HERMANN – As he was overseeing the return of items from the football field back into school following Thursday night’s graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026, Hermann High School Principal Andy Emmons pointed to the event’s good fortune.

“We couldn’t have ordered better weather,” he told the Gasconade County Republican.

Just several minutes earlier, Emmons, now sporting a T-shirt and gym shorts, was wearing a suit and tie on the stage across which the 70 members of the senior class trekked to receive their diplomas. Gasconade County R-1 Board President Jessica Armstrong handed the diplomas to the graduates as they made their way from one end of the stage to the other.

Assistant High School Principal Todd Anderson announced the graduates individually as family and friends gathered in Bearcat Memorial Stadium looked on during what turned out to be a picture-perfect night for the ceremony. Bright sunshine that warmed the crowd when the event began at 7 p.m. gave way to more pleasant cooler temperatures as the ceremony progressed, ending about after about an hour.

The graduates and audience heard brief talks by several speakers, including Holly McGarrah, senior class president; Janet Limberopoulos, Student Council president who led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance; Emmons, R-1 Superintendent Geoff Neill and Anderson.

Graduate Faith Williams spoke to her classmates, as well, selected by her classmates to deliver the graduation speech she had written. Her speech was among several submitted by class members for consideration to be delivered at the ceremony.

“Freshman year seemed like it would last forever,” Williams said, adding that the students soon realized just how fast their high school career was passing. Now that it’s over, they all most prepare for what lies ahead for them, she said.

“If we trust in the plan God has for us, we’ll be led to exactly where we’re supposed to be,” she said.

In his turn at the podium, the superintendent talked of the importance of the educators in preparing the seniors for their moment that night. Neill again was speaking to the graduates and the audience not only as an administrator who had watched all the seniors progress to graduation, but also as a parent involved in the education of a particular student, daughter Jocelyn Neill. Last year, the superintendent was on stage as daughter Morgan made the journey to accept her diploma.

Jocelyn was introduced by her father to address her classmates. She spoke about not getting discouraged by the setbacks that lie ahead as the graduates begin the next phase of their lives.

“Make the wrong turns by detours instead of dead ends,” she said, encouraging her classmates to “make your high school years what you want them to be.”

Jocelyn Neill was one of the Summa Cum Laude graduates, ending her high school career with a 4.1 grade point average. Summa Cum Laude (With Highest Honors) is the top mark a student can achieve under the Latin Honors System, which this year replaced the more-traditional Valedictorian-Salutatorian honors.

The change to the Latin Honors System was approved by the school board a couple years ago, a move made to increase the number of students eligible for scholarships and awards from universities. Students who achieved a grade point average of 4.1 were designated as Summa Cum Laude graduates. Magna Cum Laude (With High Honors) graduates posted a grade point average of 3.89-4. Cum Laude (With Honors) graduates posted a GPA of 3.7-3.89.

Jocelyn Neill spoke about the achievements expected from R-1 students.

“We are incredibly lucky to come from a community and a school” where academic excellence is expected, she said, adding that meeting those expectations will pay off for the graduates. “I know our futures are bright,” she said.

At the outset of the ceremony, the seniors entered single-file to the sounds of “Pomp & Circumstance” performed by the HHS Concert Band under the direction of Colton Bunkley. Also performing and drawing a rousing ovation for its rendition of “Homeward Bound” were the Kammerchor singers under the direction of Machaar Gabathuler.

Here are the members of the Hermann High School Class of 2026:

Cameron Aberle, Jackson Austermann, Mason Bader, Landon Bayneer, Nichole Bentley, Grace Berkemeyer, Amy Reed Borgmann, Mark William Brune, Bradcksten William Carr, Trenton Chasteen, Eric Michael Chorley, Jazlan J. Dennis, Aiden B. Eikermann, Kruz Eldringhoff, Grace Engemann, Jillian Fredrick, Zachary Fredrick, Faith Viola Gabathuler, Jonas Garner, Alexia Lillie Lynn Green, Remington Groner, Kimber L. Hale, Spencer Head, Alaina Ruth Heaney, Guy Hoffman, Hailey Ann Hoffman, Maddie Holliday, Ashlyn Michelle Hughes, Reese Isaak, Garrett A. Jacob, Jaelee Rae Kohler, Nolan Michael Kopp, Jacob Paul Kuschel, Kealie Nicole Lane, Taylor D. Lauer, Jana Angelina Limberopoulos, Emory James Lindohl, Evan Joseph Marinaccia, Holly Sophia McGarrah, Seth McMahan, Keagan Ryan Meder, James Ray Merrell, Brylee Lynn Moore, Melanie Rose Mueller, Jocelyn Leah Neill, Kylee Rae Noelke, Nolan Robert James Ogreski, Madison Marie Rose, Ashton Cole Rucker, Darin Godzilla Rudzinski, Megan Dawn Ruediger, Molly Marie Scheer, Branden Lyle Scheible, Braden Schutt, Erika Michelle Schutt, Kegan R. Sperry, Cody Stoker, Krystal Renee Strubberg, Emma Jean Struckhoff, Amanda Tallent, Gavyn Theissen, Lily A. Theissen, Elaina Rose Uthlaut, Alexandria Jorden Vogel, Zachery Corbin Vogel, Carlie Elizabeth Walkenbach, Kendall Jordyn Walker, Hope Elizabeth Wideman, DeLaney L Williams, and Faith Nicole Williams.