Celebrating the Class of 2025 | Second Baptist School Commencement

In a ceremony filled with joy, gratitude and personal testimonies, Second Baptist School honored the Class of 2025 with family, faculty and friends in attendance. The evening served not only as a recognition of academic achievement and personal growth but also as a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in the lives of our graduates. 

Ella Allen ‘25, who will attend Texas A&M University in the fall, opened the ceremony with a warm welcome and invocation, expressing a heartfelt thanks on behalf of her fellow graduates. “Your constant support, sacrifice, patience and unconditional love have made us the upper school graduates that sit in front of you today,” she said, addressing the parents and faculty. Ella acknowledged the support system provided to each graduate by both their families and the Second Baptist School community– a testament to the vital partnership between teachers and parents in the development of students. She pointed to God’s unwavering faithfulness throughout her invocation, calling all graduates to continue to trust in Him as they move into the next chapter of their lives: “More than anything, I pray we would define success as knowing [Christ] deeply and making [Him] known.”

Ella’s welcome and invocation were followed by the choir performing Be Thou My Vision, an annual tradition, and a reading of the class scripture by Isobel DeBakey ‘25. Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” These moments set the tone for the evening, reminding graduates and audience members that while our plans may fail, faith in Jesus and a strong support system will remain firm foundations.

Salutatorian Jake Miers, who will attend the University of Texas at Austin, expanded on this theme with a speech centered around an unexpected: failure. With humor and honesty, Jake recounted personal setbacks-–from tough golf rounds to a particularly rough academic week–-reminding his classmates that failure is often the training ground for growth: “If you’re not failing, you're probably not trying hard enough,” he said. “Failure doesn’t mean you are not good enough- it means you’re in the process of becoming better.” He closed by urging graduates to live boldly and pursue their biggest aspirations, even at the risk of falling short: “Let it refine you. Let it teach you. Let it drive you forward.”

Valedictorian Bridget Roth followed with a heartfelt and faith-filled address. Headed to Trinity University on a full academic scholarship, Bridget reflected on her mother’s daily encouragement to “be a light that shines”– a phrase she’s heard every day for over 6,000 days. She linked this advice to the words of C.S. Lewis: “Don’t shine so that others can see you. Shine, so that through you, others can see Him.” Bridget encouraged her classmates to live lives that reflect Christ and point others to Him. Her message was simple yet profound: “We don’t shine for ourselves. We shine for the glory of the One who made us.”

As the evening concluded, the Class of 2025 left the stage as graduates—equipped not only with academic knowledge, but with a deep sense of purpose, a foundation of faith and a challenge to live courageously in the light of truth.

Second Baptist School’s year closes with a celebration of legacy and a generation ready to lead with integrity, resilience and joy.

View Commencement Photos Here