“Opportunity rarely arrives when you expect it. ... The important thing is to be willing to take the chance when it came.” Those words from Jim Thorpe Area High School Principal Ryan DeLong summed up the message for the Class of 2026.

The 72nd annual commencement of the Jim Thorpe Area High School celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026, with 138 students presented diplomas in the ceremony in the high school stadium.

Jim Thorpe School District Superintendent Robert Presley quoted Ferris Buehler: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

He encouraged students not to take life for granted, citing his own medical emergency earlier in the school year.

“It reminds me, the things we spend so much time chasing are rarely the things that matter most,” he said.

Maura Malaska, class president, spoke of what strengthened the graduates.

“I don’t know if our differences made us stronger,” Malaska said. “But what I do know is our experiences strengthen us. ... I think we are the people who went against the status quo, stood out, defied odds and left an impression.”

Malaska pointed out how the Class of 2026 left its mark, reading off many accomplishments of the graduates in academics and athletics, and called for applause for the accomplishments.

“Maybe adolescence is never supposed to be something we feel fulfilled by but something that teaches us what will fulfill us throughout the rest of our lives.” Malaska stated. “We all experience hardships, struggles, and question our direction. But I believe maybe that made us able to overcome anything, because we experienced everything.”

Principal Ryan DeLong presented the Salutatorian Plaque to Gabriella Cerra, and the Valedictorian Plaque to Keira Reese.

Cerra shared what she initially thought was her job in being a student.

“At first, my goal was to get decent grades,” she said. “That became the guideline I set for myself. For a few years, that worked. I began to realize something uncomfortable with my life: Life offers us so many opportunities, choices and paths. But there is no single blueprint for it all. As we stand here full of youth and exuberance, the realization sets in that opportunity awaits each and every one of us. The future is daring us to go out, make our own path, and carve out our place in the world.

“The most meaningful parts of my high school experience were things I never planned for. Through community service and extracurriculars, I found fulfillment in being part of something bigger than myself. I realized that success is not always about achievements on paper. It is about impact, growth or simply finding what makes you strong.”

Reese used the theme of the movies to share her experiences.

“In many ways, we thought high school was supposed to follow a script, because that is what the movies taught us to expect. But while our experience did not follow the script, it taught us something different. Instead of following a perfect script, we experienced real moments. Some plans, completely unexpected, that shaped us into who we are today.”

“At the time, some of those moments didn’t seem important. Yet, somehow, the ordinary scenes of high school are what slowly shaped us into who we are today. They taught us resilience, patience, friendship and how to appreciate even the simplest parts of life.

“No movie character stayed where they were comfortable. For instance, Rapunzel had to leave her tower. Marty McFly had to race against time to get back to 1985 before he erased his own future. Simba had to return to the pride lands. Furthermore, Dorothy was transported into the magical world of Oz. Every meaningful story begins the moment someone chooses to move forward despite uncertainties.”

After the speeches, Malaska presented the mantle to Daniel Ziolkiewicz, president of the Class of 2027, before graduates were presented with their diplomas.