‘We made history’: Lorain High Class of 2025 reflects on struggle, service and success

There is resilience, and then there are Lorain Titans.

If you tell them there is something they cannot do, watch them stand defiantly in your face. 

Watch them practice for weeks to gather the strength to rise from their wheelchair and stand before a crowd of thousands to accept their high school diploma, on their own two feet. 

Jaycob Martinez is that Titan, and Tuesday night was his moment. 

With cheers ringing out — and safety officer Jacob Quiones and personal attendant Serena Rodriguez on standby, Jaycob turned this year’s graduation ceremony into a moment of pride. In a wheelchair since a stroke at just 12, Jaycob left Lorain High School on his own terms. 

Like a Titan.

And he was not alone. 

The Lorain High School Class of 2025 — 417 strong — walked across the stage Tuesday night at George Daniel Field not just as graduates, but as storytellers, each one carrying a chapter of hardship, growth and triumph that led to this moment.

Principal Melissa Cheers called them a “positive force” — an example for those coming behind them.

In a ceremony filled with gratitude and grace, Lorain High honored the strength of its seniors and the village that helped raise them. 

An estimated 6,500 people packed the stadium — filling home, away and band bleachers with no room to spare, while families lined the gates hoping to catch even a glimpse of their loved one. The atmosphere felt electric, as if the power of the entire community had gathered to celebrate the new graduates.

Among those crossing the stage were 11 students earning an honors diploma, nine students who had earned the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy, and 25 students who had completed an associate’s degree before receiving their high school diploma.

Graduate Liz Alvarez opened the ceremony by welcoming families and staff in both English and Spanish — a reflection of the rich diversity that defines the Lorain community.

But the true power of the evening came from the voices of the graduates themselves.

Valedictorian Cadee Lee opened her speech with honesty and heart, acknowledging the quiet weight that many Titans carry: the pressure to succeed, not just for themselves, but for everyone who calls Lorain home.

“We carry a responsibility to those who have worked tirelessly to support us and provide us with the opportunities they themselves have not had,” she said.

Lee’s message was a call to vulnerability — a reminder that strength is not just in how much you hold, but in your willingness to reach out.

“Fighting your battles in the dark doesn’t mean you’re not struggling,” she said. “...But that’s exactly the reason why you should lean on the people who love you. Because life can be heavy, and you were never meant to carry it alone.”

Her final plea to her fellow graduates was simple, especially when ‘adulting’ is anything but.

“When you need them, the right people will be there,” she said. “All it takes is the courage to reach out and make the call.” 

Salutatorian Niko Holmes added his own layer to the Class of 2025’s parting narrative — one that reached back to freshman year, when this class became the first to complete all four years of high school in person after the pandemic.

“Some of us were just getting used to in-person learning again,” he said. “That transition was nerve-wracking for many of us... but we made history.”

Holmes spoke about the beauty of growing up at Lorain High School, in small, ordinary moments — playing cards with friends, building trust with teachers, learning when to dial back and lead with maturity. His message was clear: the wins celebrated on graduation day were built on a million quiet, courageous choices.

“Trust me, the things we accomplished here won’t compare to what we do in the years ahead,” he said. “That doesn’t mean all we’ve done here doesn’t matter; it just means that we will achieve more beyond what we have already done.”

National Honor Society Vice President Penelope Wallace delivered a powerful reflection on what it means to serve — not through titles or events, but in the way students have cared for each other.

“Real service isn’t always visible,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s the small things…That’s leadership. That is strength.”

Wallace reminded her classmates that while outsiders may misunderstand Lorain, its true character shines through in its people, in their grit, kindness, and love for one another.

“We won’t regret the times we showed kindness,” she said. “We’ll only regret the times we stayed quiet or held back when we could’ve helped.”

As this year’s graduates turned their tassels and hugged loved ones, the final notes of the ceremony echoed the themes of every speech: struggle is a part of life, but there is also joy — and always, the call to serve.

“Let your legacy be how you served,” Wallace said. “Not how perfect your grades were. But how you showed up for people… Class of 2025, this is just the beginning. The world needs your ideas, your passion, but most of all, it needs your heart.”