DETROIT LAKES

— The Detroit Lakes High School Class of 2024 graduated with much fanfare on Friday, May 24.

After being welcomed into the Lakeshirts Fieldhouse by the DLHS Band playing “Pomp and Circumstance,” a total of 228 seniors received their diplomas from Detroit Lakes School Board Chairman John Steffl, after which High School Principal Joshua Omang turned their tassels from the left to the right side of their mortarboards.

But in between the processional and the disbursement of diplomas, the seniors heard remarks from classmates Ava Morrison, Josef Nemec and Brayden Sjoblom, as well as Omang and DLHS social studies teacher Kalen Malchow.

The messages ranged from somewhat serious to unabashedly humorous.

“We finally made it,” said Morrison. “The past 13 years of our lives have led us to this moment. … As we look into our futures, I know a lot of us, including myself, may be a little bit scared to take the next big leap …”

Morrison concluded her presentation with a quote from Stephen Hawking: “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. … Don’t live your life in one spot because you’re afraid to adapt to change. We’ve been adapting for 13 years. So don’t forget to keep taking steps, big or small, even if it’s slowly. Just keep moving. Embrace the little things and dream big.”

Nemec, who said that he hadn’t even told his parents he would be speaking at the ceremony, described himself as “not your typical speaker,” and illustrated that by noting, “Congratulations, we finally made it. Especially considering, just last month, one out of four students among us had a failing grade.”

As the chuckles died down, he continued on a more serious note, “As we embark on the next chapter of our lives, let’s embrace the unknown, with courage and confidence. Let’s dare to dream big, and aspire to achieve greatness in whatever path we choose to pursue.”

After giving “shout outs” to his family and others who had contributed to his path toward graduation, Sjoblom started his presentation out with a confession that he hadn’t told very many people before, noting, “I’m afraid of the dark.”

More specifically, he added, “I’m afraid of what could be in the dark,” and noted that he felt this fear of the dark “applies to a lot of us. We’re going out into the completely unknown.”

Sjoblom added that he felt his fellow graduates had the ability to overcome that fear. “Any challenge, any darkness … don’t fear what could happen. Just take a look at yourself and say, you’ve faced worse, and you will be able to overcome whatever happens.”

Malchow entertained the seniors with some humorous predictions for their future, and left them with the following advice: “Stick together; be there for each other. No. 2, get a job… and laugh every day.”

Omang expressed his pride in this graduating class and left them with some parting advice: “Nobody gets anywhere by themself. Say thank you to the people who help you get where you want to go. Don’t forget them.”

In between these presentations, the audience was treated to performances from the DLHS Concert Choir, Concert Band and Laker Singers, who performed selections including “Omnia Sol,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” and “What Was I Made For,” respectively.