For seven days, Merriweather Post Pavilion has echoed with the cheers of family members as eager Howard County high school graduates filled the front section dressed in caps and gowns, ready to enter the next stage in their lives.

High school graduations for the Howard County Public School System ran from May 21 to May 29 this year, with separate ceremonies for each of the county’s 13 public high schools spread across the week.

Hundreds of Oakland Mills High School graduates filtered down the steps of the amphitheater on May 22 while the graduation march “Pomp and Circumstance,” performed by students, rang through the concert venue. Proud family members and friends wiped raindrops off the plastic seats with flowers and other gifts in hand.

For graduate Aniyah McGregor, who welcomed the crowd with opening remarks, Oakland Mills has been more than just a high school.

“Our legacies will live on in the friendships we’ve made, the tears we’ve shed, the moments we’ve shared, and the way we shape this community for those who come after us,” McGregor said. “Today isn’t just a goodbye, it’s a celebration, not just for the diplomas we are about to receive, but for everyone who brought us here.”

McGregor congratulated her peers, exclaiming, “Once a scorpion, always a scorpion” before the high school’s senior dance company took the stage for a performance set to Natasha Bedingfield’s song “Unwritten.” The emotional dance set the tone for the introduction of county officials, honored school leaders and the student commencement speaker, Leslie Sarpong.

The school community was something central to Sarpong’s high school experience, having been met by welcoming smiles, respect and support as a new student from Ghana last year. He learned that the school wasn’t only a place for education, but “it was a home.”

Sarpong congratulated the Class of 2025 for reaching new heights in academic and athletic achievements but noted that a legacy is more about the impact left on others than tangible achievements and that success comes with those by one’s side. He reminded the class of their strength, urging them to reach outside their comfort zone as they take leaps into the next phase of life.

“Before we leave, always remember you are braver than you believe, you’re stronger than you see, smarter than you think, and most important of all, loved more than you know,” Sarpong said. “And one last thing, thank you. Thank you for being a part of my journey.”

The connections and lifelong friendships made throughout high school are something Isaac Ramsey hopes to maintain even as he moves on to play football at Georgetown University. Having moved to Oakland Mills High for his sophomore year from Connecticut, he was able to fit in with the football and track teams, achieving all-county honors in football and winning the state championships with the track team. It’s the “pursuit of excellence” and the diverse cultures and the school that he’ll miss most.

“So, I think that’s the biggest thing about Oakland Mills is the ability to just come here, no matter who you are, and like they say, if you place a flower in a growing environment, it’ll blossom,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey’s twin brother, Caleb Ramsey, said the brotherhood of football kept him connected to his peers and was one of his favorite aspects of high school. He’s grateful for the support of his friends, family and twin brother, and excited that his work has paid off.

For some, like Tyese Johnson, graduating from high school hadn’t quite hit yet, but the excitement was still clear. High school at Oakland Mills has been “awesome,” Johnson said, and while she’ll miss the familiarity of seeing her friends every day, she is excited for new routines as she pursues two summer internships and an associate’s degree in engineering from Howard Community College.

Following an energetic, jazzy performance by student musicians that lifted spirits, cheers erupted as officials called the names of each graduating student. Some waved flags of different countries, others danced or took selfies on stage. A few threw their caps in the air after the ceremonial turning of their orange and black tassels from left to right, signifying their graduation.

Though the students have left the halls of Oakland Mills High, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, whose children graduated from the school, reminded the students that no matter where they end up, they will always have a home.

“You’ve done it. You have written your way through the trials and tribulations of high school life and turned them into triumphs,” Ball said. “I know that you will take all that you have learned and gained these past four years to overcome challenges, conquer obstacles and achieve great things as you leave your mark on this world and make it better.

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