Sophia Stromberg Represents the Class of 2025 as Valedictorian

Good afternoon, faculty, staff, family, friends, and most importantly — the Class of 2025. 

It is an honor to stand here today, representing a group of young women I admire so deeply. First, thank you to our teachers, mentors, and families — for guiding us, challenging us, and believing in us, even when we didn’t always believe in ourselves. You’ve given us roots and wings. 

And to Mount Saint Joseph Academy — thank you for being more than just a school. You’ve been our second home. A place where we’ve grown academically, spiritually, and personally. A place where we’ve laughed, cried, questioned, prayed — and become who we are. 

Each of us came to Mount with a different story. But what we found here was something we all share — a bond. A sisterhood. A sense of belonging that doesn’t end when we walk across this altar (stage) — it lives in us forever. 
As I look out at all of you, I’m reminded that while each of us has taken a different path to this moment, we’ve traveled it together. Our journeys may not look the same—some filled with triumphs, others with quiet resilience—but here we are. Stronger. Wiser. And ready for what comes next. 

Mount is more than a school — it is a community. When a young woman chooses the Mount, she chooses to become part of a thriving sisterhood, grounded in spirit and connection. For more than 150 years, Mount Saint Joseph Academy has built and preserved traditions that bind us across generations. From our Freshman trip to Disney to Founders Day to Ring Mass to Retreat, from the beloved hallway rituals to the school song we know by heart — these traditions create a unity that transcends class years. And yet, the Mount doesn’t just hold onto tradition — it evolves. It welcomes students from different places and backgrounds, creating a space where every voice belongs. A place where young women develop a lasting sense of pride, purpose, and loyalty. A place we will always be connected to — and can always return to. 

That spirit is rooted in the mission of Mount Saint Joseph Academy — a school that empowers young women to realize their fullest potential. Rooted in the spirit and values of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the Mount nurtures excellence balanced with gentleness and compassion. In a collaborative environment that pushed us academically and shaped us to be leaders of change, we’ve been prepared—true to the call of 'educating founders'—to step into the world with wisdom, courage, and a global sense of responsibility. 

We’ve learned so much over these past four years. We’ve solved equations, written essays, analyzed Shakespeare and Scripture. But the most important lessons weren’t in the textbooks. They were in the moments in between — the unexpected challenges, the quiet acts of support, the way we showed up for one another when it mattered most. 
For me, one of those moments came this past year, when I suffered an injury that ended my senior gymnastics season before it even began. As someone who’s spent most of her life training early mornings, late nights, chasing precision and pushing limits — it was disorienting. But in that stillness, I found something unexpected. I found clarity. I found growth. I found strength, not in performance, but in perspective. 

Because here’s what I discovered — and maybe some of you did too, in your own way. Strength isn’t always about pushing through. Sometimes, it’s about slowing down. Reevaluating. Letting go. Asking for help. It’s about understanding that we are not defined by a single moment, a single title, or even a single setback. We are defined by how we respond. By the grace with which we grow. Mount has given us more than academic tools. It has given us perspective. We’ve been taught to look at life not in a linear way, but through a lens of compassion and faith. To ask: How can I serve? How can I lead? How can I grow from this? 

And the truth is, we’ve all had to find strength in places we didn’t expect. Mount has helped us do that. This school didn’t just prepare us for tests — it prepared us for life. 

During that time, I found support in the most meaningful places — from my family, my friends, my classmates, my teachers — even people I barely knew. And one of the people who encouraged me most was a mentor of mine, Brandon Graham, who was also recovering from an injury. We kept each other going — not just focused on coming back, but on coming back stronger, more grounded, and more grateful. That’s what community does. That’s what Mount has done for all of us. 

Because here, we learned what it means to be part of something bigger. We learned that leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about presence. It’s about lifting others when they stumble and being lifted when we do. We’ve seen that in action - in our teachers, our community, and in each other. That’s the Mount way. 

And in this sisterhood — because that’s truly what it is — we’ve witnessed the power of women supporting women. We’ve celebrated each other’s wins, and more importantly, we’ve stood beside each other in the hard moments — with prayers, late-night talks, or just a steady, silent kind of love. 

This bond isn’t something we leave behind today. It’s something we carry with us — into our next chapters, our future endeavors, our dreams and unknowns. Because no matter where we go, we are Mounties. And that means something. 
It means we go out into the world not just with knowledge, but with heart. With empathy. With courage. With a deep sense of who we are, and who we are still becoming. 

And as we look ahead, I want us to remember this: We are not stepping out into the world empty-handed. 
We step into a world that is hungry for compassion, for integrity, for leadership that listens. And we are ready. Ready to serve, to speak up, to build, to heal, to lead — not for applause, but for impact. 

We are not finished products. We are beautifully unfinished, still learning, still growing — and armed with the kind of strength that only comes from living in faith and walking through challenges with grace. As Scripture reminds us in Hebrews 10:24–25: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.” So, Class of 2025 — let’s keep encouraging one another. Let’s go forward boldly. Let’s choose purpose over fear, kindness over ego, love over indifference. Let’s never forget where we came from — or who we are. 

Because we’re not just graduates. We are Mounties. And that means something powerful. Congratulations — and thank you.