2026 TAHS GRADUATION
"What's next?" It's a question every high school senior gets asked at this time of year,
almost ad nauseam. And it's one that this year's Tracy Area High School Class of 2026 salutatorian AnnaRae Bowman admitted in her "Present" speech at Sunday's commencement exercises gets rather old.
"The truth is, not everyone here has life figured out," Bowman said with a glance to her classmates. "Some people know exactly where they're going, and some are completely unsure. Most of us are probably somewhere in between. But maybe growing up isn't about having every step planned out. Maybe it's about learning to trust yourself enough to keep going anyway." Bowman said she and her classmates have spent years hearing what success is supposed to look like — good grades, a good college, a good career, that perfect plan. But, she said, she believes the people who are happiest are the ones who choose a life that actually feels like theirs.
“Don’t build your life based on what looks impressive to other people; build it around the things that make you feel excited to wake up in the morning,” Bowman said. “The people who make you feel understood. The moments that make you lose track of time. The things that make you feel like yourself.”
This year’s graduating class of 34 is the smallest on record at the high school, meaning Sunday’s commencement was one of the shortest as well — about 45 minutes.
The welcome speech was given by valedictorian Addison Kainz, who introduced the class moto, “Due Tomorrow … or Do Tomorrow” — the prefect way to sum up the students’ academic career, she said.
“Today we are here to celebrate our accomplishments and prepare for the journey ahead of us,” said Kainz. “We’ve all come a long ways, and I’m sure that the little ‘sevie’ version of each and every one of us would be wondering how we managed to get any further than the TMB Wrestling Room. To the teachers, staff, and parents, thank you for putting up with us. Honestly, the fact that we all made it here in one piece deserves a round of applause for you.”
The “Past” speech was given by Aliyah Loftness, who spoke about the imperfection of high school and how the class defied the odds to get where they are today.
“Over time, I began to realize that I have no idea what the student sitting next to me or walking next to me in the hallway had gone through just to get to school,” she said. “The silent battles we all have fought to walk and get our diploma means more than any cord or award ever could. High school is a difficult time, full of confusing emotions, unexpected challenges and hard lessons.”
Loftness said it’s important to address the challenges of being a high school student, not just the good. While they are constantly reminded of their accomplishments, teenagers rarely talk about what it took for all of them to get to this point.
“We tend to bury any difficulties, while these are often the things we work the hardest to overcome,” she said. “Maybe you know what it feels like to lose someone, maybe you’ve felt invisible these past four years. Or maybe you’ve struggles silently in ways none of us were ever aware of. While I can’t promise that the challenges of high school are the worst things we will ever endure, I can tell you that you’ve made it this far. The biggest lesson I learned from high school is that you will persevere.”
The “Future” speech was given by Elijah Lightfoot, who harkened back to his days in the seventh grade and the plans, goals and expectations he and his classmates had.
“Some of those plans probably worked out or are still on track, but I bet that most of those plans have changed a lot already, because I know mine did,” he said. “But maybe that’s the point. As we leave this chapter behind, I hope we remember that it’s OK not to have everything figured out. The future isn’t about following your plans. It’s about learning to adapt, making the best of every opportunity, and continuing to move forward, even when life changes direction.”
In his closing speech, Griffin Zick said since the graduate’s lives likely won’t slow down just because they have graduated from high school, it’s important to appreciate where they are, and celebrate what they have accomplished.
“As we move forward, may we continue to lead with compassion and strive for excellence,” Zick said in closing.
