They got to sit next to each other and once it was time to cross the stage, chivalry won over.

“Gweni will go first,” Jonny Hayden said.

Gweni Hayden plans on going to Iowa Central Community College to study in their culinary arts program. Jonny Hayden will also be going to Iowa Central to become an electrician.

Do they get along well enough to carpool?

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Freshly minted Humboldt High School alumni Keaton Taylor leaves the school Sunday afternoon following graduation ceremonies. His brother, Paxton Vitzthum, 9, follows, wearing his cap.

“It depends on our class schedule,” he said, so the answer is yes.

Her interest in the culinary arts, baking in particular, meant that some of the treats at the graduation party were made by her own hand.

“I made double chocolate chip cookies,” she said.

That was a bit of a surprise to her brother.

“I’ll have to eat some of those,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Graduate Cyrus Douglas prepares to cross the stage with his service dog "Marley" Sunday afternoon during the Humboldt High School commencement ceremony. Marley did not receive a "Dogploma" even though he's a good boy.

A good part of the show on Sunday was stolen by Marley.

He’s a white Labrador service dog who helps Cyrus Douglas with seizures. He had his own cap to go with a blue and yellow dog gown.

Unfortunately, Marley didn’t get a “dogploma.”

“I wish he did,” Douglas said.

Humboldt High School math teacher Kathy Beach had the enviable job of lining all of the 112 graduates up, in order, for their walk into the gym.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kate Sievers, at left, and her friend Ava Detrick strike a pose Sunday afternoon after the Humboldt High School commencement ceremony. Ginger Sievers, Kate's mom, records the scene.

Everything seemed to be adding up.

“So far so good,” Beach said.

She will miss her students.

“I try not to think about it now,” she said. “I don’t want to cry.”

This year’s student speakers were Joe Thurm, 2026 class president, and Kate Sievers, who was chosen by the students to speak.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Members of the 2026 Humboldt High School class celebrate becoming alumni Sunday afternoon as they throw their caps at the conclusion of their commencement ceremony.

Thurm thanked those who had been involved in giving the class their education experience, including one group that’s often overlooked.

“I’m including the lunch ladies,” he said.

He also recounted an incident involving an attempt to make s’mores on the Bunsen burners in a science classroom that went somewhat awry.

“The fire alarm went off,” he said. “It turned out to be a drill; we actually hadn’t activated the alarms.”

Sievers set the record straight a few minutes later when she spoke.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Humboldt High School Math Teacher Kathy Beach works on making order out of chaos Sunday afternoon while lining up the graduates before the Humboldt High School commencement ceremony.

“It was Joe that set off the fire alarm,” Sievers said. “It wasn’t a drill.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Freshly graduated alumni Braiden Swanson gets a hug from his mom, Jamie PeCoy, Sunday afternoon following the Humboldt High School commencement.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Freshly minted alumni Noah Axtell stops to reflect for a few minutes as the 2026 Humboldt High School commencement draws to a close Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Class president Joel Thurm speaks a bit Sunday afternoon before turning the presidency over to Griffin Groat, who will be the 2027 class president.