- July 15, 2025
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In a commencement address to the Out-of-Door Academy’s graduating class of 2025 on May 23, Head of School Debra Otey shared a metaphor about "taking the high road" that resonates beyond the graduation ceremony.
“Up until this point, most of you have had your road paved for you,” Otey said. “The trees have been cleared, and the brush has been pushed aside.”
Otey said the world needs the graduates’ gifts to be shared and they need to find a way to pave the road now in front of them. In order to do that, she told the graduates to know themselves and figure out what they need in their lives.
“The phrase now implies taking the best path, the path of respect, integrity and responsibility,” said Otey.
Port Charlotte’s Allison Rice, 18, graduated as valedictorian. Rice was involved in student council serving as director of communications and she also volunteered at All-Faiths Food Bank.
“If there's one thing ODA has taught us, it's that success isn't just measured by grades or college acceptances, but by the connections we've made, the friendships we've formed, and the resilience we have built,” she said.
On top of student council at volunteering, Rice is an equestrian who competes on the national level with her horse, Sam. Due to her busy schedule with competing, she said she would miss two days of school about every three weeks.
“High school isn't just about academics, it's about all the unforgettable moments that happen before and after class that make high school well, high school,” said Rice.
Rice said she has learned a lot about time management, determination and resilience. Rice plans on attending Cornell University and is currently going to be an economics major but is also open to pursuing another path.
Sarasota’s Josey Rubinstein graduated as co-salutatorian. Rubinstein said he will “miss walking on the campus and immediately being surrounded by a community that feels like family.”
He said he will also miss the philosophical and intellectual lunch table debates on topics such as whether or not 100 men could take on a gorilla, if water is wet and if a hot dog is a sandwich.
He has been honored as a USA Lacrosse All-American, a national honor recognizing high school lacrosse players who succeed on and off the field. He was also ODA’s male athlete of the year.
Rubinstein played soccer and lacrosse all four years of high school and added football for his senior year. He has served as captain for lacrosse since his sophomore year and captain of soccer senior year.
Rubinstein said he is inspired by his older brother 20-year-old Roscoe, who plays professional soccer for FC Naples.
“He's the hardest worker I know, he's always training, always working to get better,” said Rubinstein. “It just really inspires me to do better, because he really puts his all into what he loves.”
Rubinstein is headed to the University of Southern California to study AI for business.
Rubinstein said the most important thing he learned during his time at ODA and playing sports, was that failure is inevitable.
“It taught me to just keep going and keep pushing and if I do bad on something I will work harder and try to get it better,” said Rubinstein.
Lakewood Ranch resident Kaitlyn Roman,18, graduated as co-salutatorian alongside Rubinstein. Roman said it feels like she began her time at ODA a long time ago, but also feels like it was yesterday.
“Time is strange, our perception of it is dependent on where our focus is,” Roman said. “It slips by unnoticed when wasted, flies when we enjoy it and feels fleeting when it matters most.”
Roman said she was determined to do the best she could in school and was very happy when she found out she was co-salutatorian. Roman is headed to MIT and hopes to major in aerospace engineering and minor in economics. Her goal is to figure out ways to reduce costs for the aerospace industry.
Roman is the founder and served as president of the STEM Outreach Club, which made visits once a week to students at Gocio Elementary that speak primarily Spanish to “help them gain an interest in STEM that they might not have been able to have otherwise.”
Roman also has been heavily involved in orchestra, participating in various orchestras around the community at different levels. She has played the viola for eight years and has mentored younger musicians on technical skill and techniques.
Otey provided a lot of potential failures the graduates may face, including bombing a test or losing a friend or a first love. She said no matter what they face, it is up to them to take the high road and determine how they handle these situations.
“Graduates, I hope you never get behind the wheel again without thinking about the road you're on," Otey said. “You gotta build it.”
