The Penns Valley Band played The Star Spangled Banner as the high school choir sang the familiar anthem. The choir also sang the school’s Alma Mater before everyone took their seats and settled as comfortably as they could in the bright sunshine and warm temperatures.

Senior Class President Luke Ruoff began his welcome address by telling the audience that he and his classmates began a learning journey in kindergarten. Ruoff remembered how his school lunch hinged on his memorizing and remembering his school lunch code.

Ruoff’s continued by saying, “Every student’s aspirations and career goals already demonstrates what it means to be a student at Penns Valley. Within the heart of each student lies passion… for something greater.”

Ruoff humbly asked the audience to continue to foster (the graduates) dreams, encourage their passions and give them a chance to ignite that underlying desire and help to shape the future of America.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Penns Valley Area High School graduate Kaylee Barner is shown after receiving her diploma on June 5.

In his conclusion, Ruoff said to his classmates, “wherever life takes us we have all been built on the same strong foundation.”

Following Ruoff’s exit from the podium, the choir performed “For Good.”

Dr. Sherri Connell, the interim superintendent, addressed the graduates and crowd speaking of chemistry, her passion. Connell began her career with the district in 1988 as a chemistry teacher and after 37 years in education she retired last October. However, when spring arrived she found herself back at Penns Valley Area High School.

Connell shared that like chemistry, growth rarely happens without a reaction.

To the Class of 2026 Connell said, “You have built bonds at Penns Valley that you will carry with you long after tonight. It’s your turn to lead and to mentor.”

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Class of 2026 Salutatorian Andrew Fetterolf speaks during commencement on June 5.

“Your choices determine your future. Choose courage, choose honesty. Choose kindness, because it’s never wasted and choose perseverance, because Penns Valley graduates do not quit.”

Connell finished with the familiar slogan, “It’s always a great day to be a Ram.”

Connell then introduced Randy Smith, the president of Penns Valley’s Class of 1976. Each year the graduating class from 50 years earlier is invited to take part in the graduation ceremony.

Smith, a retired mental health therapist, said a lot has changed in the past 50 years. His earliest recollections of a normal day for a kid like him was riding his bike on Main Street in Centre Hall, meeting up with friends. Back then you could get two hot dogs and a milk shake at Fye’s Frosty Kup for about 90 cents. Smith said his kids’ generation had Snoop Dog, but in the 70’s his generation had Three Dog Night.

During his remarks, Smith shared a little free advice, saying his therapy focused on mindfulness — functioning in a caring state of mind — and when you are mindful, you will be kind and respectful to others and to help others, Smith also encouraged listening and taking care of yourself.

TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Penns Valley Area’s Class of 2026 are shown tossing their caps in celebration following commencement on Friday, June 5, 2026.

To be in a good state of mind, “Shut off the phone and spend time in nature,” Smith said.

“Spend time with the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees and his favorite, the waterfalls.”

In closing, Smith told the Class of 2026 sitting before him to “Keep dreaming, focus on the things that excite you the most and, most importantly, Be You!

David Romanyshyn, the secondary principal, began his address to the crowd by saying that in 2020 the graduates and he began their high school years together. The graduates were wide-eyed seventh graders and he was a wide-eyed assistant principal.

“We were both rookies,” he said.

Smith told the crowd that COVID-19 was rampant and he couldn’t see the students’ faces because of everyone having to wear a mask. Their school days consisted of hand sanitizer and social distancing, sitting six feet apart. “We survived together,” Smith told the audience.

“People say kids of today are always on their phones, that they’re soft and half cannot read or write in cursive. This generation possesses a level of empathy that didn’t exist 30 or 40 years ago,” Smith said, before continuing in his speech to say, “As of tonight, you are no longer the kids of today — you are the young adults of right now. You aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow, you are the thinkers and doers of today… We are incredibly proud of you!”

Class Salutatorian Andrew Fetterolf was the next to stand at the podium. He told his classmates “We are not starting over but are building on what we already know. We have to look forward. Tonight’s graduation will not be the end of something good,” he said.

Fetterolf said that challenges will make us stronger and more prepared. Looking back on their high school years, the graduates “memories will be of the people we knew, friends we made, teachers who shaped us and the laughter we all shared.”

Fetterolf closed his address by telling the Class of 2026 that “The best parts of your story are yet to come. Remember that each of us has more in store. This moment is only the beginning.”

Class Valedictorian Peter O’Donald told his classmates and the audience to look around, take in the view all around you. “You are always capable of great things.”

O’Donald shared a short story of a family friend, Jen Crow, an athletic trainer for 25 years who had passed away unexpectedly.

O’Donald encouraged his classmates “to always bring out your best — to yourselves, your families, each other and everyone. Always see beyond what you see and reach for it,” O’Donald said.

As it came time for the diplomas to be presented, Romanyshyn told the audience that traditionally for each graduation ceremony the senior class chooses a special person to read the list of graduates’ names, and this year, the class had given that honor to Michael Farley. Farley and Trisha Miller were the class advisors for the Class of 2026.

And so it was that Farley introduced each of the graduates who walked across the stage and were handed their high school diploma.

Romanyshyn again stood at the podium and thanked numerous administration, faculty, the school board members and others for their contributions to the school district, the graduation ceremony and to the graduates. Romanyshyn also asked Kenna Vaughn to stand to be recognized for her artistic talents in creating the cover of the commencement program.

After each of the seniors was presented their diploma and the certification of the diplomas was pronounced, the graduates moved their tassels to show they were now Penns Valley alumni. As the band played Starfire Fanfare, the graduates paraded to the far sideline where they celebrated their high school graduation by throwing their caps high into the air.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 at Penns Valley Area High School.