As the class of 2025 nears the end of high school and works to forge the futures they desire, two Esquimalt High School graduates have been elected to the highest honour among their graduating class.
On Monday, June 2, EHS grads Sasha Zandieh and Napier Levins, elected by friends and fellow students, will take the stage in front of a crowd of their peers to deliver their valedictorian speeches.
"I think that at a surface level it might just seem like you do that speech at the grad ceremony, but I think it's really just getting to know the whole grad class and making sure that you include everybody," said Zandieh.
On June 27, the second semester of the 2024/25 school year will come to an end, and the two students, along with their fellow grads, will step out into the world and determine what next steps they will take. Next year, both will be attending the University of Victoria, with Zandieh taking a kinesiology program, and Leven enroling in psychology.
"I'm really excited to figure out the type of person that I'm going to be, and I'm excited for the freedom that that brings. But, yeah, I'm super nervous," said Levins.
Both have been integral to their school community over the past four years as athletes and through leadership positions in their class, while the community experienced turbulence amid the COVID-19 pandemic and growing social isolation among youth.
“I think getting an education is so valuable. My parents both immigrated from Iran, so just the idea of not taking this kind of stuff for granted is pretty important,” said Zandieh, speaking on what kept him motivated over his high school experience. “Really making sure that I value my education and I work hard – that kind of stuff is important.”
Both valedictorians worked together on their speech, with the aim to both comfort and excite their fellow grads.
"I think the biggest thing for me and Sasha was to comfort our grad class, and let them know that in these next chapters of our lives we're making pretty big steps, but through the connections we have with Esquimalt, and the experiences we've gained from the school, we're going to be okay," said Levins.
