“For many, today is a day of excitement and anticipation for what the future may hold,” Shannon said. “There are going to be some of you, however, that are wondering, ‘Am I ready?”

Eighteen years of “firsts” — the first time they were left with a babysitter, the first day of kindergarten, the first time they stayed overnight with a friend, the first time they drove a car — are what prepared the MNW graduating class to close this chapter of their lives and begin the next.

“Not only are you ready, but you have been ready for longer than you may have realized,” Shannon said.

There was something notable about this year’s graduating class, the principal said. Each student in the class has graduated with at least a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Manson Northwest Webster graduate Kaelynn Baker was one of the student speakers at Sunday's commencement ceremony.

“I am not aware of a class that has achieved this level of academic distinction,” Shannon said. “The amount of office referrals for this class were extremely rare, and they managed themselves with determination and resolve.”

The four student speakers were the four graduates who maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point average throughout all four years of high school — Kaelynn Baker, Lane Moline, Mykaela Stuhrenberg and Mykenzie Stuhrenberg.

Baker reminded her fellow graduates that setbacks and obstacles are necessary to learn and move forward, and they should always stay true to themselves.

“In today’s society, you can easily fall into the trap of living for others rather than for yourself,” she said. “Stay true to your passions, goals and aspirations. Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams.”

Moline admitted to having a tough time deciding what he wanted to say, before settling on something all the graduates could relate to.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Manson Northwest Webster graduate Brianna Cloudas embraces her mother, Donna, during Sunday's commencement ceremony.

“Twenty-three thirty,” he said. “This was my lunch number on the first day of kindergarten.”

Moline recalled after taking their school pictures that fall, their kindergarten teacher handed them each their school ID cards with their name, photo and a little number in the corner.

“We all have different numbers, but they all started with 23,” he said.

When he asked what that number meant and why it was the start of all of the class’ lunch numbers, their teacher said it was the year they’d graduate.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that is in, like, a lot of years,'” Moline said.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Manson Northwest Webster graduate Landon Lundberg looks out at the audience as the graduates are honored at the end of Sunday's commencement ceremony.

He was certain it was going to take forever to get to graduation in 2023, but he eventually learned that the years go by quickly.

“As I stand here in front of all of you today, I’ve realized it feels like just yesterday I got my lunch number, and that the last time I’d ever use that number for lunch was on Wednesday, May 17,” Moline said. “Our parents and grandparents were right — time flies.”

After each graduate walked across the stage to collect their diploma and take a rose to their family, Shannon addressed the Class of 2023 one last time.

“Schools are often judged by abstract criteria such as test scores, but in my mind, the most important benchmark is the quality of the students that we are sending out to impact the world,” Shannon said.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
The MNW concert choir performs during Sunday's commencement ceremony under the direction of Kayla Nissen.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Manson Northwest Webster graduate Lane Moline was one of the student speakers during Sunday's commencement ceremony.