From Promise to Purpose: Celebrating The Preuss School Class of 2025

The promise of The Preuss School UC San Diego is simple: to prepare first-generation San Diegans for college. 

On June 17, 2025, The Preuss School fulfilled that promise, ushering the Class of 2025 to a journey beyond the school’s walls and into bright futures. Nearly all of the 112 Preuss graduates are heading to college next year and are set to attend some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, including 29 who are set to enroll at UC San Diego.

Leaders from UC San Diego, The Preuss School and San Diego Unified gathered at the Epstein Family Amphitheater, along with Preuss scholars’ families and friends, to honor this remarkable group of students.

After the procession of graduates, scholars welcomed families, friends and community members in 14 of the 23 languages spoken by Preuss scholars and their families. The Preuss School student body represents 47 zip codes across San Diego, reflecting the school’s commitment to serving all students in the county.

In a message to her classmates, valedictorian Valerie Colin, who plans to attend Yale University to study psychology, reflected on the journeys many students and their families undertook to reach this milestone. “Today is more than just a celebration—it’s a turning point,” Colin said. “For many of us, this path wasn’t paved. As a first-generation, low-income student from an immigrant family, I carry the honor of not only bearing my dreams, but also those of the people who came before me. Class of 2025, stay grounded in the culture and community that shaped you. That’s where your strength and your purpose begin."

Senator Emeritus Toni Atkins, who served as president pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2018-2024, delivered an inspiring keynote address. “As the first in my family to graduate from college, I see something deeply familiar in all of you — the hard work, the drive, the unshakable belief that your future is worth fighting for,” Atkins shared. “You didn’t just arrive at this moment — you earned it. I can’t wait to see what this incredible class accomplishes.”

“I’d like to leave the Class of 2025 with one last message—never let anyone confine you to a checkbox. You are more than a label, more than a checkbox, more than the limits others place on you.”

– Valerie Colin, The Preuss School’s 2025 Valedictorian