By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

Stop wishing and start doing.

That was the message from Leara Thompson, the commencement speaker at Fountain Hills High School graduation May 23 at Fountain Park.

Thompson, a K-12 student support specialist, gave the 113 Class of 2025 FHHS grads motivation to take accountability for the things they can control.

“Don’t wish for things — make them happen,” Thompson said.

The speaker said that was advice her father gave her when she was young, emphasizing that too much wishing tends to lead to copping out on doing things that are difficult.

“In my moments of doubt, I learned to tell myself to keep going,” Thompson told the graduates. “I learned that nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.”

Thompson also encouraged the 113 graduates to not attempt to succeed in a vacuum.

“I also learned to ask for help, because there’s always someone, somewhere, willing to lend a hand,” she said.

The Class of 2025 student speakers had similar messages. Student body president Katherine Hampton referenced the William Faulkner quote “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”

“Life continues after our big milestones — whether or not we’re working toward more,” Hampton said.

Valedictorian Kitrick Garman talked about nostalgic memories, some of the challenges of her particular class’s challenges, such as not having bathrooms available on campus for a long stretch, and joked about trying to talk ChatGPT into doing homework.

Senior class president Shannon Breen said there are many experiences the Class of 2025 — a sort of first post-COVID high school cohorts, by many definitions — that inspire pride in one’s graduating class. She mentioned the mural that’s the Class of 2025’s gift to the school.

FHHS Principal Barrie Pinto talked about being ready to deal with adversity, using her injury while she was a 1980s Olympic gymnast hopeful as an example.

“We know that it takes courage to make tough decisions,” Pinto said.

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INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.