The only thing you can count on is change and North Point High School graduates got this “real-world” lesson before officially graduating high school. Along with the ceremonies for La Plata and Maurice J. McDonough high schools, North Point’s commencement exercise had to be relocated and undergo a time change due to inclement weather.

Windswept rain blew into Charles County on Wednesday, May 28, putting a damper on the outdoor ceremonies originally scheduled to take place at Regency Furniture Stadium. La Plata was due to graduate at 9 a.m., McDonough at 1 p.m., with North Point rounding out the day with a 5 p.m. ceremony.

The Eagles instead landed in their home nest Wednesday, graduating in the Convocation Center of North Point. Before 2020, all Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) graduations were held in the Convocation Center. Graduations were moved to the stadium in 2021 to comply with public health guidelines followed to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. From then on, graduations have been staged at Regency Furniture Stadium with inclement weather plans made necessary due to the unpredictably of weather.

The North Point Class of 2025 had two co-valedictorians, Kelsey Garrity and Samarjeet “Sam” Virk. Garrity will attend Michigan State University to study biology this fall. At the age of 18, Garrity has visited 21 countries and nearly all the 50 American states. During a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru, she met a guide who she talked to about education.

The guide was surprised that Garrity had been in school since kindergarten, and even more shocked she was still attending at 17. The guide never left her small town, never been to school. “Yet all she dreamed of was education. It wasn’t just school, she explained. It was freedom, the future and a way out,” Garrity recalled, adding that she was struck by the guide’s thoughts. “We often don’t view education as something to be excited for,” Garrity said. “But with the slight change of perspective and new experiences we can recognize just how grateful we truly should be.”

She concluded with asking her classmates to be grateful for their education and to continue to seek knowledge. “Education allows us to explore the world with purpose,” Garrity said. “It places us in a position to cultivate the skills and mindset to make meaningful change.”

Virk, who served as the Student Member of the Board of Education for the 2024-2025 school year and will study mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, urged his fellow graduates not to get lost in the allure of perfection. Because try as they might, perfection is unachievable. Virk said he was daydreaming when he realized chasing perfection was futile.

“This is the part of that no one wants to daydream about – no matter how successful we become; we’re all going to have days where we’re just completely unwilling. Completely unwilling to cook dinner, or do laundry or even get out of bed,” Virk said. “When I realized that life will not stop for me, that I will continue to make mistakes, I realized it was OK. When you’re so obsessed with making what you do perfect, you end up never starting in the first place.”

The class salutatorian Aidan Metzgar gave advice for life after high school. “Try to be yourself in a world that tries to make you something else. Give the people you meet some grace. They may not be as smart or as fortunate as you are,” he said. “Be more concerned about your character than your reputation. Contribute to society and the world – don’t take away from them.”

North Point conferred more than 450 diplomas and certificates on Wednesday evening. The Eagles Class of 2025 earned more than $67 million in scholarship offers. Earlier this month, North Point graduating seniors took part in a video recalling their time at the school. To view the video, visit the CCPS YouTube channel.

CCPS will continue to celebrate graduations on Thursday and Friday at Regency Furniture Stadium. Westlake High School’s graduation is set for 9 a.m., Thursday, May 29, with Thomas Stone High School graduating in the 1 p.m. slot and La Plata will graduate at 5 p.m. McDonough’s ceremony takes place at 9 a.m., Friday, May 30, at the stadium.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.  CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).