Gerdes and Addison Shimon spoke to family, friends and faculty members on Sunday during the Pocahontas Area High School graduation ceremony.

The class of 67 students listened to Gerdes speak about “The Dash Poem,” written by Linda Ellis, comparing their high school and remaining days to the dash.

“We have a birth date and a death date on a tombstone, but there is also something people don’t notice — the dash between those dates,” Gerdes told his classmates. “The dash represents a person’s life and how it reflects what decisions we make and how we treat others.

“These past four years are now a part of our dash — but not the end — to make our dash meaningful because we don’t know how long it will be.”

-Messenger photo by Megan Jackson
Recent graduates of Pocahontas Area stand outside with their flowers and diplomas Sunday after commencement ceremonies at the high school in Pocahontas.

Gerdes talked about how this group of students had many different goals and experiences, but came together as one.

“This class is special because it is made up of people that all have different goals, interests and experiences,” Gerdes said. “But through our different experiences throughout high school we are still coming together to graduate.”

The class motto for the Indians is “The Class that did it Best.”

Pocahontas Area High School Principal Andrea Christians talked about how special the 2026 class is and what it’s gone through.

“I will remember them as being a high-achieving and very active class,” Christians said. “They will be missed in the hallways here at Pocahontas Area.

“This class will forever be known as the first senior class to lose their phones, as their phones were taken away due to the legislation passed in Iowa last year,” she added.

Shimon talked to her classmates about how the last four years have gone.

“I encourage you to make a difference in this world because life is short and at the end of the day no one will remember you for how much money you made,” Shimon told her classmates. “They will remember you for the person you were and the difference you made in this world.”

Shimon told the upcoming seniors how they should approach their final year of high school.

“Cherish every moment life has to offer and be grateful for every opportunity,” Shimon told the Class of 2027.

“The most special thing about our class is how well we get along,” Shimon said. “Our class has had our ups and downs, but we all have come together and are very close.”

Shimon also recalled one of her favorite memories about her classmates.

“One of my favorite memories while in high school was homecoming week my senior year,” Shimon said. “We spent the week traveling to the elementary and Catholic schools and interacting with the kids.”