‘Keep Going’: Ferriday graduates celebrate beginning of next chapter

Published 4:47 pm Friday, May 9, 2025

By Sabrina Simms Robertson

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FERRIDAY, La. — Over the finish line of graduation is a new race of life for Ferriday High School graduates.

More than 60 Ferriday High School Trojans marched across the stage to graduate from high school on Thursday evening, now preparing for a new chapter in their story.

The graduation ceremony was held at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center due to improvements being made to the Ferriday football stadium.

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As the students transitioned from high schoolers to graduates, they sang “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, some of them waving imaginary candles in the air.

Leading the class were two graduates with the highest grade-point averages, Valedictorian Kennedy Griffin and Salutatorian Sha’Tara Thomas.

“This moment isn’t about me. It’s about us,” Thomas said in her salutatory speech. “Every test we passed, every challenge we faced, every moment we thought we couldn’t make it but did, brought us to this incredible milestone. … Today is both an ending and a beginning, the end of one chapter as we embark on another. Whether your next step is college, a job, the military or something else, remember this. We don’t have to have it all figured out. Just show up, keep learning and keep going, Class of 2025.”

Twenty-two of the graduates wore honor stoles and 35 graduated with dual-enrollment credits.

Collectively, the scholars amassed $304,392.96 in scholarships from the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, also known as the Louisiana TOPS program, as well as other scholarships totaling over $100,000. Rihanna Holmes received a full-ride to Loyola University with up to a $20,000 per year scholarship totaling $80,000.

The gallery above includes scenes from the commencement on Thursday at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center.

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