By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
Cheers and applause filled the Lea Ledger Auditorium last Thursday evening when Crossroads High School held its Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony featuring the largest class of graduates in Crossroads High School history with 45 graduates.
For many graduates, Crossroads High School offers a way to make the impossible possible and allow students to graduate on time or early, since the school offers self-paced courses and helps with credit recovery.
For Jerome Leon Guerrero, 19, Crossroads was the answer to his school problem. Leon Guerrero said that he came to the United States from Guam during his sophomore year of high school, and he struggled with school.
“I had support from my family, but school wasn’t really like lining up for me, and I just spiraled downwards,” he said. “I came here to Crossroads, and they just gave me all the opportunity I needed, like they didn’t need to give me much, but they helped me way more than I needed.”
He attributed his success to the teachers and staff at Crossroads.
“They’re all very helpful, very, very engaging with the students,” he said. “They helped as much as they could, some more like, way more. They were very outgoing as well. They brought up the spirits of the school. It’s the reason why I’ve graduated.”
Leon Guerrero said Crossroads stands out from a traditional high school experience with the one-to-one help that is available, due to it being a smaller campus.
He said that he would tell anyone who is unsure of whether they are going to be able to graduate to “go for it” and transfer to Crossroads.
Leon Guerrero said he doesn’t have any college plans for post-graduation yet, but he has started working at a part time job and is trying to figure out what he wants as a career.
Kiandre Steele, 17, is another Crossroads High School graduate. He said he ended up at Crossroads after he heard about it from a friend. He said that he was going through a lot with home life and school and felt a lot of pressure, so he wanted something more self-paced.
He transferred in September 2024.
Steele described the teachers and staff at Crossroads as patient and understanding and said the fact that it is self-paced makes it very relaxing and less stressful.
He said that if a student is struggling with balancing school and other parts of their life, Crossroads is definitely the way to go.
Steele said that he is still figuring out his next steps, but that he feels a calling from God to become a police officer to help people.
“There’s hurt people out there, and I want to help them how God helped me,” he added.
Crossroads High School Principal Pat Crawley welcomed families to the auditorium during his speech prior to the calling of names and shared a message of who Crossroads is for.
“Graduates, you are the embodiment of Bulldawg spirit: resilient, determined and yeah, some may say a little bit of bullheaded. You face challenges that could’ve and would have stopped others, but you chose to adapt and overcome. Each of you carry a story woven with struggles, comfort and victories earned,” Crawley said. “At Crossroads High School, we talk about forging your own path, and that’s exactly what you’ve done. This school is in the heart of Copperas Cove. It’s a little place where the road less traveled can lead to an extraordinary destination. You’ve learned that education is not just about textbooks, but also about self-discovery and realizing what you’re capable of when you put your mind to it and truly commit. You’ve embraced your individuality and turned it into a strength. Something like that is worth talking about and being very proud of for the rest of your life. As you move to the next chapter, whether it’s college, university, military service, trade school, or some other path, I urge you to take the lessons you’ve learned at Crossroads with you, not just the academics and what you’ve heard in a book, but the values of collaboration, communication and cooperation with others. Be bold in pursuing your passions, and don’t fear the unknown. Life is full of possibilities, and each of you has the power to make a lasting impact on your family, your community and the world.”
Crawley added that family and friends have supported these graduates and thanked them for their love, encouragement and steadfast support through the late nights and tough times which he said have been the bedrock of the students’ success.
He also gave a shout out to the staff at Crossroads.
“You have created a nurturing and supportive environment, guiding our students with wisdom and care. You have helped them discover their potential and shape their future,” Crawley said. “Your impact that you have made on them will echo for the rest of their lives, and Graduates- as you move forward, remember that it’s okay to stumble and fall. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, to learn and to come back just a little bit stronger, stay curious, hold tight for the friendships and memories you’ve made here, and never forget where you started, which is right here in Copperas Cove, Texas, Crossroads High School, where you became a Bulldawg.”
The complete list of graduates from the Class of 2025 Spring Commencement includes:
Juan Arreola Mendoza
Christen Bennett
Andrew Bledsoe
Jason Bomar
Kaleb Botello
Jason Bourdage
Alvin Brown
Kevin Brown
Kaiden Carroll
Janessa Castillo
Rion Childers
Nathaniel Claudio
Gavin Conaway
Daevon Cullum
Myahna Davis
Jayden Dickson-Ramirez
Shawn Finley
Emmanuel Handy
Jaqueline Henry
Aiden Hildreth-Lemieux
Nathaniel Kellar
Jerome Leon Guerrero
Tyler Mastin-Ramirez
Jaquan Menchue
Izabella Michon
Joseph Misap-Garman
Caitlin Mobilia
Jacob Pomeroy
August Porter
Michaela Roberts
Malachi Roberts
Corey Ross
Aaliyah Rydell
Alyssa Santini
Jody Scott
Hayden Segura-Simms
Kiandre Steele
Dhru’Marte Sullivan
Jeycob Torres Maldonado
Fredric Walton
Gavin Walsh
Evan White
Kaleb White
Rahman White
Isaac Wiley
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