Watertown High School celebrated the accomplishments of nearly 200 graduates – the largest graduating class in the last decade – in a joyous graduation ceremony at Victory Field.

The Class of 2025 overcame unique challenges, most notably leaving the comfort of the old Watertown High School for the modular Moxley building as the new high school is built. Along the way, they soared to new heights academically, claimed state championships on field, and delivered unforgettable performances on stage.

In his address to students, Principal Joel Giacobozzi made his love for his students clear, “I have the best job in the world,” he said. Principal Giacobozzi encouraged students to broaden their horizons beyond Watertown. “Leave!” he said, before noting that graduates would not be alone in their journey and that home is always there for them. He quipped that graduates should talk to their high school crushes. “You won’t see them for a while, anyway,” he joked.

Valedictorian Nairi Davidian reflected on the role that Watertown High School played in the lives of the Class of 2025, saying that the school provided a safety net when they inevitably lost their footing. She encouraged her classmates to be authentically themselves as they take the next step in life, and offered an observation that fitting in is not the same thing as belonging.

Jeylani Thiam, the class salutatorian, spoke about how his teachers challenged him. He noted that the academic challenges students face in high school taught us the class how to be hard working, resilient, and honest people. "You have already proven that you can do hard things," he reminded his peers.

Class President Daniel MacDonald encouraged his classmates to avoid procrastination moving forward. He joked about his high school wrestling career, in which he did not pick up victories in his sophomore and junior years before getting his first – and only – win as a senior. “You can work hard and still fail, and that’s alright!” MacDonald said.

31 members of the Class of 2025 graduated with the Seal of Biliteracy, recognizing their proficiency in two or more languages. The graduates earned the honor across 10 languages: Albanian, Arabic, Eastern Armenian, English, French, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, and Western Armenian.

As the Class of 2025 begins their next journey, Watertown High School will be represented at nearly 80 colleges and universities, in addition to the armed services and the work force. Congratulations to our newest WHS graduates! 

Next steps for the Class of 2025:

Bentley University
Benjamin Franklin Technical College
Boston Architectural College
Boston University
Brandeis University
Bridgewater State University
Brown University
Bryant University
Bunker Hill Community College
Castleton University (Vermont State)
Coastal Carolina University
Concordia University
Curry College
Dartmouth College
Dean College
Emerson College
Emmanuel College
Endicott College
Fairfield University
Framingham State University
Hampshire College
Harvard University
Johnson and Wales University
Louisiana State University
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Health Services
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Merrimack College
Middlesex Community College
Mississippi State University
Northeastern University
Northshore Community College
New York University
Providence College
Queen’s University (Canada)
Quincy Community College
Quinnipiac University
Regis College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University
Sacred Heart University
Salem State University
Salve Regina University
Simmons University
Skidmore College
St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia)
Suffolk University
The College of The Holy Cross
Trinity College (Dublin)
United States Marine Corp
United States Navy
University of Connecticut
University of Oklahoma
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Massachusetts-Boston
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
University of New Hampshire
University of Rhode Island
University of Rochester
University of Vermont
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Ursinus College
Villanova University
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Westfield State University
Work Force