Four MHS grads finish with 4.0 GPAs

The Corn Palace was packed Sunday afternoon with friends and family ready to see 178 Mitchell High School graduates begin the next phase of their lives.

“Go out and take on the world,” said graduating senior and speaker Ryan Contreras. “You all have the potential to be who you want to be.”

Contreras and Jacob Pecenka — an Eagle Scout with a history of involvement in show choir and other activities — were voted to speak during the ceremony as part of the school’s tradition of selecting students as speakers.

Four seniors — Emily Hansen, Amelia Rew, Ashley Schmidt and Ashley Thelen — were recognized for tying for highest academic honors.

Contreras’ speech, titled “Self-Standard,” encouraged students to pursue happiness and achievement by believing in themselves.

“Find out what makes you happy,” Contreras told graduates. “Be real with yourselves.”

The director of a food drive at Second Chance High School and three-time radio quiz bowl participant also told graduates to pay attention to those with more life experience.

“Don’t turn away from everyone that tells you something you don’t want to hear,” Contreras said. “Wisdom comes from experience.”

In his speech, titled “The History of the Future,” Pecenka told graduates to never lose focus on the task of helping others.

“You can’t just worry about yourself,” Pecenka said. “We must look forward to helping other people. We have to realize that other people matter more than anyone can imagine.”

During the ceremony, graduating senior Aaryona Schilling played an original piano and voice composition called “The Lighthouse.” The senior choir also performed “For Good,” a selection from the Broadway musical “Wicked.”

As he ended his remarks, Pecenka expressed great hope for the future for every member of the MHS graduating class.

“I’m confident each and every one of you will do great things with your life and live it to the fullest,” Pecenka said. “It’s our future, Class of 2010. Let’s make it great.”

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