With the 2023 school year coming to an end, staff and students are preparing for graduation May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Badger Stadium. If it rains, the event will be moved to the high school gym.

“I am currently making the graduation book, including all the speeches that students and staff  have written,” counselor Penny Wilson said. “The top 6 ranked students do the speaking at graduation.”

Valedictorian Anna Burgess will do a speech at graduation about the future and salutatorian Ben Stone will speak about the past. The third ranked student does the welcome speech, the fourth does the closing speech, and fifth and sixth ranked students speak at baccalaureate.

“I am excited to be surprised with what the students end up doing after graduation,” Wilson said. “Some go into things you never would have thought of and many do great things. I love to see where they end up. Graduation is very exciting but can also be sad. You see so many students for four years and you get so attached to them, but I want all of them to experience the world and do great things.”

The dress code for those graduating will include wearing a pants suit or a dress for girls and black jeans or dress slacks with a button up shirt and a tie for boys. Dress shoes or boots are required. Tennis shoes, slides and flip flops are not allowed. Nose and ear piercings are allowed and boys must be clean shaven or have only a mustache. 

There are going to be so many tears at graduation,” senior Dylan Foppiano said. “A lot of my family is coming, and I know there will be so many tears of joy.”

Project Graduation will be at Putters and Gutters after graduation as a safe after party for graduates. 

 “I am ready to be able to go out into the world and to do great things,” Senior Mindy Montgomery said. “I will be the first person in my family to graduate so walking across the stage will be very emotional.”