Lakeview High School graduates toss caps high in the air after commencement Friday evening. More photos on page 5A.

COTTONWOOD — They were Lakeview High School’s first graduating class to have a normal senior year since the COVID pandemic. But the graduates gathered in the school’s gymnasium Friday evening said they’ve still experienced a lot of changes.

“A good chunk of our high school careers was spent on the other end of a Zoom call,” said Cole Arends, salutatorian of the Lakeview class of 2022.

But he and his fellow graduates could glad for the experiences they had through their years together.

“This is a new and exciting start for our lives, and I’m certain that our futures are bright,” he said.

A total of 33 Lakeview seniors graduated Friday. While the COVID pandemic meant Lakeview had to get creative with its graduations over the past couple of years, the class of 2022 got to have a traditional, in-person commencement ceremony.

“You’ve had a senior year that, for the most part, brought us back to a sense of normalcy,” Lakeview Superintendent Chris Fenske told graduates. “But you’ve learned that life does not necessarily go according to plans, and life calls for perseverance, grit, resiliency and the ability to adapt.”

Commencement speakers, including valedictorian Hayden Eischens, talked about the ways students have had to grow and learn through their time in high school.

“Our class is small, but that doesn’t mean we’re forgettable. In fact, this class is filled with some of the most memorable and genuinely kind students I’ve ever met,” Eischens said. “The memories we’ve made and the lessons we’ve learned aren’t small either.”

Eischens said he and his classmates would face struggles as they start out on a new path in life.

“But we’ll recover and move on,” he said. “I’m certain that every single one of us will make a positive impact on the world.”

Lakeview Principal Scott Hanson urged graduates to remain self-disciplined, accountable, dependable, and to be lifelong learners.

“Our theme this year was ‘Let’s roll,’ but it’s much more than a theme, it’s a way of life. It’s a way of life to get up each day and keep moving toward your life’s goals,” Hanson said.

“Go out from here and set the tone of your journey,” Hanson told graduates. “We wish you the best of luck, we love you, and it’s your time to roll.”