Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Since 1970, students from all corners of Pocahontas County have had one thing in common – they are Warriors. They start their education careers as Golden Eagles, Timberwolves, Red Devils and Copperheads, but they eventually put on the maroon and gold and their Warrior pride.
Last Friday night, 50 Warriors received their degrees and bid farewell to the hallowed halls of the school that was their second home for the past four years.
The gymnasium was filled with proud parents, guardians, family members and friends as the honor graduates reminisced about their time in high school.
“High school is often measured in class, grades and activities, but when we reflect on these years, those are not the things we’ll remember most,” Ramona Hardy said. “We remember the moments that changed us. We remember the friendships that grew stronger, the challenges that tested us, the mistakes that taught us lessons and the experiences that helped us discover who we are.
“One of the most remarkable things about high school is how much change can happen in just four years,” she continued. “As freshmen, we entered these halls with uncertainty. As sophomores and juniors, we begin to find our strengths and interests. By senior years, many of us were making decisions that would shape our futures.”
Through their four years in high school, the students grew as individuals and as a group, conquering things that once seemed daunting. Now, they take that conquering spirit into the world and find their own paths.
“What makes this graduating class special is that we are not all heading in the same direction,” Hardy said. “Some of us will continue our education in college. Others will enter trade schools, apprenticeships, the military or the workforce. In a world that often focuses on one definition of success, our class serves as a reminder that there are many ways to build a meaningful life.
“As we move forward, none of us can predict exactly where our paths will lead,” she continued. “Some of us may achieve goals we have dreamed about for years. Others may discover entirely new passions and opportunities we cannot yet imagine. What matters is not that we all follow the same path, but that we continue moving forward with courage, curiosity and determination.”
Dylan Keller spoke about how the past four years have passed in the blink of an eye and how it is true that you need to cherish every second they had together as a class.
“Looking back, as a freshman, I wish I had believed what all the seniors were saying – to ‘cherish these four years because they fly by,’” he said. “Everyone has once felt lost before but look at us here. The class of 2026. All of us planning on going down separate paths but will always stay connected as Warriors.
“If someone were to tell me in eighth grade that this was the group of people who would soon become my closest friends, I wouldn’t have believed them,” he continued. “We were all so different, but that’s what made us so perfect. The individuals you surround yourself with will always become a part of you, and you a part of them. If there’s two things I learned in the past four years, it’s that you choose the people who choose you and not to take one minute for granted.”
Valedictorian Cammi Warner mentioned how challenging the past four years were and how, on every occasion, the class rose to those challenges together and left them as strong individuals.
“As I look around tonight, I see people I’ve known since preschool and people I met just four years ago when we started high school,” she said. “No matter when we met, we’ve shared experiences, grown alongside each other and made memories that we’ll carry with us long after tonight.
“Of course, getting here wasn’t always easy,” she continued. “We all faced challenges along the way and there were times when things didn’t go as planned, but every challenge taught us something and every experience helped shape us into who we are today.”
Now that they are leaving the comfort of a small school surrounded by caring communities, the graduates have endless possibilities ahead of them. Warner reminded her fellow graduates to hold on to all the memories of high school to help them get through both the good and bad times.
“What matters is that we keep moving forward, take chances and trust ourselves,” she said. “The future can be exciting, scary and unpredictable all at the same time, but that’s what makes it worth looking forward to.
“To my fellow graduates, thank you for all the memories, the laughs and the moments we’ve shared over the years,” she continued. “I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished together, and I can’t wait to see where life takes each of us next.”
Salutatorian Allison Friel shared gratitude to everyone – parents, families, guardians, teachers and God – who helped shape the class into the young adults they are today. As she closed her speech, Friel thanked her fellow classmates, as well.
“Without each of you, I would not be the person I am,” she said. “Your criticisms and encouragements are what has molded me into the person standing in front of you today. For the last twelve years, we have been one of the few constants in each other’s lives. I have seen your faces every day and heard your voices every time I walk through that door. Looking at all of you, I wish you nothing less than the best.
“While I will see some of you often, there are some of you that I may never see again,” she continued. “But, if I run into you in ten, twenty or even thirty years, I pray that all of you can tell me that each day you have lived has been better than the once before and I pray that you all find love and happiness in whatever corner of this world life has taken you.”
Joseph Van Meter spoke about how you can’t have success without failure, and learning from those failures is just as important as what the successes teach you.
“Over the years, I’ve realized that failure can look like a lot of things,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the goals we set and never quite reach, the opportunities we talk ourselves out of, or the moments we wish we could redo. It could be the test you bombed after studying for hours on your floor eating knockoff Fruity Pebbles, the friendship that fell apart, or applying to seventeen top colleges and getting rejected by sixteen of them.
“But looking back, every one of those moments pushed me in a direction I didn’t expect,” he continued. “They forced me to grow, to rethink and to try again. That’s the part we don’t always see while we’re in the middle of it.”
Van Meter reflected on the tough times the class has been through – the COVID-19 pandemic, four principals in four years, uncertainty in the future and much more.
“Yet, somehow, here we are,” he said. “We learned that success is measured by how we respond when life doesn’t go our way. It’s found in the resilience to keep showing up, the courage to try again and the faith to believe that our best chapters haven’t been written, yet.
“Today, as we sit here in our caps and gowns, it’s easy to focus on the achievements – the diplomas, the awards, the acceptances and the accomplishments,” he continued. “But I think what matters most is not what we achieved. It’s who we became along the way. In a few moments, we’ll leave this place and step into a world full of uncertainty. Some of us are heading to college, careers, military service and some are still figuring out what’s next. Wherever life takes us, I hope we remember this – failure is not the opposite of success. More often than not, it’s part of the journey to get there.
In closing, as the class president, Van Meter reminded his fellow classmates that he will be in charge of planning the ten-year reunion. In case he didn’t see some of the class until that time, he wanted to leave them with one last thing.
“No matter how hard life gets, you matter,” he said. “No matter where life takes you, it will be okay. If you aren’t okay, remember that bad days, bad months and even bad years do not define your story as a whole. Finally, love others, don’t forget home and be the positive change this world so desperately needs.”
After the speeches, the class received their diplomas from senior sponsors Bridget Koerber, Owen Vogelsong, Darlene Arbogast, Cindy Solak, Andy Friel and Emily Sharp, as well as guidance counselor Melissa Hall and principal Ruth Bland.
Vice principal Jeanette Wagner read the students names as they took the stage. Following tradition, each student presented the principal with a little token. This year, Bland received fabric flowers that she placed in a vase.
As each student handed her the flower, she hugged them and said, “I am so proud of you.”
