“Today is not only a celebration of how far we’ve gone, but a reflection of what we’ve become through these years,” said class of 2026 valedictorian Summer LaBrune.

A total of 58 RTR seniors received their diplomas at commencement ceremonies Sunday.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for our seniors and their families,” said RTR Superintendent David Marlette.

Marlette said the RTR graduating class of 2026 was also notable for its academic achievements.

Photo by Deb Gau RTR Student Council Secretary Gavin Schreurs gave the official farewell to the class of 2026 during ceremonies Sunday.

“They have one of the highest (numbers of) academic honors for students that I have seen in my career,” he said.

Of the members of the graduating class, 64% were graduating with honors.

Getting to graduation was a process that wasn’t always easy, seniors said.

“One of the lessons that I learned throughout school is that nobody and nothing is perfect,” said senior Juhl Drake, in his welcome to the class of 2026.

Seniors also learned to keep going when they faced hardship, Drake said.

Photo by Deb Gau After walking across the stage, each member of the RTR Class of 2026 received a rose that they would later present to their families.

“Being able to say that you gave the best effort that you can give is truly something you can be proud of,” he said.

LaBrune and salutatorian Kamryn Novak said the class of 2026 made a lot of memories together.

“There will be days when we miss the people sitting beside us more than we expect. There will be moments when we wish we could return to this chapter of our lives, even just for a little while,” Novak said. “But I think that is the beautiful thing about the connection we’ve made here today. We will always have the memories of this school, and the people around us.”

“Underclassmen here today, I encourage you to enjoy your time in high school while you have it,” LaBrune said.

Rick Gossen, secondary principal at RTR, said the class of 2026 stood out, for a variety of reasons. Among the seniors’ qualities was diversity.

“We definitely have a lot of different types of people in this class, and a lot of different ideas. I’ve always said that one of RTR’s greatest strengths is that there’s something for everyone, and this class is a perfect example of that,” he said. The class of 2026 had athletes, academics, performers, quiet kids and leaders, he said. “You all found a place here.”

Gossen said leadership was also a word that came to mind when he thought of this year’s seniors.

“Over these four years, I’ve watched a lot of different groups form with this class,” he said. “And while you are all incredibly diverse, one thing stayed consistent: you looked out for each other. You led each other.”

Although graduating seniors would be heading out in different directions, Gossen said he thought they’d still have an impact on their community.

“I truly believe this class will leave RTR better than they found it,” Gossen said.

While the path ahead for graduates might be uncertain, the uncertainty was not something to fear, Novak said. “We will experience loss, change, and moments where we feel completely unsure of what comes next. But we will also experience new beginnings, joy and relationships,” she said.

“There are so many moments waiting ahead of us,” Novak said.