The Calhoun High School Class of 2026 was celebrated on the school field on June 14 as graduates, families, faculty and staff gathered to mark the culmination of their high school careers.

Members of the Central High School District's central administration team and Board of Education Vice President Megan C. Ryan, Esq., were on hand to congratulate graduates. Seniors from the CCP choral group performed the national anthem to open the ceremony.

Valedictorian Luke Pierce reflected on the diverse paths represented within the graduating class and encouraged his classmates to embrace imperfection and uncertainty as they move forward.

“There are the prepared. The overprepared. And those who checked out in September. All of you will be fine, generally.”

He then turned his attention to those he described as “the overprepared.”

“Because that was me: being overprepared is paralyzing. You cannot eliminate risk by researching it hard enough. If you look deep enough into anything, it becomes terrifying. One of the most extraordinary skills I can point you toward is recognizing a shortcoming, acknowledging it, and moving forward. Just say ‘that didn't work,’ try something else, and keep going. That's not failure.”

Salutatorian Alyssa Waldman spoke about the resilience demonstrated by the Class of 2026 and the importance of embracing challenges and change.

“As a whole, our entire class adjusted to change, supported each other, and made the most of situations that didn’t always go as planned. We are all stepping into a world that is constantly changing with inevitable obstacles. We can now come up with ideas, solve problems, and access information faster than ever, but we need to recognize that the most valuable knowledge is gained through experience not through screens, textbooks, or ChatGPT.”

Class President Kara Dobbs reflected on the lessons she learned throughout her childhood and high school years, emphasizing the importance of relationships, gratitude and living in the moment.

“I realized that childhood movies weren’t just stories. They taught us lessons that followed us. The greatest life lessons don't only come from childhood movies, they come from those we surround ourselves with.”

She shared the most meaningful lesson she learned from her late mother.

“She taught me to live in the moment and to appreciate what's around us. Because in one moment our whole world can change, but it's what we do with that change that determines who we are. We have no way of knowing what time will tell and we are only surrounded by our loved ones for so long.”