KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Hugheville High School Class of 2026 Valedictorian Tyce Shaner delivers his address at the 133rd Commencement in Hughesville on Friday night.

Forever a Spartan, Tyce Shaner wore his bronze medals beneath the gold ones he earned for his cross country and track achievements.

The bronze medals were symbolic of the steps he, who also was valedictorian of the Hughesville High School Class of 2026, told classmates, faculty, administrators, the school board and guests at the 133rd Annual Commencement at East Lycoming School District, that he needed to earn to reach his full potential to get the gold ones.

On a warm but clear Friday night on the grounds of Harold L. Schaefer Memorial Stadium, Shaner gave an address invoking reminders of struggle and perseverance and finding passion.

“These bronze medals were the steppingstones of what got me the gold ones,” he said.

“What I’m trying to say is each failure is crucial to your success,” he said.

“Actually, if you keep getting back up after you fail you will reach your goal.”

Meanwhile, Salutatorian Ava Gorg said in her address she had a mere six hours to prepare it, rather than weeks because it was that short amount of time when she learned that she was the second highest in academic achievement in her graduating class.

The commencement featured a stirring patriotic electric guitar solo of the National Anthem by musician Kolton Iiams. That brought a rousing round of applause as the American flag was displayed in the early evening, and then Tommy Coburn, high school principal, gave inspiring opening remarks as well as Presentation of the Class of 2026. The night featured a conferral of diplomas by current Superintendent Gerald McLaughlin and Craig Dudek, president of the school board, along with dedication of the yearbook by Taylor Bunce and Margaret Kaiser, editors, and Pomp and Circumstance Traditional by Elgar as well as the Alma Mater and in the Recessional Sine Nomine by Ralph Vaughan Williams performed by the Hughesville High School Band, as the program stated.

Class Vice President Michael Swales, in a Speech of Welcome, offered his sincere thanks to the parents, foremost, most of whom were facing graduates from the bleachers.

“Where would any of us be without your unending, unconditional love and support throughout everything we’ve done?” Swales asked.

He also touched on the obligatory paths for some students heading to colleges and universities, going off to find work, or joining the military, which, he said, “I’m sure is a scary thought.”

“For others, this isn’t your first rodeo,” he said of those familiar with these kinds of milestone ceremonies.

“For all of you I know today is still a hard day,” he said. “You’ve watched these kids grow from taking their first steps to now taking one of the biggest steps in their lives.”

“They may be graduating but they’re still your kids and they still need that continuing love and support you’ve given them their entire lives,” Swales said.

“Time is flying by and their lives are changing, but THAT will stay the same.”

Next, Swales offered a ‘thank you’ to the teachers and staff who “without all their patience with us, without all of their dedication, without being leaders and mentors to this class we would have left here unchanged.”

Their efforts not only made the class better academically but as people, he noted.

“You have touched the lives, hearts and minds of all of us, pushing us to be more intelligent, stronger and more capable individuals.”

“Through your efforts you have prepared this class for our future endeavors whatever they may be.”

“Each of you whether that be teachers, coaches, directors, counselors, office staff, and cafeteria staff deserve a round of applause for the impact you have made on this school,” he said.

Swales offered recognition to all the students, having made impacts on each other’s lives.

Overcoming adversity

Shaner shared favorite sage words of an escaped slave who became a skilled orator, abolitionist, fighter of women’s rights, and an adviser to U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

“One of my favorite quotes comes from Frederick Douglass who says, ‘There is no struggle, there is no progress.'”

“This is true in our lives,” Shaner said, reminding his classmates to name one thing they were good at.

“Maybe it’s your ability to drive a car.

“Maybe it’s your ability to braid your own hair or do your own makeup, riding a bike with no hands or doing a wheelie … maybe even it’s a TikTok dance … whatever it is, think of a time where you had no difficulty getting there.

“No stumbles, no mistakes, no retries. No point where you questioned, ‘Is this it?'”

Then, Shaner switched to the purpose of those questions.

“Now, think of a time where you really struggled to accomplish a goal.

“Maybe it was a hard subject in school.

“Maybe an injury sidelines you in your favorite sport, or maybe you thought you aced the test, but you actually failed it.”

“Think of something that made you work extra hard to get back on track towards your end goal.

“This pattern of failing and learning, and failure is how we succeed.

“If we never fail, we’ll never learn how to succeed. I promise that failure is worth it,” he said.

Shaner also reminded the class that every situation is developed by choice.

“You can choose this way; you can choose that way like a fork in the road. But you have to act. Do not wait for that moment.”

He implored the class to take advantage of the time they have and to use their gifts and release their confidence, pursuing what they want to do.

