Graduation ceremonies, while indisputably vital to our educational culture and beloved by relatives and adults, can be a bit staid, or even downright yawn-inducing. Triumph High School is an alternative school and it follows that the alternative school has a graduation ceremony that does things a bit differently. This year’s ceremony was chock full of the usual fare of speeches by Superintendent Newton, Triumph’s principal Mike Maloney, teacher Hannah Simon, and graduate Addicus Yarrington, and a twist was added to the handing out of the diplomas. Even when the speeches are quite well done like this year’s exemplary selection (which is very hard to do; grad speeches are not for the faint-hearted), the handing out of diplomas often feels a bit of a let-down aside from the 5-10 seconds of maniacal excitement when your graduate takes the hand off from someone in admin and wanders back to the assigned seat looking around as though something was missed. This year, Triumph graduation ringmasters Emily Sackett and Marissa Smith, set it up so that each graduate was able to choose a special person to pair up with for the diploma handoff. Some graduates chose parents, some chose siblings, some called upon favored teachers, and one even enlisted Michael Henrix, beloved Triumph teacher and mainstay among the ranks, to not only hand out the diploma, but to also collaborate on a whimsical handshake to augment the celebration. This process and celebratory air is very apropos for Triumph. The alternative high school is able to reach students on a more individual basis and forge hale and lasting relationships with students to help those who are at most risk earn a diploma when traditional methods availed them of little success. Therefore, it makes sense that graduates would have one last opportunity to enjoy the unique opportunities afforded them at Triumph and choose someone special to close this all-important chapter in life. Graduation is a celebration of hard work and accomplishment everywhere, but it hits just a little differently for the Spartans, and the celebrations are little more stark knowing that this moment was truly in jeopardy. Congratulations class of 2026. Go be Spartan Strong and show the world what it means to have graduated from Triumph High School.
