Before he and his classmates scatter in their post-high school stage, Obadiah Cao wanted to hold on to them just a little bit longer.
Lassiter High School’s 2025 valedictorian came to Cobb as a sophomore from Boston, and wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived.
What he found is something he said he’ll cherish forever, as he said during Wednesday’s commencement ceremony at the KSU Convocation Center.
“I found my community in the student body at Lassiter and especially in this graduating class,” he said. “And I implore you to find your community.”
It’s a process he and his fellow seniors will have to undertake once again. For Cao, it means leaving the area. He will be attending Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he’ll study computer science.
But he urged his classmates to “remember the impact the communities here have had on you. Don’t be afraid to seek out more opportunities .”
Lassiter principal Chris Richie echoed that theme, saying that “what stands out the most to me is not where you’re going or what you’re doing after graduation, but who you’ve become as leaders in your four years at Lassiter.”
He noted that this year’s seniors have logged more than 21,000 hours of community service that also adds to their legacy.
“I hope your memories of Lassiter are something you will carry with pride,” Richie said. “The foundation that you built at Lassiter will serve you for a lifetime.”
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- Cobb school board adopts $1.8B FY 2026 budget
- New principals named at Srayberry, Wheeler for 2025-26
- Mt. Bethel Christian Academy names new lower school head
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