On Sunday May 24, Mount Vernon High School class of 2026 celebrated commencement in the high school gymnasium. The audience stood as the Orchestra and Concert Band played Clare Grundman’s arrangement of composer Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” before the senior song “You’ll be in my Heart” by Phil Collins is performed with Michael Covington as soloist. After the processional and musical program, MVHS Superintendent Matt Leeman and principal Steve Brand gave introductions for class speakers Grace Hale and Norah Weber, as well as introducing math teacher Nathan Namanny to give the keynote address.
“Student speakers were chosen first by a popular vote amongst the senior grade” Brand said. “I look at the top voted students, then get a panel of 10-12 alumni (former MVHS Graduates), and we listen to each top voted student’s speech in early May. We then work together to select two student speakers.
MVHS features two student speakers, but it also gives teachers/staff the opportunity to speak, MVHS teacher Nate Namanny was one of the chosen staff speakers.
“It’s okay to ask for help and accept it when you can, and always give your best otherwise you’re just cheating yourself,” is an idea from his speech that Namanny thought was important.
“The experience was nerve wracking ,but it felt more like talking to my students than a crowd,” Namanny said.
The last student to receive his diploma took a selfie on stage. “Like any school ceremony they’re usually kinda boring, “ senior Kevin Zehms said. “Senior night was hard to get through for the audience, and sitting there even when you are on stage getting awarded, commencement was also kinda boring. I took a selfie to spice things up,” Zehms said. “Everyone knows I’m a silly guy, and I went last so it wouldn’t be a disruption. Going to grad parties people came up to me and asked me about that selfie specifically, and recognized me as ‘the guy who fell off the stage’ or the ‘guy who took the selfie.’ I wanted to give the people what they wanted and have something memorable to give to the audience after the ceremony.”
MVHS awards five different cords and one medal for different achievements and accomplishments. Out of 125 students, 42 received a medal for Academic Distinction (3.9-4.0GPA), 22 received a Gold Cord for Honors (3.7-3.89GPA), nine received a Maroon/White Cord for Distinguished (3.5-3.69GPA), three received a Blue/Gold Cord for Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society, 24 received a Silver Cord for Industry Recognized Credentials, and 23 received a Blue Cord for 160+ hours of Pay It Forward Community Service Distinction. MVHS Class of ‘26 Students Norah Weber and Grace Hale were chosen to give commencement speeches.
Immediately following commencement was a parade where the fresh graduates drove in front of the high school and nearby LBC before continuing through the Stonebrook housing development and stopping for photos, passing in front of Cornell College, and then driving back down Fifth Avenue to the high school.
“We started the parade in 2020 when our seniors didn’t have commencement,” Brand said, “but it was popular and has stuck around since. It’s just another way to celebrate with the community since we can’t fit the whole town in our gym.” The commencement ceremony ended as the audience stood again for the orchestra and band to play “Alla Hornpipe from Water Music” by composer George Frideric Handel for the recessional.
