May 15, 2026 – Under the lights, with families filling the stands and fireworks waiting in the wings, 207 seniors crossed the stage Friday evening as Mexico High School proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026.

The evening began with a performance of “The Phantom of the Opera Medley” by the Mexico High School Band under the direction of Mr. Josh Yancey and Mr. Wade Aldridge-Rogers, setting the tone for a night filled with tradition, pride, and celebration.

Throughout the ceremony, the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 reflected not only academic excellence, but a commitment to service, career readiness, and future success.

During Senior Awards Night earlier this week, members of the graduating class were recognized for earning more than $2 million in scholarships from local, state, and collegiate sources.

As a class, these graduates have already earned nearly 1,000 college credit hours before receiving their diplomas.

Among the graduates:

• 8 students have committed to serving the nation through military service
• 67 percent plan to continue their education at a two- or four-year college or university
• 20 percent are entering the workforce directly after graduation
• 5 students are entering specialized trade programs
• 19 graduates plan to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level

Two graduates, Ava Herron and Marali Herrera-Amaya,completed their associate degrees before graduating from high school.

Academic excellence was also recognized through the announcement of the Class of 2026 valedictorians:

• Emmaleigh Seibert
• Kyle Lewis
• Marali Herrera-Amaya
• Mary Katie Crews
• William Hernandez Sampayo
• Miah Sprock

Salutatorian honors were awarded to Kaden Benne.

Students were also celebrated for accomplishments through the Hart Career Center, including completion of industry-recognized certifications and career training in agriculture, automotive technology, information technology, welding, health sciences, education, marketing, graphic design, carpentry, cosmetology, and computer programming.

Among HCC’s achievements represented during commencement:

• 2 State FFA Degree recipients
• 6 SkillsUSA state qualifiers
• 14 AWS qualified welders
• 15 NOCTI qualified welders
• 3 Adobe Certified Professionals
• 3 ASE Certified Automotive Technicians
• 2 Missouri Certified Nursing Assistants
• 2 Certified Substitute Teachers
• 1 PC Pro Certified IT Technician
• 1 ITS Certified HTML/CSS and Python developer
• 5 IRC 2 completers through the Mid-America Carpenters’ Union

Graduates also wore cords and regalia representing organizations and academic honors, including the National Technical Honor Society, FFA, Project Lead the Way, and the School of Cosmetology.

The Class of 2026 selected four educators to serve as graduate readers during the ceremony: Sidny Groves, Michael Moore, Dale Schenewerk, and Joanna McClarey.

Music remained a central part of the evening as members of the Mexico High School Chamber Choir and Senior Choir performed “I Was Here” and the school’s Alma Mater under the direction of Julie Pappas.

Part of the commencement tradition is recognizing individuals whose service has made a lasting impact on the community and on generations of Bulldogs. This year’s Honorary Graduate was Tony Robertson. The Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Janet Graham.

Diplomas were awarded, and tassels were moved. As the Class of 2026 was presented, caps flew, and fireworks lit up the field. Families and friends made their way onto the turf for hugs, photographs, and celebration.

The Class of 2026 leaves Mexico High School with accomplishments in hand and futures full of possibility. Congratulations, Bulldogs. The world is waiting.

Watch the Class of 2026 Graduation Recording