilingual or multilingual competency of students as a “superpower” that can benefit them in college, career and life.

●      Helping the football team win the 2024 Class A Championship – the Bulldogs’ first state title in 22 years.

●      Playing an integral role in the success of the RamDogs, the Deering/Portland girls swim team, which captured that team’s second Class A championship in a row.

●      Four Class of 2025 members selected to perform in the All State Music Festival, and talented artists whose artwork was selected to be in a Portland Museum of Art exhibit during Youth Art Month in March.

●      Contributing to the community in a variety of ways, including by teaching swim lessons at the Boys and Girls Club and teaching kids and young adults with disabilities how to surf.

●      Being accepted into highly competitive colleges and universities all across the country and in Maine, including Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Emory, Bowdoin, Colby, Tufts, Northeastern, the University of Southern Maine, the University of Maine and Southern Maine Community College.

●      Earning $450,000 in scholarships from donors to Portland High School and more than $3.5 million in scholarships and grants to help them attend college.

Scallon concluded: “Whatever your next step is, I urge you to carry with you a simple yet powerful message: Do good in the world. Whatever that looks like for you, whatever your interests are, find ways to contribute positively. Be kind. Be empathetic. Be courageous. And in a world that’s becoming more controversial, use your voice for good.”

Principal Sheila Jepson said that while not everyone in the class won an award, “every member of this class has contributed to the culture of this community…You have made a difference.”

She also noted that the Class of 2025 stood out in having ​​one set of triplets and five sets of twins. In fact, both the class’s valedictorian and the salutatorian are twins, though not twins of each other.

In his remarks, valedictorian Charles Jacques teared up as he thanked his twin and fellow graduate, Samuel Jacques, and his parents for their support.

He also recalled how, as an eighth-grader, Portland High School wasn’t his first choice of Portland’s three high schools. He had applied to attend Casco Bay High School but wasn’t chosen in the lottery to attend that smaller school. Now, however, Jacques said that he realizes that attending Portland High School was “the best thing that ever happened to me” because of the positive experiences he had there. “Nothing makes me prouder than to call myself a Portland Bulldog,” he said.

He told his fellow graduates that life will not always go their way, but he encouraged them to “face hardships with perseverance and an open mind.”  He concluded, “Class of 2025, let’s make the best of whatever life throws at us!”

Salutatorian Madeline Butters urged the Class of 2025 to remember that greatness doesn’t have to mean big accomplishments. “It’s OK if you make a big impact on a few people,” she said. “Some days greatness will just look like picking yourself up off the ground and taking time to celebrate small victories. Do your best to be a great person.”

At the ceremony, Jepson also announced the winners of the prestigious Brown Memorial Medal, which is unique to Portland High School. The silver medal was established in the 1864 will of Portland businessman J.B. Brown to honor his son. The award goes to students who are the top 10 academically in their class. This year’s Brown Medal awardees are: Charles Jacques; Madeline Butters; Alexander Price; Andrea Lancia; William Guerin; Ronan Mas; Cedar Levin; Charlotte McDonald; Scarlettt Rocque; and Kaia West.

WATCH THE CEREMONY.

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with nearly 6,500 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken—a total of 59 languages. Approximately 47 percent of the district’s students are white and 53 percent are students of color. More than half of all PPS students are economically disadvantaged.