Celebrating a Successful Graduation Season: Thank You to All Who Made It Possible

As the final caps have been tossed and the stadium lights dimmed, the high school graduation season for the Class of 2025 has officially come to a close across Citrus County Schools. With proud families cheering from the stands and graduates beaming in their caps and gowns, the outdoor ceremonies at Lecanto High School, Crystal River High School, and Citrus High School stood as powerful reminders of accomplishment, perseverance, and community spirit.

These milestone events do not happen by chance. Behind every carefully orchestrated graduation ceremony is a remarkable team of individuals whose hard work, flexibility, and unwavering commitment ensure everything runs smoothly. Now is the time to pause and extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who made the 2025 outdoor graduations such a memorable success.

First and foremost, we want to thank the principals and administrative teams at each high school. Your leadership and vision set the tone for these celebrations. From planning the flow of the ceremonies to ensuring each graduate had their special moment on stage, your attention to detail was evident. These were not just ceremonies — they were well-organized celebrations of student achievement.

Our gratitude extends deeply to the on-campus support staff who often work quietly in the background, yet whose contributions are absolutely essential. Whether preparing facilities, managing crowds, directing traffic, or keeping communication lines open, you helped ensure each event felt personal, safe, and seamless for the graduates and their families.

We would be remiss not to give special recognition to each school’s graduation coordinator—Scott Marshall at Crystal River High School, Lita Stanton at Citrus High School, and Peter Rausch at Lecanto High School—who each played a critical role in planning and executing their respective ceremonies. For weeks and months leading up to graduation, they worked tirelessly behind the scenes, managing everything from cap and gown distribution and stage layouts to seating and rehearsals. Their dedication, creativity, and patience ensured each event was a seamless, memorable celebration for students and families, transforming vision into reality with grace and precision.

In addition, we extend our sincere appreciation to each of our JROTC Color Guard teams, whose presence and professionalism added dignity and honor to the ceremonies. Thank you to CWO5 Liz Rivera and Chief Keith Bryska of the Crystal River High School NJROTC, Eric Brown of the Citrus High School AFJROTC, and First Sergeant Dean Kelly and Colonel David Brown of the Lecanto High School Army JROTC. Your cadets represented their schools with pride and distinction, and your leadership made a meaningful impact on these important events.

Another group whose contributions were nothing short of heroic is the Citrus County Schools District Facilities Department and the on-site maintenance teams at each campus. Outdoor graduations always come with challenges, and this year was no exception. Inclement weather tested everyone’s adaptability. These teams worked selflessly — sometimes late into the night and early in the morning — setting up, dismantling, and re-setting staging, chairs, sound equipment, and other key infrastructure. They did all of this with an unwavering commitment to safety and excellence for our graduates and their families.

We also want to extend our deepest thanks to our incredible community stakeholders whose support played a vital role in the success of this year’s graduation ceremonies. The Citrus County Education Foundation went above and beyond—not only serving as a key supporter but also providing custom hand fans for each high school to help guests stay cool and comfortable during the outdoor events.

We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the many dedicated deputies, our CCSD Guardians and Chief of Police Rachel Montgomery, all of whom ensured the safety of our students, families, and staff before, during, and after each graduation ceremony. A special thank you to Sheriff David Vincent, whose presence at all three graduations was a meaningful reflection of his steadfast commitment to our schools and community.

Finally, we pause to lift up CCSO School Resource Officer Andy Lahera and his family in our thoughts and prayers during this time. Officer Lahera, please know that your Citrus County Schools family is thinking of you and standing with you.

Thanks to everyone’s incredible efforts, graduates were able to cross the stage with confidence, surrounded by supportive friends and family, against the backdrop of well-prepared and welcoming school grounds. These ceremonies were more than just formalities; they were once-in-a-lifetime experiences filled with joy, reflection, and inspiration.

It’s this kind of dedication — from every corner of our school system — that makes the Citrus County School District special. The successful conclusion of graduation season for the Class of 2025 is a direct result of outstanding teamwork, meticulous planning, and a shared commitment to our students’ futures.

To everyone who had a hand in making this year’s ceremonies successful — thank you. You gave our students a celebration worthy of their achievements and a meaningful send-off into the next chapter of their lives.

To the Class of 2025 — congratulations. Your hard work has paid off, and your community couldn’t be prouder. May your next steps be bold and your journey bright. Your future is waiting, and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish.

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