Harford County kicked off its high school commencement season Friday with a graduation ceremony for students at C. Milton Wright High School. All ceremonies for Harford’s public schools are held at APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College in Bel Air.

Across the county, about 2,700 students are expected to graduate from the public school system this spring. The county has 11 public high schools, whose graduation ceremonies continue through Friday.

On June 6, Future Link and Harford Academy will hold their respective graduation ceremonies. Both schools serve students with disabilities.

  • Senior class president Mackenzie Bunn gives an address during the...
    Senior class president Mackenzie Bunn gives an address during the commencement ceremonies for C. Milton Wright High School’s Class of 2025 at Harford Community College on Friday. (Brian Krista/Staff)

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Senior class president Mackenzie Bunn gives an address during the commencement ceremonies for C. Milton Wright High School’s Class of 2025 at Harford Community College on Friday. (Brian Krista/Staff)

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The exact number of graduates will be announced in June, once all student records are updated at the conclusion of the school year, according to the school system.

When Patterson Mill High School Principal C. Brooke Harrell asked her staff what came to mind when they thought about this year’s graduating class, raising the standard was one response she got. She said this year’s graduating class led with kindness and consistently went above and beyond what was asked of them.

Valedictorian Yamnah Atif Khan spoke to fellow graduates during Patterson Mill’s ceremony Tuesday, urging them to take risks, live in the moment, spread peace and lead with compassion. She said though this chapter of their lives was ending, there were thousands of more pages waiting to be filled.

“Writing this speech felt like a chapter I wasn’t ready to end,” Khan said during her commencement address. “Like maybe if I didn’t put it into words, I could stay a little longer. …. It’s not just the building we’re leaving, it’s the routine, the teachers, that comfort of familiarity. …”

Khan told her fellow graduates the memories they made in high school could be taken with them wherever they ended up.

“We’ve proven we can make it through high school. We surely can make it through all our future endeavors. …” she said. “We did it in a time when the world is burdened, divided and often overwhelmed by conflict. We have a responsibility to lead with empathy no matter where life takes us.”

Graduate Mackenzie Knight of Belcamp said she plans to further her education at Syracuse University where she’ll play softball alongside her older sister, who’s entering her senior year there.

Her dad, Jason Knight, said he is excited to see both of his daughters play collegiate softball together.

“She’s worked very hard in school, on the field, off the field, so we’re just very happy parents, honestly,” he said. “I’m very proud of her for everything that she has done.”

Sharonda Eley, mother of graduating senior Vanden Eley of Bel Air, said she was exhilarated to see her son walk across the stage.

“It’s just an exciting experience and exciting for a young Black man to be able to complete this feat at this stage of his life,” she said.

Building genuine connections with his peers helped Vanden throughout his time at Patterson Mill. After graduation, he hopes to be accepted into an electrician training program.

His mom said she hopes Vanden doesn’t conform to the pressures of society and finds a space that best suits him and his desires.

“Just to put his toes out there and figure out what it is that makes him feel whole and complete,” she said. “Something that he can thoroughly enjoy and love doing each and every day.”

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