MARYSVILLE, MI — Under sunny skies at Viking Stadium, members of Marysville High School’s Class of 2026 celebrated a milestone on May, 31 as nearly 190 graduates received their diplomas during the school’s 105th commencement ceremony.
Family members, friends and supporters filled the stands on Sunday as graduates gathered for the 2:30 p.m. ceremony. The Marysville High School Band performed the processional and national anthem before four seniors — Taylor Caza, Raegan Fair, Makenzie Karkanen and Melanie Wehrwein — performed “Homeward Bound.”
Principal Phil Gartland welcomed graduates and their families before reflecting on the accomplishments of the Class of 2026.
Marysville City Manager Quentin Bishop delivered the commencement address, encouraging graduates to embrace opportunities and make decisions that move them forward.
“Your life will not be defined by what you were given. It will be defined by the decisions you are willing to make,” Bishop told graduates.
Bishop encouraged students to the “PPT test” to evaluate the people, places and things that influence their lives and reminded them that growth often requires stepping through doors before feeling completely prepared.
Valedictorian Gavin Forbes reflected on the memories shared by the Class of 2026 and the uncertainty that accompanies the transition into adulthood.
“Many adults and parents say high school is the best four years of your life. But I hope this isn’t true,” Forbes said.
Forbes said graduates are headed down different paths, with some students entering the workforce, others continuing their education and many still determining their next steps.
“There are many adventures waiting around the corner,” he said.
Gartland presented the senior class before members of the Marysville Public Schools Board of Education awarded diplomas to the graduates.
As the ceremony concluded, the Class of 2026 celebrated the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, surrounded by family, friends and fellow classmates on a warm spring afternoon.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Marysville High School graduates nearly 190 in Class of 2026
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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