The Mascenic Regional High School gymnasium was full of anticipation as the class of 2026 lined up outside on Friday.

“These past four years we’ve made a lot of memories together, which is true, but I’ve known most of you for the past 12 years. And for those that I have met, I’m glad to have met you and we were able to share our high school experience together,” Dylan Callahan, treasurer of the class, said in the class officer reflection speech.

All 62 graduates sat on the stage facing the crowd during the ceremony, allowing loved ones to take countless photos.

In his speech, Callahan referenced the many years the class spent together, most of them knowing each other since elementary school, and the bond they all shared. He paid tribute to the annual fourth-grade “Living Museum Project,” where students choose an important figure in the community to memorialize.

“Looking back, I can see how much, but also how little people have changed … I do not know your personal goals and aspirations, but I can see, however, that you adopted the qualities of the people that you found inspirational, and this is how people grow,” Callahan said.

The salutatorian, Brooke Bishop, encouraged her peers to engage during her speech. She spoke in place of the valedictorian, Allison Csikany.

“Yes, hard work is necessary. You should give your full effort at every moment, but we can’t lose sight of the fact that we are meant to live, not just keep up,” Bishop said.

She also noted how grateful she was for the phone ban implemented this past year.

“It opened the door to new relationships that may not have ever happened otherwise … We made the decision to engage with one another, whether it was our closest friend or a peer we’d never spoken to before,” she said.

Bishop and Callahan joined the rest of the class council to present the class gifts to the school, donating their remaining funds to Boynton Middle School sports and new stairs to the stage for future graduates to receive their diplomas. This year they used plastic aerobic step platforms.

Soon after, the students presented flowers to family members and friends as a form of appreciation for their support over the years.

Cassie Peterson, social studies teacher and class advisor, left the class of 2026 with a quote from the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

“You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So, get on your way.”