As she heard her name called over the speakers at LECOM Park on May 13, Lakewood Ranch High's Olivia Spiegel walked toward the stage to receive her diploma.
Spiegel, Lakewood Ranch High School’s 2025 valedictorian, described graduating as bittersweet, and said she would not "trade her high school experience for the world." She is excited for her next chapter at Georgia Institute of Technology.
“I learned how to work hard and play hard,” Spiegel said of her time in high school. “I had a great balance of balancing varsity sports, my academics, and also making sure I had time to hang out with my friends and savor the moments with my family.”
Spiegel was involved in track, cross country and soccer during her high school years. In her speech at the commencement ceremony, she compared the journey of graduation to a race. Spiegel said the journey isn’t just for the graduates, but for the people on the sideline who never stopped believing in them.
“We reach the finish, our bodies giving out as we step over the line, collapsing on the ground, gasping for air and chugging down bits of water with grass and dirt in it,” Spiegel said. “We are overcome with a significant sense of accomplishment.”
Commencement speaker Nadia Gandi makes her way to receive her diploma while waving to the crowd.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Carmine Nickens and Ledger Newton wait for the commencement ceremony to begin.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Valedictorian Olivia Spiegel walks to give her speech at the commencement ceremony. She plans to attend Georgia Institute of Technology.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Marco Ulstad is all smiles when his name is called to receive his diploma.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Lakewood Ranch High graduate Vicente Rivera, along with his father Humberto Rivera and mother Natalia Rivera, are excited and eager for Vicente to attend the United States Naval Academy after graduation.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Wayne Boatwright scans the crowd before dancing his way to receive his diploma.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Michael Wood, a Lakewood Ranch High School English teacher, gives words of advice to Katelyn Riley. "I'm going to cry," said Riley.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Andrew Pintacuda graduates in the top 10% with a ranking of 38. He was a duel enrollment student and will play soccer at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Kendall Huerta is in the top 10% of the graduating seniors which is symbolized by the silver robe. Her ranking is 44th.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Daytona Clifton blows kisses and dances as she heads to receive her diploma.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Cullen Hall McRae II, a member of SGA (LRHS Student Government) is all smiles as his name is called to receive his diploma.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Victor Hugo Madalena receives a handshake as he receives his diploma. Madalena grew up in Brazil and came to Lakewood Ranch High as a freshman not knowing any English and now speaks it fluently.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Alexis Eickelmann and Averyy Batey pose for a photo together after receiving their diplomas.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Carmen Purpus, who teaches AP Psych and AP World, poses with Juliet Testa after the commencement ceremony.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School board member Richard Tatem congratulates LRHS graduate Vicente Rivera who will attend the United States Naval Academy.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Graduating seniors Kyle Gagnon, Kaden McCoy and Logan Calkins take a selfie at LECOM Park after the commencement ceremony.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Eduardo Zoppe receives his diploma at the commencement ceremony. Zoppe teaches a stage technology class at Ovation School of Musical Theatre.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Avelina Besse, a teacher's aide at LRHS, and Victor Hugo Madalena pose together before the commencement ceremony. Madalena can speak Portugese, English, Italian and Spanish.
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.
