Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School celebrates 2025 graduates

Juan Muñoz came to Sarasota from Seattle two years ago and calls his time at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School the "greatest experience I've ever had."

"The best decision we've ever made is coming here," he said. "At Mooney, we had our highs and lows, but overall, it's been such a great experience, meeting so many people."

As over 200 students departed the graduation ceremony at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on May 23, Muñoz celebrated with his best friend, Keaton White.

"I'm going to miss him so much, but I'm looking forward to the next chapter," Muñoz said. 

During the ceremony, speakers discussed the character students had built throughout high school. Salutatorian Sy'monique Simon called herself "a competitor now and forever."

"This class has embodied that spirit, whether athletics, academics, the arts, we've stretched ourselves, challenged one another, and raised the bar," she said. "As we move into the next chapter, competing for internships, leadership roles and careers, let us do so with courage and character, knowing we are created by God to rise to these moments and succeed."

Valedictorian Porter Strand reflected on the challenges of recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the successive hurricanes.

He honored the memory of classmate Aidan McDonald, who died in 2024.

"Through that experience, we learned the importance of mental health," he said. "We learned how to be there even when we might not have the right words, and how to carry someone's memory with us. That kind of growth can't be taught in a textbook. It's something we learned from living through it, and that perspective will stay with us far beyond graduation."