As the graduates of Soldotna High School on Wednesday took their first steps into their lives after high school, they were told to chase futures that will make them happy.

Valedictorian Scott Powell and Salutatorian James Innes, delivering a joint address before around 140 of their classmates and a football field packed with supporters, called for the graduating Stars to find careers and experiences they’re passionate about.

“I hope we each can achieve our own definitions of success,” Powell said. “Not success defined by money, a career or social status, but by the relationships we cultivate and the love we share.”

The pair called for the Class of 2025 to find and do something they love.

“Let’s walk into our futures, fellas,” Innes said. “We’ve got a long way to go.”

Sarge Truesdell, the recently retired SoHi principal, delivered the commencement address. A high school education, he said, is multifaceted. It includes laughter, breakups, tears, late-night cramming, some memorable sports and performances and also sometimes tragedy.

SoHi’s class this year knows tragedy, Truesdell said, because it recently lost one of its members, Tucker Challans, who died in March. A somber moment punctuated the ceremony when Challans parents were the first to walk across the stage — receiving an honorary diploma for their son.

Grief changes people, Truesdell said. For some, Challans may be the first time they’ve lost someone their age from their lives. He will not be the last loss Soldotna’s young people experience. “That’s part of life,” Truesdell said. Graduation, too, is part of life — a major turning point.

“Right now, after you toss your hat in the air, you’re on the clock — the world says ‘welcome to adulthood’,” Truesdell said. “I hope you paid attention.”

Whether they experience victories or challenges, Truesdell encouraged each of SoHi’s graduates to “allow people into your story.” There are friends, parents, siblings, teachers and strangers who are eager to help them with their continuing paths. “None of us get through this life without help from others.”

While so much of life is out of any person’s control, he told the students that they are in control of their own experiences — “the attitude and resilience and energy that you bring.”

“It’s not about what happens to you, but how you rise and move forward,” he said. “Go do cool stuff. Then come back to Soldotna and raise a family.”

Soldotna High School 2025 graduates

Leonty Anahonak

Jackson Anding

Dalton Armstrong

Ronin Azevedo

Callie Babitt

Angel Bannach

Braden Barrett

Autumn Bass

Landon Bauer

Aidan Bon

Elias Bouschor

Zachary Bouschor

Hunter Bras

Reagan Briggs

Evelyn Brown

Ryan Buchanan

Mazzy Bundy

Annie Burns

Hannah Burton

Bella Byrd

Ely Campbell

Ariana Cannava

Noble Cassidy

Alexa Chavez

Tatum Cooper

Veronica Crane

Kathleen Curtis

Marshall DeRaeve

Evan Derzab

Kiona Dexter

Daniela Dimitrovski

Iycalayd Douglas

Wyatt Earl

Hayden Eck

Mason Elliott

Kayden Estremera

Alexander Fain

Kaitlyn Farmer

Blake Ferreira

Mya Fielden

Hallie Fischer

Ella Frasher

Ethan French

Destiny Friedersdorff

Isabella Friend

Wyatt Gagnon

Isabella Gares

Miriah Gassler

Jerica Germany

Andrew Gist

Ann Marie Gist

Christopher Glaves

Tiara Goolsby

Leanne Gordon

Cody Grimes

Marcus Hagedorn

Daisy Lyn Hannevold

Kellyn Hansen

Draek’Adam Harris

Easton Hawkins

Nathan Hawkins

Jesse Haynes

Daniel Heath

Marcus Heitstuman

Aaliyah Helgeson

Athena Henry

Hope Hillyer

Lydia Hopper

Haedyn Horstman

Benjamin Inman

James Innes

Josias Iraheta Sorto

Chloe Jacko

Anika Jedlicka

Gunner Jelliff

Jaykob Kemp

Samuel Klein

Isabella Kroto

Sadie Lane

Kiernan Lapp

Brooklyn Larsen

Jessica LeClair

Kenai Lepule

Austin Lewis

Hudson Link

Colby Lund-Strength

Zedekiah McComsey

Alyssa McDonald

Jazzalynn McDonald

Ryan McVey

Blaze Michael

Trevor Michael

Luke Miller

Nora Moloney

Aidan Moore

Sean Norris

Trenton Ohnemus

Owen Pattock

Fisher Plant

Vann Poage

Scott Powell

Charlene Pyatt

Kamryn Query

Valentino Rigutto

Kendra Rose

Madelyn Ross

Harold Rudstrom

Taylor Ruffner

Anaulie Sedivy

Chloe See

Abygale Shaeffer

Delaney Smith

Lillian Smith

Raven Smith

Hailey Stonecipher

Jacob Strausbaugh

Colby Sturman

Keely Sundberg

Benjamin Thomas

Paycience Ulrich

Ella Veihdeffer

Vera Vitryachenko

Joey VonHeeder

Avery Walden

Trent Waller

Brooke Walters

Alyssa Watson

Ryatt Weed

Alexis Wells

Ariel Wheeler

Johnathan White

Benjamin Whitney

Simon Willets

Laylani Williams

Isaak Winslow

Caleb Wohlers

Kaitlyn Wolfe

Lokeni Wong

Julene Yager

Katelynn Yoder

Graduates of Soldotna High School process into a commencement ceremony on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Soldotna High School process into a commencement ceremony on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Sam Klein and Harold Rudstrom perform the national anthem during Soldotna High School’s graduation ceremony on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Valedictorian Scott Powell and Salutatorian James Innes deliver an address during the Soldotna High School graduation ceremony on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Annie Burns, senior class vice president at Soldotna High School, introduces the commencement speaker during a graduation ceremony on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Commencement speaker Sarge Truesdell of Soldotna High School steps down from the stage after delivering a commencement address to graduates of Soldotna High School on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

The parents of Tucker Challans, a Soldotna High School student who died in March, advance to receive an honorary diploma for their son on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Soldotna High School prepare to receive their diplomas on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Soldotna High School celebrate after receiving their diplomas on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Elias Bouschor, a graduates of Soldotna High School, celebrates after receiving his diploma on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Soldotna High School celebrate after receiving their diplomas on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Soldotna High School celebrate after receiving their diplomas on the school’s football field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)