“You are unique, you are blessed.”

He also urged the students to look at themselves in the mirror, “gas themselves up a little bit,” then leave the room feeling “confident in themselves.”

“There’s only one you,” he said. “No right or wrong version, just you.”

Pursue passions

“Maybe you played good games. Maybe you love pottery or painting on canvas,” Shaner said continuing.

“Maybe you really love bowling, but you haven’t gone in a while.

The time is now. Go do it, pursue your passion and if you’re all the way down to the absolute bottom, realize that you’re already at rock bottom and you can only go up from there.”

Lastly, Shaner reminded the class that while they’re pursuing their interest to not forget all the people who supported them throughout the years.

“For many, it’s your grandparents or your parents, maybe it’s your best friend, respected teacher or coach or an uncle,” he said.

“Maybe call them for advice or asking them would help in moving into college or shoot them a text telling them how much they mean to you,” he said.

“Use the resources around you and your closest people to make your decisions with confidence and proper discernment,” he said before concluding his address.

“Now, I ask you what decision will you make?” “God bless you.”

A milestone and memories

Gorg, also, thanked all the classmates, parents, and staff.

“We made it,” she declared, first offering appreciation to the parents, families, teachers, coaches, mentors, and friends. “Thank you for your support, encouragement, patience and belief in us that made this moment possible.”

“Today marks an important milestone that has shaped us in ways we may not fully realize,” Gorg said.

“For years we walked the same hallways, been in the same classes and shared experiences that have brought us to this moment. Now, we sit here as graduates ready to begin the next chapter of our lives.”

Gorg reminded her classmates of how they grew up in a small town, a small school, which meant growing up together, “seeing familiar faces wherever you go and knowing there are people who genuinely want you to succeed.”

She reminded classmates of how they’ve known each other through “awkward moments, Friday night football games, school dances, through projects that one person did, snow days we prayed for and countless moments that seemed ordinary at the time but feel special.”

“And, thankfully, because we grew up in the digital age many of those moments have been captured in photos and in videos.”

Years from now, she noted how she and others would be able to “tell their kids what digital cameras and Instagram were and how a combination was a way for us to look back at the time we spent together.”

In a bit of irony, she said, she would like “to tell the audience that she spent a lot of time preparing for her speech,” but Gorg said she spent those six hours asking herself the question of what was worth saying.

She acknowledged contemplating that she was first going to talk about some profound answer about life’s success in the future.

But the more she thought the more she realized “none of us really know what comes next and that was okay because that’s exactly the point.”

“For years we’ve all been asked the same question: What are your plans after graduation?”

“After hearing that question so many times you’d think we’d all have perfect answers by now. “But graduation was never about having every detail of our future figured out.

“The goal wasn’t to leave high school with all the answers.

“The goal was to become the kind of people who can face uncertainty with confidence, curiosity and determination.

“The reality is that none of us know exactly what the future will hold,” Gorg said.

Some classmates will attend college, some will go into the workforce, some will pursue training and some will go into the military.

For some they are still figuring out what comes next.

“I do know that wherever life takes us there will be challenges,” she said, echoing her classmate Shaner.

“We will face setbacks. We will experience disappointment. Importantly, we will make mistakes. But those moments did not define us. Instead, they give us opportunities to grow.

“They shape us into stronger, wiser and more resilient people,” she said.

“One of the most important lessons that I’ve learned during my time at Hughesville High School is that we always have a choice,” Gorg said.

“We can choose to take shortcuts, avoid challenges, or settle for less than our best.

“Or, we can choose to face difficulties head on – even when they are uncomfortable, inconvenient or intimidating.

In a light-hearted moment, Gorg added: “We can choose to complain in Mrs Molly Fuller’s (mathematics) class, which is a choice I would not recommend.

“Choosing to do the hard things even when success isn’t guaranteed is what builds character.”

She recognized how each of her classmates overcame obstacles that at one point seemed impossible.

Again, she pointed toward the digital age of how “we most likely scroll it on TikTok before deciding to take the challenges on.

“We are here because of the choices we made, the lessons we’ve learned and the challenges we faced along the way.

“As we leave Hughesville High School behind I hope we continue to challenge ourselves, support one another and embrace the opportunities ahead.

“I hope we remain humble enough to keep learning, confident enough to take risks, and encouraged enough to pursue lives that are meaningful to us – even when those paths are different from what others expect,” Gorg said.

“Class of 2026, while we may all be heading in different directions, we leave tonight with the same foundation.

“No matter where life takes us next we will always share this place, these memories in this moment. Congratulations, Class of 2026!”