Their afternoon began with getting the unfamiliar caps to stay in place atop their heads and ended with the traditional tossing of those carefully placed caps into the air around the flag pole in front of the school.

The commencement, the school’s 64th, began with a prayer from the Rev. Patrick Behm.

“Bless them as they go forward and for the rest of their lives,” he said.

Mary Gibb, president of St. Edmond, spoke to the students, faculty and parents.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Erin Flattery, center, takes a selfie as she gets help with getting her cap on Sunday afternoon from her classmates Jillian Cosgrove, at left, and Jacquelynn Oberg, right.

“To you and your parents,” she said. “St. Edmond is proud to have been an extension of your family.”

She was also quite proud of the students’ scholarships. She said they had been offered about $1 million and had accepted more than $500,000.

She sent them on their journey with words of encouragement.

“You can do anything when you leave here,” she said. “You’re a graduate of St. Edmond.”

The students, she said, had received much more than an academic experience.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Ayrton Peterson reacts as she gets a double kiss from her parents, Neil and Tina Peterson, following commencement at St. Edmond Catholic School.

“The passion in your heart,” she said. “You have found that here.”

She also recognized retiring teacher Bernie Rosch.

Rosch received a standing ovation.

Class speaker Nathan Montgomery spoke to his classmates.

“Now we stand here with bottomless enthusiasm,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
About-to-graduate St. Edmond senior Jake Rossow practices one of his serious poses as he waits with his classmates for commencement to start Sunday afternoon.

He offered some advice to his classmates.

“Live in the moment at your highest potential,” he said. “Class of 2019, look around and enjoy this moment. We, the Class of 2019, are filled with hope for the future.”

He expects the world outside of St. Edmond to be a little different.

“As we say goodbye to everything that’s comfortable and familiar, let’s say hello to a new experience,” he said. ”Stay humble, stay kind… go change the world.”

Behm sent the students to their futures with one final prayer.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Some of the St. Edmond Catholic School Class of 2019 toss their caps into the air Sunday afternoon following commencement.

“We thank you for the good work and that you bring it to completion,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
St. Edmond Catholic School graduate Jack McEvoy celebrates getting his diploma Sunday afternoon during commencement.