The top graduates of MNPS’s high schools this year have made their marks across Nashville – and their canvas is only about to get bigger.
The valedictorians and salutatorians of the Class of 2025 are on their way to some of the top colleges and universities in the city, state and nation after they graduate in the next few weeks.
The diverse group plans to study architecture, biology, business, computer science, dance, economics, education, engineering, marketing, nursing, philosophy, social work and more on their way to careers in medicine, technology, research, education, STEM, architecture, veterinary medicine, wealth management and other fields.
“Our valedictorians and salutatorians have done so many impressive and inspiring things over these past four years,” Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle said during a celebration of the students at the Board of Education meeting on April 22. “They have shown not just their brilliance, curiosity and academic skills but also quite a lot of tenacity, resilience and a tremendous work ethic to get to this moment, a moment when their achievements intersect with their potential in such exciting ways.
“These students are going places – important places where they will continue to do meaningful work.”
The valedictorians and salutatorians have proven themselves as leaders not only in their classrooms but also in their schools and the larger community as club presidents, student-athletes, nonprofit founders and volunteers, and members of the Superintendent’s Student Cabinet and Mayor’s Youth Council.
Bright Futures at Top Colleges and Universities
Now they are heading to college at Harvard, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Emory, Belmont, Lipscomb, Tennessee State, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, UT-Chattanooga, Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Western Kentucky, Tuskegee, Clemson and Colorado State – with the list of destinations set to grow as more make their final decisions.
Two of the valedictorians and two salutatorians, all from Early College and Whites Creek high schools, will have college degrees very soon. Each of them has earned an associate's degree from Nashville State Community College along with their high school diploma through the Early College program, which is graduating its first class at Whites Creek this spring.
And one salutatorian will become a full-time ballet dancer in San Francisco.
We’ll share more photos of each high school’s top two graduating students on MNPS’s social media in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, check out the list below of our valedictorians and salutatorians from the Class of 2025.
Congratulations, vals and sals, on your outstanding high school careers!
Class of 2025 Valedictorians and Salutatorians
Antioch
- Victoria Madu, Valedictorian
- Yeydi Torres, Salutatorian
Big Picture
- Alaysia Montgomery, Valedictorian
- Ivy Miller, Salutatorian
Cane Ridge
- Zuleyka Fuentes Diaz, Valedictorian
- Shabbir Khan, Salutatorian
Early College
- Tania Wright, Valedictorian
- Karen Takawe, Salutatorian
East
- Delano Carney, Valedictorian
- Cydney Buford, Salutatorian
Glencliff
- Keily Ortez, Valedictorian
- Victor Sustaita Jr., Salutatorian
Hillsboro
- Liam Chapman, Valedictorian
- Lillie Allen, Salutatorian
Hume-Fogg
- Khalid Hassan, Valedictorian
- Grayson Nelms, Salutatorian
Hunters Lane
- Daniel Ortiz Gonzalez, Co-Valedictorian
- Noe Portillo Canizales, Co-Valedictorian
James Lawson
- Katherine Stockton, Valedictorian
- Wan Tovi, Salutatorian
Maplewood
- Janet Nino-Martinez, Valedictorian
- Laura Gonzalez-Noyola, Salutatorian
Martin Luther King Jr.
- Lena Feleke, Valedictorian
- Jason Luo, Salutatorian
McGavock
- Milan Rathod, Valedictorian
- Atreyu Skyers, Salutatorian
Nashville School of the Arts
- Gabriela Castrodad-Rivera, Valedictorian
- C’yanni Storey, Salutatorian
John Overton
- Sharon Cardenas Useche, Valedictorian
- Bennett Myers, Salutatorian
Pearl-Cohn
- Jennifer Gomez Ceba, Valedictorian
- Jace Beard, Salutatorian
Stratford
- Willa Sands, Valedictorian
- Isioma Ikhile, Salutatorian
MNPS Virtual School
- Cameron Fisher, Valedictorian
- Carly Graham, Salutatorian
Whites Creek
- Ines Busane, Valedictorian
- Nove’a Rippy, Salutatorian
When is Graduation?
Check out the Graduation 2025 page for dates, time and locations, plus links to ceremony livestreaming.