Photo by Deb Gau Marshall High School Principal Brian Jones presented Morgan Hart with special gold tassels and honors cords, as she was named valedictorian of the MHS graduating class of 2021. MHS held in-person commencement ceremonies Friday night. A total of 173 students graduated this year, Jones said. More photos on page 6B.

MARSHALL — Marshall High School students have experienced a lot together, Aubrey Bjella and Mild Du said. Besides learning and making memories in their years at school, students have been through everything from snow days to presidential elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We truly had a school experience like none other,” said Bjella, one of the student speakers at MHS’ graduation ceremony. But, she said, “Through it all, we persisted.”

Du said the class of 2021 could truly be proud of themselves. “We made it this far, and it was well deserved.”

The Marshall High School graduating class of 2021 received their diplomas at Friday night commencement ceremonies. A total of 173 MHS students graduated this year, said Principal Brian Jones. The evening was a big contrast with last year, when COVID safety rules prevented an in-person program. On Friday, the bleachers were full of people cheering on graduates.

It was a night for celebrating student’s accomplishments. Jones gave special recognition to students entering military service, students graduating with honors, and the students with the top-ranking grade point averages in the class. Morgan Hart was named as class valedictorian.

While student speakers did spend some time reflecting on the past four years, and the many challenges the class of 2021 faced, they also encouraged their classmates to look to the future. Zoe Vorbach told her classmates to remember what they learned at Marshall schools — especially listening.

“Learning how to listen is by no means an unimportant or insignificant act,” she said. Vorbach called on the class of 2021 to keep working on listening to others, and truly considering what they had to say.

In his speech, Ryan Schroeder said he didn’t want to talk about what the class of 2021 had lost in the past couple of years, but how they kept moving forward together.

“We endured some of the worst that life had to offer, and we persevered,” he said. “This year reminded me that any hardship can be endured if you have good people in your life. Every day I saw my peers and teachers smile, make jokes, make conversation, ask each other how we were doing, anything to keep a sense of community alive.”

“Nothing stays the same forever, not even the hard times,” Schroeder said. “When our lives turn around for the better, we will be able to appreciate all that is to come because we know what we have to lose.”