The Advanced Courses and International Baccalaureate Diploma Ceremony for the Class of 2025 was a reflection of what happens when students choose challenge with intention, and when schools create the conditions for that challenge to turn into growth.
“These programs are about more than academic rigor,” said Timothy Brendler, Assistant Principal at McCaskey HS. “They are about helping students discover what they are capable of when they commit to learning, support one another, and persist through difficulty. What we celebrated today is not just achievement, but growth.”
That growth was evident in every student recognized on stage.
Sustained growth in Advanced Placement
The School District of Lancaster’s Advanced Placement program continues to show strong, consistent progress. This year, 59% of AP exams earned scores of 3 or higher, marking five consecutive years of upward momentum. Scores increased more than 6% from last year and are up 22.5 points since 2021.
Several courses posted standout results, including 100% pass rates in AP Studio Art, AP Drawing, AP African American Studies, AP Government and Politics, AP Japanese Language and Culture, and AP Microeconomics.
But AP learning extended far beyond exams.
Students engaged in real-world applications of their coursework, from gallery exhibitions and public presentations across Lancaster County to civic projects and partnerships with local organizations. These experiences allowed students to connect academic content to real communities and real issues.
“Learning at its best isn’t confined to one subject or one classroom,” said Maggie O’Connor, a member of the Class of 2025. “It happens when curiosity and discipline come together to solve real-world problems.”
Maggie’s extended essay examined the economic and environmental costs of low-head dams, reflecting how advanced coursework encourages students to think across disciplines and apply learning to issues that matter beyond school walls.
“Advanced courses have a powerful impact not because of their weight, but because of the growth they demand,” Brendler shared during the ceremony. “They turn uncertainty into confidence and effort into insight.”
The IB Diploma: rigorous, global, transformative
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Class of 2025 completed one of the most demanding academic pathways available to high school students. Each diploma candidate completed at least six IB courses, with some students choosing to take additional exams across disciplines including spanish, physics, visual arts, history, world religions, chemistry, and mathematics.
Several students earned total scores above 30 points, reflecting consistently strong performance across every exam. Additionally, 18 students received bonus points for exceptional work in Theory of Knowledge and their Extended Essays.
Those essays reflected the depth and breadth of IB learning. Topics ranged from global politics and environmental policy to dance, music, and the historical impacts of war, sport, and culture.
For Samantha Sally, the IB experience reinforced that academic rigor and creativity are not separate pursuits.
“Rigor and creative expression aren’t opposites,” Samantha shared. “They work together. Intellectual depth can take many forms.”
Her extended essay explored how political change in the 20th century influenced Isadora Duncan’s contemporary dance style, combining historical analysis with artistic inquiry. Her work exemplified how IB encourages original thinking rooted in both research and personal passion.
“IB pushes students to think across disciplines and apply their learning to issues that matter beyond the classroom,” Alison Browning, World Language teacher said. “That kind of thinking prepares students not just for college, but for engaged citizenship.”
Learning how to learn
Throughout the ceremony, speakers emphasized that IB and AP are not just about content mastery. They are about learning how to learn.
Students reflected on developing time management skills, learning balance, navigating fast-paced environments, and understanding when to seek support. Several spoke candidly about the challenge of managing stress while maintaining curiosity and purpose.
One IB graduate shared that the program taught them “how to get unstuck, when to reach out for help, and how to transition from a small classroom to a lecture hall of hundreds.”
Another reflected, “Even when it felt impossible to look at one more extended essay draft or complete one more assignment, you knew there was a room full of people going through the same experience with you.”
That shared experience became a defining feature of the IB journey.
The Class of 2025 also embodied the IB commitment to balance through Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS). Students participated in musical theater, marching band, visual arts, Model United Nations, athletics including soccer, cross country, tennis, wrestling, skiing, and cheerleading, as well as service projects ranging from tutoring to fundraising and volunteering.
“These students didn’t just excel academically,” Browning noted. “They led, served, created, and supported others. That balance matters.”
A community of scholars and leaders
Many of the students honored also held leadership roles in student government, honor societies, Mock Trial, robotics, and athletics. One student represented their peers on the School District of Lancaster Board of Directors, while others balanced AP and IB coursework alongside significant extracurricular commitments.
“McCaskey challenged us to pursue excellence while staying connected to what we care about,” Maggie said. “That combination shaped how we think and how we show up in the world.”
Exam results matter, but they are not the full story. “What stays with you long after graduation are the skills, the relationships, and the confidence you build through experiences like these,” Dr. Keith Miles, superintendent said. “The Class of 2025 has shown they are ready for what comes next.”
Congratulations to the Advanced Placement scholars and IB Diploma recipients of the Class of 2025! We are proud of you. And you will always have a place here at home in the School District of Lancaster. For more photos, visit our Facebook.
