Tracy graduated 34 seniors this year, who all sat together on stage in the gymnasium while looking out to see a filled floor and bleachers of friends, family and supporters.

“Today, we are here to celebrate our accomplishments and prepare for the journey ahead of us,” student speaker Addison Kainz said. “We’ve all come a long way … As we celebrate today, take lots of pictures. Appreciate the work that it took to get to this point.”

Throughout the ceremony, the graduating students sported smiles when listening to their peers give speeches, while also gesturing waves to their families in the crowd once making eye contact.

Continuing a Tracy graduation tradition, the students in the class with the highest GPAs are asked to deliver the commencement speeches that reflect the past, present and future. This year’s student speakers were Kainz, Aliyah Loftness, AnnaRae Bowman, Elijah Lightfoot and Griffin Zick.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Tracy Area High School graduate Rosa Vang (left) receives her diploma and shakes hands with superintendent Chad Anderson at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

“You might be wondering how we even got here in the first place, because honestly, I know I am,” Kainz said. “Our class motto, ‘Due tomorrow or do tomorrow?’ was probably the perfect way to sum up our academic careers, especially for those late night essays written with equal parts panic and caffeine.”

The graduation marked the completion of a journey that required determination, fearlessness and perseverance for the students. The day also carried nostalgia, as Sunday was the final time the same group would be together, while also appreciating all the memories that have been made.

“We never thought this day would come so fast. The day we go our separate ways, and the people you thought would never leave your side become an old photograph and fade into memories,” Loftness said. “I wanted to talk about something that isn’t discussed enough. How high school is not perfect, yet we all defied the odds and made it here today … The silent battles we all have fought to walk tonight and to get our diploma means more than any (award) ever could.”

Bowman spoke to the class about remaining in the present, knowing it’s also a part of the journey they are building for their futures.

“Right now, before the jobs, colleges, plans, and expectations, we are here, sitting beside people we’ve known for years in a place that became routine, without us even realizing how much it would mean to us someday,” Bowman said. “Maybe growing up isn’t about having every single step planned out. Maybe it’s about learning to trust yourself enough to keep going anyway.

Photo by Samantha Davis: A Tracy Area High School graduate receives his diploma at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

“I believe the people who are happiest are usually the ones who choose a life that actually feels like theirs,” Bowman added. “Don’t build your life based on what looks impressive to other people. Build it around the things that make you feel excited to wake up in the morning, the people who make you feel understood, the moments that make you lose track of time and the things that make you feel like yourself.”

The graduating class also took a moment to thank their loved ones during the ceremony, where they each presented a rose to their families in the crowd during the class song, picked by the students, “We Built This City” by Starship.

“None of us really know what the future holds. Most of us learn pretty young that the future can always change, because plans will always be different in some way,” Lightfoot said. “While change can be scary, it also can lead us to places we never expected, and maybe even places better than we planned. As we leave this chapter behind, I hope we remember that it’s OK not to have everything figured out. The future isn’t about following your plans, it’s about learning to adapt, making the best of every opportunity and continuing to move forward, even when life changes direction.”

Tracy Area High School principal Mandy Dibble also took a moment to recognize Bowman as the class salutatorian and Kainz as the valedictorian.

The Class of 2026 eagerly made their way across the stage to accept their diplomas from superintendent Chad Anderson, Tracy board chair Rodney Benson, Tracy board director Ryan Verlinde and Milroy board member Scot Bowman.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Tracy Area High School graduate Addison Kainz is recognized as the class valedictorian at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

The students were greeted by Bruce Flesner at the end of the stage, as he turned the tassels on their caps from the right side to the left, signifying the completion of high school.

“Class of 2026, it has been an honor going through this journey alongside you. Building friendships, making memories and forming connections that will last a lifetime,” Zick said. “The past 12 years have gone by quickly, and the next few surely won’t slow down. Let’s take a moment to appreciate where we are, and celebrate what we have accomplished.”

As the crowd broke out into cheers, the graduating class took a moment together to make one final memory in their home gym, as they collectively stood up and proudly stated, “Once a Panther, always a Panther.”

Photo by Samantha Davis: Tracy Area High School graduates Aliyah Loftness (left) and Elijah Lightfoot (right) stand while being recognized in the group of honor students at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Tracy Area High School graduate Connor Lanoue walks the stage after receiving his diploma at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

Photo by Samantha Davis: Tracy Area High School graduate Piper Freeburg walks the stage after receiving her diploma at the commencement ceremony on Sunday.

Photo by Samantha Davis: The Tracy Area Class of 2026 stands up together at the end of the commencement ceremony on Sunday.