They were born during the iPhone revolution, came of age in a pandemic and now graduate into a world transformed by artificial intelligence. For the Class of 2025, change has never been the exception — it has been the backdrop. As they prepare to leave high school behind, these students reflect a generation shaped by disruption, connection, reinvention and resilience.
The Class of 2025 didn’t just grow up on screens — they grew up on fast-forward. Born in the late 2006 to mid-2007 window, their lives have coincided with the rise of smartphones, streaming media, social movements and digital identity. Their junior high years were marked by lockdowns and learning loss. Now, they bring with them not just ambition, but insight into a world they’ve been watching, questioning and navigating — even as rapidly evolving artificial intelligence promises more disruption ahead.
Josh Klapow, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, behavioral scientist and lifestyle coach based in Birmingham.
According to Birmingham-based clinical psychologist Dr. Josh Klapow, this class enters adulthood with “an incredible amount of flexibility and adaptation that has literally been tested for them since they were born.” He described them as “a class that can remind themselves they have seen it all,” citing exposure to political upheaval, technological change and social isolation as uniquely formative.
At Homewood High School, 348 seniors are preparing for commencement this month, having lived through lockdowns, digital classrooms and a redefined sense of “normal.”
HHS senior Madeleine Ann Brockwell said growing up as a digital native — “the iPhone was introduced in 2006 — that’s when I was born” — came with good and bad.
Madeleine Ann Brockwell is a senior at Homewood High School and will graduate as a member of the Class of 2025.
“In many ways I see it as an advantage. School-wise, having access to digital textbooks and online practice quizzes and AP Classroom resources has been really helpful for me,” she said. “Chromebooks in schools are a good thing — they cut down on paper and increase access to resources. But socially, the digital world has had a more negative impact. I look at some of my peers who have gotten caught up in misinformation, and it’s honestly changed who they are.”
Isolation was intensified during the pandemic, when school closures hit during the class’s middle school years. A 2024 report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education found students have recovered about a third of pandemic-era losses in math and a quarter in reading — but older students, like this class, have made slower progress.
Bete Solcum, a resident of Homewood, is a senior at Alabama School of Fine Arts and will graduate with the Class of 2025.
Senior Bete Slocum, who attends Alabama School of Fine Arts but lives in Homewood, said she learned to appreciate even the difficult parts of a “normal” high school experience. “I don’t really remember much of the pandemic,” she said. “I believe psychologists are calling it the ‘pandemic skip.’”
Delilah Dussich, a Homewood resident and ASFA senior, agreed. “I actually don’t agree with school turning
Delilah Dussich of Homewood is a senior at Alabama School of Fine Arts who will graduate with the Class of 2025.
‘normal.’ COVID-19 left a huge impact on schools, and it continues to hinder students.”
Slocum said the experience made her more attached to friendships and more intentional about connection.
HHS senior Ada McElroy recalled the logistics of eighth grade. “We would have an e-Day one day and then alternate going back to school,” she said. “Those in-school sessions were limited to a class size of 10 people.” When regular schedules resumed, she said, it was a tough transition — but she was grateful she hadn’t started high school during the pandemic.
Oliver Trolard, another HHS senior, did all of eighth grade virtually. “I think I did fine,” he said. “I kind of just
Oliver Trolard is a senior in Homewood High School's Class of 2025.
treated it like normal school — just without the back and forth.”
MENTAL HEALTH AND IDENTITY
This generation has helped normalize therapy, stress and inclusion.
“Every high school senior has had to face the question of what the world may look like next,” Klapow said. “This is a class that can remind themselves they’ve literally seen it all.”
Slocum said being in touch with mental health is a strength. “I think having close connections with people around you is one of life’s greatest joys.”
A 2024 study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that while resilience and social support buffered students from social media’s effects, about 1 in 5 college students still feel isolated — suggesting deeper challenges are at play.
The study also found that social media use often displaced time for healthier activities like sleep and exercise — especially among students already feeling disconnected. “These students who were socially isolated were not using social media to stay connected,” researcher Jane Fruehwirth noted. “They were using it in a different way.”
Leonardo Hernandez is a graduating senior on Homewood High School's Class of 2025.
HHS senior Leonardo Hernandez said the loss of physical connection also hit harder than expected. “Before the pandemic, I used to go climbing every day,” he said. “We were on the national team. But during quarantine, we couldn’t train — and I don’t think we ever really recovered. That time changed what was possible.”
HHS senior Henry Harrell said friendships have defined his high school years. “The guy I may sit across from at lunch and have known pretty much my whole life is someone I may never see again,” he said. “That’s a weird thing to think about.”
AI AND THE FUTURE
Technology has brought both connection and concern. Now, some students wonder if it might replace them.
HHS senior Alejandra Briceno finds AI’s potential intimidating. “It also is a bit intimidating — all it can do, and still the things we don’t know it can do,” she said.
“I don’t think the world is ready for all the power technology holds,” Dussich said. “AI could potentially replace workers, which is always a fear.”
Brockwell was more direct. “Even for college-level jobs, like being a lawyer — I want to go into law — AI can already do what a lawyer does. That’s concerning.”
Trolard is less worried. “People are the things that drive everything in the world,” he said. “Even if AI can do what a human does, it won’t replace people.”
“They can say, ‘We lived through a global pandemic,’ or, ‘We used to use smartphones for everything,’” Klapow said. “This creates connection. They may all come from different backgrounds, but they share that.”
The Class of 2025 knows the world won’t slow down for them — but they’re stepping into it with perspective, creativity and connection.
Klapow said the real strength of this class may not be in how much they've endured — but in how they've learned to adapt. “They’re a generation that’s grown up solving problems in real time, with the whole world watching,” he said. “They’re not passive participants. They’re navigating change — and shaping it as they go.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Slocum described the Class of 2025 as “spirited.” “I am excited to begin an autonomous life, but I fear not being able to keep up with the pressure.”
“I would define it as chaotically beautiful,” Dussich said. “We are such a diverse group of minds.”
Briceno shared her strategy for staying grounded. “There are times where if I am riding in a car, I like to just stare out a window and use my imagination. Or roll down the window and let the wind hit my face. I think it is really important that we can remember to stare out a window and use our imagination.”
Starnes Media Creator Collective student journalists Miyelani Mathebula of Homewood High School and Kaiden Boykin and Allie Rezek of Alabama School of Fine Arts contributed to this report. See more of their student interviews at thehomewoodstar.com.
