A 13-year journey through the Ely school system was summarized in roughly a half-hour on May 29 at Washington Auditorium.
For the 37 members of Ely Memorial High School’s graduating class of 2026, their commencement ceremony was brief and to the point.
Hundreds watched from the comfortable seats at the auditorium as the graduates completed the ceremonial and traditional event, bid farewell and got some words of advice before accepting their diplomas.
Sheila Angus, a longtime food service worker at the school, delivered the commencement address and said she was both surprised and flattered by the invitation.
Angus also offered a bit of humor.
“Whatever the reason they chose me I am flattered and for the rest of their lives they can say their school was so small the lunch lady gave the graduation speech,” said Angus.
Angus addressed each graduate by name and offered both well wishes and some parting words.
“My advice to you is to take the risk,” she said. “You all have different plans for next year. Whatever you guys choose to do, take a risk, meet new people.”
Angus also saluted the graduates and noted they “had help” along the way, and at the same time shared well wishes from herself and the group’s loved ones.
“The love we all feel for you, keep it in you,” said Angus. “If a mistake happens, forgive yourself. If you are happy with yourself, the world will love you.”
Graduates Cylvia DeBeltz and Alison Poppler spoke on behalf of the class and harkened back to an English assignment given by retiring teacher Jim Lah and Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.”
“Now, Class of 2026 we choose to take our next step,” said Poppler. “It’s not as simple as two roads. Our paths diverge to so many walks of life.”
The duo shared how they may long for “one more pep rally” or one more of the numerous activities they’ve enjoyed as high school students and that “leaving still makes us sad because most of us grew up together.”
DeBeltz added that “as our roads begin to separate, we take this final step together, to explore new opportunities and acknowledge how blessed we are to have known each other.”
DeBeltz was later named valedictorian of the Class of 2026, and Makenzi Huntington was named salutatorian.
Those recognized as honor students were: DeBeltz, Huntington, Poppler, Otto Devine, Manoline Dumensil, Jesse Grant, Tatum Gubrud, Sabrah Hart, Alyssa Ice, Andrew Johnson, Lyla Kelley, Zoe MacKenzie, Ella Perish, Sadie Rechichi, John Schiltz, Edward Swapinski and Chance Wavrin.
The honor students were part of a group that collected over $180,000 in scholarships earlier this month at the school’s awards day, as dozens of scholarships were distributed during a ceremony at the auditorium.
Both the pop choir and high school band performed at the ceremony.
Assistant principal Jeff Carey presented the class to superintendent and principal Anne Oelke and school board member Erin Moravitz assisted in handing out diplomas.
After the ceremony, the school courtyard was abuzz as graduates and family members gathered for photographs and to mingle, and the class took part in a final photo in which members tossed their caps into the air.
