Albert Lea Area Schools graduates class of 2025

Published 10:00 pm Friday, May 23, 2025

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Albert Lea High School students file onto Jim Gustafson Field Friday at the start of the graduation ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Graduates file onto the Jim Gustafson Field Friday night at the start of Albert Lea High School's 141st commencement ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Evie Dawson and New New sing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the beginning of the commencement ceremony Friday night. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

District 23A Rep. Peggy Bennett addresses the students, many of whom were her former students, during her speech Friday at the commencement ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Liam Ball was one of two student speakers at the ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Nevaeh Wacholz was one of two student speakers during the ceremony Friday night. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Interim Superintendent David Krenz speaks for a few minutes before the students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Students await their turns to be called on stage and officially graduate. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Students are congratulated by school board mmembers Dave Klatt and Angie Hoffman Friday as they walk across the stage at the graduation ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Students are congratulated by school board mmembers Mary Jo Dorman and Kim Nelson Friday as they walk across the stage at the graduation ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Students greeted Albert Lea High School Principal Chris Dibble with a fist bump after walking across the stage. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Lauren Raleigh is greeted by school board members Kim Nelson and Mary Jo Dorman as she walks across the stage Friday. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Albert Lea High School student Breckyn Koepke shakes the hands of school board members Gary Schindler and Neal Skaar Friday night during the commencement ceremony. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

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Multiple speakers on Friday encouraged the Albert Lea High School class of 2025 to make the most of their life after graduation at the school’s 141st annual commencement ceremony at Jim Gustafson Field.

There were 202 graduates in this year’s class, according to High School Principal Chris Dibble.

District 23A Rep. Peggy Bennett, co-chair of the Education Policy Committee and retired first-grade Sibley Elementary School teacher, was the featured speaker, along with graduating seniors Liam Ball and Nevaeh Wacholz.

Bennett said the class of 2025 contained her last group of first-graders that she taught before retiring and going on to serve as a state representative. She shared information from a book the children in her class that year wrote, before moving on to the main message of her speech, which centered around the poem, “The Dash,” by Linda Ellis.

Bennett said though it might sound strange, she likes walking through cemeteries and imagining what the people there might have been like.

“On those grave markers you see their birth date, and you see the date of their death, but there’s one important thing in the middle and that’s that little dash,” she said.

The poem talks about all the things that don’t matter in life, such as cars, houses and money.

“What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash,” she read.

The poem encourages people to slow down, to try to understand how others may feel, to be less quick to anger, to show appreciation more, to love like they’ve never loved before and to treat each other with respect.

Bennett said each person has a purpose that God has prepared for them. As a child she remembers thinking she would never be a teacher, and she went on to teach for 33 years.

She said she thought being a teacher was the ultimate pinnacle of her life, but now she is in her sixth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives, using skills she learned during her time as a teacher.

“Everything we do in our lives has a purpose,” she said, remarking that people never know what experience may be right around the corner.

The same applies to mistakes, she said. There may be a day where they may feel like they’ve blown things or that they’re at a dead end.

“That couldn’t be farther from the truth,” she said.

She said the class was at a perfect position to go forward and encouraged them to “live their dash.”

Ball thanked the families, teachers and coaches for their support in helping the graduates reach this milestone. He said the class should all be proud of themselves for what they have accomplished.

Despite the celebration, he said, he likes to remain grounded in reality.

“Life will be hard,” he said. “You will go through challenges. You will fail, and you will sometimes feel you are in the darkness.”

But he said there is always hope, and they are never alone.

“Never be afraid to reach out for help because it will always be there for you,” Ball said.

In her speech, Wacholz thanked the school administration, teachers, paras and staff. She also thanked parents, guardians and family members of the class of 2025, as well as the community.

‘Behind every graduate is a village of people who supported and guided us.” she said. “Thank you for being a community that supports the next generation.”

Wacholz walked those in attendance through the class’s 13 years of schooling, noting some of the highlights throughout the years.

She described their senior year as a year to remember and said after graduation it would be time to “take on the big world.”

“Although it might be scary, intimidating and terrifying, our lives are going to change whether we want them to or not,” she said. “We have people to meet, lessons to learn and lives to live. The beautiful thing is that it is just the beginning for us. Our story doesn’t end here — it’s just the beginning.”

Wacholz said what makes her class so special is that they push themselves and others to be the best they can be, they value connection with those around them, and they make the world a better place just by being themselves.

“Please never stop being those kinds of people,” she said. “Many of you will go on to see far more success and reach many more milestones, but never forget that your character in your heart (is) what truly determines your success.”

She encouraged the class to never forget their why and their purpose. She said while everyone will face trials, hardships and dead ends, life doesn’t end when hardships arise.

“I can’t wait to see what you all go on to do in life,” Wacholz said.

Interim Superintendent David Krenz, who will soon be completing his time with the district, told the students that like them, this was his last official event before he completed his time with the district.

“But unlike you, your journey is just beginning, and mine is coming to an end,” Krenz said. “And like Rep. Bennett said, it’s not the beginning or the end that matters — it’s the in-between.