The valedictorian of Tamaqua Area High School’s Class of 2025 encouraged graduates to continue writing their own unique stories.

“The next page is blank. And we have to do something about it. We have to take the next step and write that first word,” Andrea Betz said.

Betz, who brought a book to Thursday’s commencement exercises, said that as one chapter ends, another begins. And so far, she said, the class’s stories have been remarkable.

“We have shared the thrill of winning whether it be on the field, in the pool, on the track, or on the court. We have shared the stage making music with our voices and our instruments, as well as telling stories through song and dance, or receiving honors and recognitions,” Betz said.

She said it is an honor to be a part of the stories of her classmates, and part of their final chapter together.

“I am excited to see what we all compose as the plot continues and as we journey out into the world,” Betz said. “Remember the pen is in your hand.”

Class President Ignatius Neifert, who ranks second in the class, passed the gavel to Class of 2026 President Anastasia Ackerman.

“As we reflect on this monumental accomplishment, I can tell you one thing for sure. We’ve made our families proud. We’ve made our teachers proud. We’ve made our coaches proud and we’ve definitely made Tamaqua proud,” Neifert said.

High School Principal Thomas McCabe expressed his gratitude to the graduates. He also asked them to remember where they came from.

“I often hear from students that they can’t wait to get out of Tamaqua. While your future endeavors may take you away from us, always remain true to where you come from and those who have influenced you,” McCabe said.

District Superintendent Ray Kinder cited the landmarks that happened during the graduates’ school years.

“First days, performances, championship games and proms commemorate your special time at Tamaqua Area. They are important to not only you, but to your families, teachers, advisers and coaches who were there with you every step of the way as you reached each milestone,” Kinder said.

He noted that the graduates will eventually find “less celebrated” times to be more memorable.

“Maybe it was that day in elementary school when your buddy fell off the swings, or the time in middle school when you and your friends got locked in a stairwell or the times in high school when you used your honors card to go eat at Dunkin’,” Kinder said. “These moments will be remembered just as fondly.”

He encouraged graduates to appreciate each and every moment.

“It is the moments along the way that create not only forever memories, but shape the person that you are and identify the people who will always be significant to you,” Kinder said.

Guest speaker Dr. Alexandra Conforti, a 2013 graduate of the school, is completing her residency in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s University Health Network, and when finished, will return to Schuylkill County as a primary care physician. She established the Peter K. Conforti Memorial Foundation in memory of her late husband, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper.

When he passed away unexpectedly last summer, Conforti said she asked questions like how to find success, how one’s life impacts others, and how to survive heartache with grace and peace.

“So much of our culture encourages an ‘I’ll be happy when’ mindset. We postpone our joy and sense of purpose, waiting for the job, the promotion, the next chapter. But that way of thinking robs us of the beauty and significance of the present,” Conforti said.

She told the graduates that there is success in what they are doing in the moment.

“In the relationships you’re building, in the interests that are quietly shaping your future, in the resilience you’re developing through today’s challenges,” she said. “Don’t wait for the ‘big moment’ to celebrate your life; celebrate the joys of the present moments and don’t be distracted by wishing you were in someone else’s circumstance.”

She challenged graduates to recognize the impact and legacy their lives carry for those around them, and to embrace the seasons of change.

“Not as disruptions, but as opportunities to grow and refine your character,” Conforti said. “And above all, choose to love deeply, encourage consistently, and invest wholeheartedly in the lives around you.”

Of the 146 graduates, 51 plan to go directly on to a four-year college or university; 78 plan to go to associate degree programs, business or trade schools; seven will enter the profession of education; four will enter a branch of the service, and 13 have made commitments to employment.