Leaving a legacy

“I know that all that we’ve accomplished has been leading us to this point,” valedictorian Carson Beer said in his commencement speech Sunday. “Every award won, every game played, every concert performed, every class passed, every relationship built, and now it’s time to leave.”

And leave they did. After 119 students walked across the stage, moved their tassel from right to left and threw their caps into the air with a cheer, they each made their way out of Creston High School, perhaps for the final time.

Though some will continue to be Panthers through the remaining athletic seasons, there will be no more classes, no more grades and no more memories in the halls of CHS. What remains are the memories.

“From entering our freshmen year, oblivious to the new culture that surrounded us, to now being the top dogs that own the hallways, we have all changed, physically, mentally, and socially,” valedictorian Mahi Patel said in her speech. “These changes have definitely shaped our attitude and our beliefs.”

Patel, Beer and Maylee Riley each gave a graduation address as representatives of the 14 valedictorians for the class of 2026.

“The label valedictorian refers to the highest-ranking student in the class with a 4.0, but the stigma around that label isn’t always entirely true,” Riley said. “Yes we have the grades, but just like everyone sitting here, we have made mistakes.”

Riley reminded the class of a quote by B.F. Skinner, “A failure is not always a mistake; it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying.”

“As we all venture to our next steps in life, remember that in order to succeed, we must fail,” Riley said. “Failing or making mistakes are supposed to happen, but it shouldn’t define us, rather guide us towards our own paths in life.”

Included in this class of 2026 are students who brought home top academic achievements; athletes who became state champions and performers who were recognized as the best of the best. Though it is now time to leave, they each left a piece of themselves behind as a legacy of who they were when they were Panthers.

“It’s our responsibility to take these experiences we’ve had and to take these things that we’ve done, the good, the bad and the indifferent, and to go out and make more experiences. To do more things. To build new relationships with what we’ve learned from the ones here,” Beer said. “This time at Creston High School it’s over, but it’s not wasted.”

AWARDS

Valedictorians –

Carson Beer, Lila Berning, Jaycee Hanson, Kyler Hanson, Wyatt Hitz, Nolan Ide, Lillian James, Mahi Patel, Ayden Purdum, ShyAnn Richards-Smith, Hollynn Rieck, Maylee Riley, Lane Travis, Malachi Webber

Salutatorian -

Isabella Spencer

Graduating with honors -

Kyler Hanson, Wyatt Hitz, Savannah Jaques, Ayden Purdum, Avery Staver, Malachi Webber, Owen Weis

The criteria to graduate “with honors,” the student must: maintain a grade point average equal to or exceeding 3.6, earn 60.25 credits, which includes four years of English (including English literature or English composition); three years of math (including geometry); three years of science (including either chemistry or physics); three years of social studies; two years of foreign language and have an ACT score of at least 24.

National Honors Society -

Kadley Bailey, Nevaeh Chesnut, Jaycee Hanson, Nolan Ide, Lilly James, Mahi Patel, Braylee Pokorny, Hollynn Rieck, Maylee Riley, Isabella Spencer, Elizabeth Sprague, Lane Travis, Ella Turner, Brynn Tussey, Liberty Cordell

Great Strides Award -

Liberty Cordell

The Great Strides award recognizes a member of the senior class who despite a rough start in high school was able to turn things around in his/her life and finish high school in a positive manner with a sense of purpose. Students were nominated by staff members and then selected on a vote of the entire staff.