News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Onaway Graduate and Co-Valedictorian Jonas Benson enters the graduation ceremony at Onaway High School on Thursday.

ONAWAY — On Thursday night, 35 seniors turned their tassels at Onaway High School’s 2026 graduation ceremony.

The graduates entered the ceremony in the gymnasium one-by-one through a tunnel of flowers. The classic theme, “Pomp and Circumstance” played in the background.

Once the graduates were seated, Bryan Pyle, secondary principal, welcomed everyone to the ceremony.

“I would like to thank each and every one of you in this room for all that you have done to make an impact on the lives of our graduates who sit here today,” Pyle said.

Pyle advised the graduates to “paddle their own canoe/”

“My advice to you is don’t let what is happening around you get inside and weigh you down,” he said. “Paddle your canoe right through all that noise and on to the bright future that awaits you on the other side.”

Pyle introduced Superintendent Shaun Jordan, who congratulated the graduates with a quote from Winston Churchill.

“There is a quote from Winston Churchill that says, ‘success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts,'” Jordan said. “As you leave Onaway and step into your next chapter, carry with you gratitude for where you came from, pride in what you have accomplished, and confidence in where you are going.”

Pyle introduced the four student speakers: Honor Student Ben Hendrickson, Salutatorian Lillyann Cooksey, and Valedictorians Jonas Benson and Meredith Horn.

“I didn’t grow up with all of you,” Hendrickson said. “I didn’t have the same elementary teachers, or the same early memories, but I hope I added a few funny moments that you look back on and laugh about.”

Hendrickson said his greatest supporter through the years was his mom. She always knew what to do no matter what he was going through, he said.

“Take the memories from here, the friendships you built, and carry them with us,” he said. “Whether you realize it now or not, this place and these people will always be a part of us.”

During her speech, Cooksey thanked Pyle and Art Teacher Barbara Kowalewsky for their support. She offered a heartfelt thank you to each member of her family.

She quoted “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus and reflected on the lyrics.

“As cliche as it sounds, graduation isn’t the finish line,” Cooksey said. “There will be new challenges, opportunities, setbacks, successes, and moments when we have no idea what we’re doing. But if the last four years have taught us anything it’s that we’re capable of more than we can think.”

Benson urged his classmates to not live in fear.

“Fear will only hold you back from the things you really want to achieve,” he said.

“Surround yourself with a few people who know who you are and will fight for you even when you don’t feel like fighting for yourself.”

Horn gave a shout out to her family members, friends, and teachers that made an impact on her life.

She talked about the struggle she had throughout high school to be openly herself and working to overcome that.

“To my classmates, who after today will no longer be my classmates and who I have loved for 13 years, and to all the people who have truly supported me and made me feel genuinely loved during my time at our school, because there are so many of you,” Horn said. “There is no one who deserves your fear. There is absolutely nobody who is worth you being anything less than completely yourself.”

“Congratulations to the graduating class of 2026,” she concluded.

After Horn’s speech, Pyle invited the Onaway band to play the senior class’s music selection, “Star Wars Saga”.

When the music concluded, the graduates walked across the stage one-by-one to receive their diplomas.

When all had returned to their seats, the graduates turned their tassels to loud cheers from their loved ones.

The Onaway class of 2026 chose hydrangeas as their class flower and “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane as their class song.

Reagan Voetberg. News Staff Writer. rvoetberg@thealpenanews.com.