DeJong and Roberts spoke to the 206 Fort Dodge Senior High graduates Saturday at Dodger Stadium. DeJong spoke about the sunrise of their senior year, and Roberts spoke about the sun setting on their time at the high school.

DeJong harkened back to students gathering for the traditional Senior Sunrise on Aug. 25, marking the unofficial start of their senior year.

“When we all arrived, we shared our thoughts about the upcoming school year, ate doughnuts and other treats, complained about how cold it was, and took photos with our friends as the sun began to rise,” DeJong told the graduates. “We had no idea what the year would hold, but we took a moment to step away from our nerves and appreciate the beauty of the sunrise with the people we’ve been surrounded by for the past 12 years.

“The sunrise represents both the start of our final school year together and the beginning of our future. We may not know what awaits us after graduation, but just like the sunrise, there is beauty in the start of a new day and in the unknown future ahead of us.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Samuel Brockbank wore his trademark Mario Brothers hat under his mortarboard Saturday night for the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

DeJong spoke about the uncertainty going forward, but that the class could use all that it learned over the years as it navigates the changes ahead.

“Although the future can feel uncertain, the things we have learned during our time at Fort Dodge Senior High will carry us forward,” she said. “We’ve learned to give our best in the classroom and in the activities we care about. We’ve learned how to build connections, even when it isn’t easy. And we’ve learned how to keep going, no matter the circumstances. Thinking back to the sunrise, no two mornings ever look the same. Some days the sky is filled with bright shades of orange, yellow, purple and pink. Other days, the sun is hidden behind thick clouds and heavy fog. Life feels the same way.”

DeJong talked about the things that may go wrong going forward and how students were ready to take all those challenges head on. She mentioned struggling in college, not getting the job they really want and even drifting away from the friends surrounding them at the stadium Saturday night.

“Those are the cloudy days,” she said. “But even on those days, the sun is still there. Light will always shine its way through. We apply (ourselves) again. We study harder. We reach out. We grow. After the difficult moments, there is always something good waiting ahead.”

Roberts urged his classmates to take a step back and reflect on all they’ve accomplished before they head into their futures.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Aidan Recker accepts his diploma Saturday night during the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement at Dodger Stadium.

“This sunset offers a quiet moment of reflection and appreciation for the close of a once seemingly endless chapter of our lives,” he said. “Instead of looking ahead, sunsets ask us to look back. There’s sort of a hidden beauty in sunsets. As they remind us that some of the most beautiful things in life were never meant to last us forever.”

Roberts said he would miss his time with his classmates and wished it would have lasted just a little bit longer. He also reminded the graduates that after a sunset comes a period of darkness. But the sunshine will return in due time.

“There will be moments where we miss the familiarity of this life more than we expected, there will be times where life calls us all into different directions; some friendships will grow fonder, and some might quietly fade into our memories, and there will definitely be those secretly missing school lunch, shout out to the spicy chicken sandwich for getting me through all four years of high school, but it’s important to remember that all sunsets are followed by a period of darkness,” he said. “And while the darkness of night can feel lonely, unsettling, or even never-ending at times, the sun will eventually always find its way back to the sky.

“So tonight, as the sun finally sets on our time at Fort Dodge Senior High, I encourage you all to take a moment to look around, appreciate how far you’ve persevered, the friendships you’ve built, and the memories we will one day tell our kids,” he added. “Appreciate this version of your life while it’s still here, and carry the warmth of everything this chapter has given you onto somewhere beyond the horizon, where the next sunset is already waiting for you.”

Principal Staci Laird welcomed the graduates and guests to start the evening. She reminded the graduates of their class motto and the connections it has to real life.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Aneliese Schuur, at left, and Lillie Baedke relax for a few minutes Saturday night while waiting for the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement to get started inside Dodger Stadium.

“Class of 2026, when you were asked to select a class quote, you turned to a line from ‘The Lion King,’ when Rakifi tells Simba, ‘Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.’ That quote is a fitting choice because at its core, ‘The Lion King’ is a story about self-discovery — about learning who you are, who you want to become, and how you want to show up in the world,” she said. “In many ways, that is what high school does for you. During your time at Fort Dodge Senior High, you likely discovered new strengths, faced challenges you did not expect, and learned lessons both inside and outside the classroom. You probably experienced successes and disappointments, felt confidence and uncertainty, learned from wins and from losses. And through it all, you grew into the people that sit before us tonight.”

Superintendent Josh Porter admitted he wanted to give advice that the students really wanted to hear.

“Every year, I sit down and ask myself the same question: What is it that seniors actually want to hear from me? What wisdom can I share with the graduating class of 2026? What kind of motivational message are you hoping for today? And honestly, after thinking about it for a while, I realized maybe the best thing I can do is just be real with you,” he said.

“I’m a proud graduate of Fort Dodge Senior High — Class of 1999. And probably like some of you, my path to this moment in life wasn’t perfectly planned out. It had some highs, some lows, some uncertainty, and a whole lot of figuring things out along the way.

“When I graduated, I knew two things: I was going to Iowa Central Community College, and I was going to wrestle,” he said. “Beyond that? I honestly had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I hadn’t spent much time thinking about a career because, eventually, we all realize something — that someday, you’re no longer an athlete or a performer. And when that chapter ends, you have to figure out what comes next.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Now an alumni, Rhiannon Stolp poses with Steven Morimoto Saturday night following the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

“Thankfully, I gave myself time. And when I say time … I mean a lot of time. About five, six, maybe seven years to really figure out what I wanted to do next. So if I have any advice for all of you today, it’s this: Take your time. Try hard things. Take some risks. Have some fun along the way.”

Senior Class President Mateo Ron closed the ceremony with a few words and then led the graduates in the traditional tossing of the caps.

“Now this is a happy, yet sad moment in our lives; things are changing. But as Benito/Bad Bunny once said ‘En la vida hay un verdad (In life there is one truth), las cosas siempre cambian (things always change), el mundo cambia (the world changes), la gente cambia (people change), todo cambia (everything changes), excepto, lo bueno eso se queda igual (except, the good, that, stays the same)’,” he said. “So I encourage you all to find the good in your life, love and enjoy it. We only get one life to live, so make the most of it.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Keirrah Brown catches up on her text messages Saturday night while getting ready to line up for the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Xanadu Thompson lets everyone know that she's made it Saturday night with her decorated mortar board at the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Tatum Harms proudly holds up her diploma folder Saturday night as she walks off the stage during the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement in Dodger Stadium. Yes, it is upside down.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Elizabeth Sheler does a happy dance on the stage Saturday night before getting her diploma during the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
One of the graduating members of the Class of 2026 looks toward the stands Saturday night during the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement inside Dodger Stadium.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
About-to-graduate seniors walk onto the field Saturday night for the Fort Dodge Senior High Commencement in Dodger Stadium.