By FreeWire Staff
As the tassels turn and the caps fly, schools across Crawford County have said farewell to the Class of 2025 with pride, applause, and—at Wynford—fireworks.
FreeWire gathered graduation numbers, honors, and highlights from area schools to mark the end of one chapter and the start of many more.
Bucyrus High School
Fifty-four students crossed the stage at Bucyrus this year. Rather than naming a single valedictorian or salutatorian, the district honors its Top 5 graduating seniors: Isabella Stang, Isabel Johnson, Grace Jackson, Marissa Middleton, and Jada Dalton.
No students from the Class of 2025 enlisted in the military this year, but their academic strength and character left a lasting impression.
“This is the best student body I’ve had in my entire career,” said Principal Dr. Jaivir Singh, who has served in four different school districts.
Wynford High School
Wynford saw 71 graduates walk the stage inside the school gymnasium. Martin Schuster and Dawson Pelter were Co-Valedictorians. Both Schuster and Pelter gave speeches at the commencement ceremony, Pelter as Class President and Schuster as Valedictorian.
Three students graduated with associate degrees already in hand, and four enlisted in the military. The celebration ended with a bang—literally—with fireworks capping off the night.
Colonel Crawford High School
Sixty-three students graduated from Colonel Crawford, with more than two-thirds maintaining a GPA above 3.0. The school’s Top 4 students were Lauren Esterline, Ashton Rickle, Gabriella Roston, and Carly Zender.
The ceremony took place on the football field, and five graduates will go on to serve in the military.
Buckeye Central High School
With 48 graduates, Buckeye Central celebrated a tight-knit group of students. Valedictorian Isaac Parsons and Salutatorian Elizabeth Krebbs led the class.
Principal Michael Martin shared a simple but heartfelt remark: “We had a great group of kids this year.”
Crestline High School
Crestline graduated 37 students. Hannah Grunkemeyer earned valedictorian honors, and Brock Rowe was named salutatorian.
Galion High School
Galion hosted the largest graduating class in the county with 121 students. The May 18 ceremony took place under sunny skies, where the school’s Color Guard—part of the Civil Air Patrol program—presented the colors publicly for the first time.
Valedictorian: Jillian Capretta
Salutatorian: Avery Lutz
Galion’s graduates left with over $1.6 million in scholarship offers. Notable academic distinctions included:
- Summa Cum Laude Honors: 10 students
- Magna Cum Laude Honors: 11 students
- Associate Degrees Earned: 9 students
- Military Enlistments: 6 students
- Post-secondary enrollment: 50 students
- Already employed: 51 students
The ceremony featured speeches from Class President Cohen Pierce and Valedictorian Jillian Capretta and included recognition of the National Honor Society, NCSC Honors Program, and Honors Diploma recipients.
Photos from graduation ceremonies at several area schools are included with this article. Congratulations to the Class of 2025.
