Members of the Mahanoy Area High School Class of 2026 were encouraged to step beyond their comfort zones, embrace their individuality, and build meaningful relationships as they received their diplomas during commencement exercises held Tuesday evening.
The ceremony featured addresses from Salutatorian Jordynn Primrose, Valedictorian Miriah Getz, and Outstanding Alumnus Greg Aschman, each offering graduates lessons drawn from personal experiences and reflections on the future.
Primrose, who plans to attend Bloomsburg University to study accounting and theater arts, centered her speech on the importance of taking risks and venturing outside one's comfort zone.
She recalled her own hesitation about auditioning for the school musical, a decision she initially feared but ultimately embraced. That choice, she said, opened a "whole new world of opportunities" and helped shape her future career aspirations.
Encouraging her classmates to remain true to themselves, Primrose urged graduates not to spend their lives trying to fit in with others.
Instead, she challenged them to discover who they truly are, treat others with kindness, and "be truly alive in each moment."
Valedictorian Miriah Getz, who will attend Villanova University to pursue a degree in biology, used her address to speak for those who have ever felt overlooked or unrecognized.
Getz shared that she had often felt unseen throughout her life and said standing before the audience as valedictorian served as proof that perseverance and hard work can overcome obstacles and break through comfort zones.
She encouraged her classmates to learn from difficult experiences rather than dwell on them, reminding them that growth often comes from adversity.
"Comparison and jealousy are the thieves of joy," she told graduates, emphasizing the importance of embracing individuality rather than measuring success against others.
Her speech concluded with an emotional tribute to her parents. She thanked her mother for teaching her that obstacles are opportunities to gain strength and her father for showing her how to be a leader.
The evening's Outstanding Alumnus speaker, Greg Aschman, a 1986 graduate of Mahanoy Area and Senior Vice President of Finance and Information Technology for Precision Castparts, reflected on the experiences and values that shaped his career and personal life.
Aschman told graduates that although his journey had taken him to nearly 50 countries and 48 states, the lessons he learned in Mahanoy Area remained foundational to his success.
He shared that he and his wife became parents just one year after graduating high school and credited nearly four decades of marriage and professional achievement to the support of family, friends, and the values instilled in the Mahanoy Area community.
Aschman organized his remarks around three key principles: humility, curiosity, and resilience.
He reminded graduates that "no one succeeds alone" and encouraged them to view failure not as something to fear, but as a valuable opportunity to learn.
He urged students to remain curious throughout life by continually asking questions such as "why," "how," and "what if," noting that curiosity often carries people farther than talent alone.
Aschman also emphasized that resilience is not an innate trait but something developed through challenges and perseverance.
In closing, he encouraged graduates to measure success not by titles or accomplishments, but by whether they leave the world better than they found it through meaningful relationships and service to others.
The ceremony also featured student speakers Urijah Fezio, Sierra Napoli, Mason Kattner, and Hailey Mroczka, along with musical performances by the Mahanoy Area Varsity Band and Jr./Sr. High School Chorus.
A symbolic moment came near the conclusion of the ceremony when outgoing drum majors Ben Bux and Sierra Napoli led the band one final time in the performance of the school's Alma Mater. The performance marked the last appearance of the pair as student leaders before officially joining the ranks of Mahanoy Area alumni.
Members of the Class of 2026 crossed the stage to receive their diplomas before celebrating with family, friends, faculty, and community members, closing one chapter of their lives and beginning another.
