Class of 2025
A joyful crowd of family, friends, faculty, and alumni gathered at Rhode Island College on the evening of June 13, 2025, to celebrate Paul Cuffee School’s Class of 2025. The ceremony was filled with heartfelt messages, powerful reflections, and a shared sense of pride and purpose.
Head of School Chris Haskins and Board President Kevin J. Briggs, representing the Board of Trustees, offered words of encouragement that underscored the school’s continued commitment to nurturing lifelong learners and engaged citizens.
Dean of Students Jeff Rackauskas took a unique approach in his address, offering not advice but a challenge. After reminding the audience of the high school’s six guiding principles—Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Reflective, Be Supportive, Be Scholarly, and Be Brave—he bid farewell to the Class of 2025 by introducing a powerful seventh: “Be Great.”
“By getting to this point, you’ve all demonstrated the 6 B’s—most of the time…” Rackauskas joked, drawing laughter from the crowd. “So my challenge for you after you leave Paul Cuffee: the final B—BE GREAT! Don’t be just okay or good enough. Be great.”
Graduating senior Euphemia Thompson delivered a moving speech as “The Voice of the Class of 2025,” reflecting on her journey and dreams as well as those of her peers:
“As we step into this next chapter filled with so much uncertainty and possibility, my hope for the Class of 2025 is that we are reminded that our dreams and our purpose are much bigger than our fears. May we never lose sight of who we are. May the dreams planted in us flourish even within dry seasons. May we grow into people who uplift others and always choose compassion over comparison. Our story is still unfolding—and the best parts are still being written.”
Continuing the tradition of featuring a Paul Cuffee alumnus as keynote speaker, this year’s address was delivered by Heidi Silverio Roias, JD, a 2014 graduate who now serves as a Providence School Board Member and Director of the Housing Equity and Lead Prevention Program in Central Falls. Drawing from her experience as a first-generation college student and the daughter of immigrants, Ms. Silverio Roias encouraged students to walk boldly in their own stories:
“Your story matters. Where you’ve come from, what you’ve been through, what you care about—it all matters…Your story doesn’t have to be perfect. There will be setbacks and doubts. But what matters is that you keep showing up.”
She left students with three powerful takeaways—her “three Fs”:
1. First: Be bold enough to lead.
2. Failure: Let it teach and shape you.
3. Family: Embrace the people, community, and culture that support you.
“Whether you’re going to college, entering the workforce, joining the military, or taking time to figure things out—you are enough. You are worthy of every opportunity and every dream waiting for you.”
As the Class of 2025 embarks on its next journey, it does so with a legacy of leadership, compassion, and resilience. The graduates leave with the values of their school, the wisdom of their teachers and mentors, and the unwavering support of a community that believes in their potential.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. Be Great!
Click here to see the Class of 2025 Graduation Photo Gallery