May 19, 2025
More than 900 students from Evanston Township High School (ETHS) walked the stage at Northwestern University’s Welsh Ryan Arena during the Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on May 18, 2025.
The commencement speaker was Anders Holm (ETHS ’99), an actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He shared his advice with the Class of 2025. He said to stop thinking about what you want to be when you grow up and try thinking about who you want to be. "Don't think about careers, jobs, wealth, access," Holm said. "Think about qualities you admire; accountable, productive, passionate. What you do will come down to your skill sets, but the success you reach will be based on the qualities of who you are." Watch the entire speech.
The senior class address was given by Jeanine Bahanuzi, who encouraged her graduating class to remember that life has no limitations. "We often let our weaknesses and emotions become an excuse to give up instead of an excuse to take on a challenge," Bahanuzi said. "And we fail to realize that some of our greatest strengths are developed through the training and resilience of our weaknesses. But Class of 2025, I don't see that for us. I see perserverance; I see determination; I see grit. But most of all, I see greatness." Listen to her full address.
ETHS Superintendent Marcus Campbell congratulated the Class of 2025, commending their willingness to grow, take risks, and stay curious. "The world you are stepping into needs those qualities now more than ever," said Dr. Campbell. "It needs your voice, your ideas, your perseverance. Everything you've learned here about yourself, about others and what matters, will serve you as you are becoming what you were meant to be."
In addition to listing the Senior Scholarship Award recipients for the 2024-25 school year, the graduation program included ETHS academic department awards, athletics awards, National Honor Society members, National Merit honorees, Illinois State Scholars, and honorees of the State Seal of Biliteracy and the Commendation Toward Biliteracy.
