001Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Good evening. Will everyone please rise for the presentation of the colors? Color guard, attention. Color guard, advance. Color guard, halt. Color guard, cross colors. Gentlemen, remove your hats. Post flag of the United States of America. Post flag of great state of Ohio. Color guard, return to rank. Color guard, dismissed. Audience you may be seated. >> [music] >> Good evening. Clinton Massie community, parents, alumni, Board of Education members, students, staff, and honored guests. Welcome to the 2026 Clinton Massie High School commencement ceremony. We gathered this evening to recognize and applaud the efforts of our graduates as they celebrate this milestone accomplishment. Our ceremony will begin this evening with the playing of our school's alma mater performed by the Clinton Massie High School band under the direction of Mrs. Kristen McClain. >> [music]
002[music] >> Mhm. Mhm. >> [music] [music] >> Mhm. Mhm. >> Thank you. One more time, please join me in welcoming the Clinton Massie High School graduating class of 2026. >> [applause] >> Graduates, you may be seated. Good evening, everyone, and welcome. Will you all please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? After, gentlemen, please remove your hats and please remain standing for the singing of our national anthem. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Oh, say can [singing] you see by the dawn's early >> [singing] >> light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's [singing] last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous [singing]
003fight, o'er the ramparts [singing] we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the >> [singing] >> night that our flag was still there. Oh, say >> [singing] >> does that star-spangled banner >> [singing] >> yet wave o'er the land >> [singing] >> of the and the [singing] home of the You may be seated. As we look ahead to Memorial Day weekend, let us pause to salute those who have answered the call of duty and made the ultimate sacrifice for America. Including Clinton Massie High School graduates Johnny Burton, class of 1966, and Kenneth Ball, class of 1968. Both killed while defending freedom in action in Vietnam. As a Purple Star School, we also want to pause and recognize our veterans and active duty military personnel
004in attendance tonight. If that is you, would you please stand to be recognized representing any branch of the United States Armed Forces? >> [applause] >> Let us also recognize our current graduates who are making that commitment tonight after high school to confront the challenges of their own generation. Graduates are following the footsteps of these brave servicemen and women. Will you please stand for recognition as well, and best wishes to you in the future? You may be seated. We will now welcome Laura McCreary to the stage for our opening prayer and our invocation. >> Good evening all. My name is Lauren McCreary and I am honored to open our ceremony tonight with a prayer. If you would please bow your heads. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for allowing us to gather here today to celebrate
005the accomplishments of our graduates. We thank you, Lord, for watching over us all these years, sticking with us through the good and the bad, and helping us to achieve amazing things. Thank you for the memories we have, the friends we have to cherish, and the wisdom we have gained, and the overwhelming greatness that shines from each and every person. We pray that your presence shines with us today, Lord, and that your joy may radiate. Lord, I pray that you be with each and every one of us as we go through the rest of our lives with protection and glory shining through. May you guide us on your path so that we may glorify you and your kingdom through all that we do. Help us to grow as we go out into the world and strengthen
006us as your children, Lord. Thank you for the gift of salvation and your promise that we carry within us. We thank you for this day, God. We thank you for all the good that has come before and all that will follow after. It is in Jesus's name we pray. Amen. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Lauren. Next, we'll welcome our salutatorian to the stage for the salutatorian address. This year's salutatorian of the class of 2026 is Mr. Olivia Carpenter. Good evening. I'm Olivia Carpenter and it's a blessing to be able to speak to all of you tonight. Clinton Massey, class of 2026. I want to begin by welcoming friends, family, teachers, administrators, and my fellow classmates to our graduation ceremony. Tomorrow morning, each of us will wake up to be alumni, unsure of what
007our future holds for us. But tonight, we are students. Sitting here now, our parents are blinking away their tears, siblings are checking the time to see when they'll get to eat dinner, teachers are praying that we stay on script for our speeches, but everyone is here for us. The moments leading up to graduation are bittersweet, not knowing whether to take everything in at once or more in the moments that have already passed. The depth of these things is often discovered when thinking about them after they have already ended. From reminiscing about being nervous freshmen shuffling through the halls and trying to remember our locker combinations and not trip up the steps, to realizing we have become a group of students clinging to the memories of the people and experiences that have shaped who we will
008be and how we will take the next steps into our futures. This occurs within our experience over 4 years. This is 1,461 days, 35,064 hours, and 2,103,840 minutes. In this time span, things consistently change. The classes we take, the teachers we have, the people we hang out with, and most importantly, ourselves. We take harder classes, try new extracurriculars, meet new people, and begin to become the people that we want to be. These moments come from more than just the grades on a test or our performance in the things that we enjoy. They are molded by those who inspire, lead, and motivate us to be more than we ever believed we were capable of. We have grown as a class, learning the lessons that will support us no matter what our plans after high school may
009be. Whether you choose to enlist in the military, attend college, attend a technical school, or go straight into workforce, or take time to consider what you want for yourself. Each of us has the skills and tools necessary for success. Not only do we have the tools, but we have the people who will advocate and assist us through the transition. Graduation is the end of our journey as students at Clinton Massie, but it does not take away our connections and opportunities that we have made through it. This is simply the start of something new, but with new capabilities and strengths that will allow us to prosper in the next journey we encounter. As we step into the next chapter of our lives, we must reflect on the lessons that we have learned from those closest to
010us. Aspects of the future are rooted in what we take away from our mentors who teach us, our parents who guide us, our administrators who advise and support us, and our friends who accept and encourage us in all that we do. A quote by Albert Einstein gives a strong grasp of our future and how our past serves us in it. The future is an unknown, but a somewhat predictable unknown. To look to the future, we must first look back upon the past. That is where the seeds of the future were planted. So, if you ever feel unsure or anxious about what the future holds as we graduate, remember the moments that crafted who you are and allow yourself to embrace who you can be. Thank you to our teachers who challenged us and pushed us
011to realize our potential both inside and outside the classroom for the countless hours you spent invested in our education and success. Thank you to the administrators for constructing a safe environment and recognizing the importance of acknowledging student success. For exemplifying the qualities of leaders so we can obtain them for ourselves. Thank you to our families who support, aid, and teach us lessons that will open up endless doors in our lives. For being here tonight honoring this monumental success. And lastly, thank you to the class of 2026 for being a community, a family for the past 4 years. Congratulations graduates, the time is now, our future is here. Thank you, Olivia. Outstanding job. Our next presentation this evening will be our valedictorian address. Our valedictorian for the class of 2026 is Mr. Danny Mefford. Hello everybody.
012It is truly an honor to be standing here tonight. Words, for the first time in my life, have failed me when I began to think about what I wanted to say tonight, which is strange because I've always found the importance in words. They're how we connect to one another, how we express ourselves to the world, and how we cherish the memories that we're afraid will be lost to time. During this period of time, I read a book and a story that did a great job at personifying how I felt. This book, which was originally written in German, is called the Heptameron by Marguerite de Navarre. In it, there's a young knight and a beautiful princess. The knight is hopelessly, deeply in love with her. And though she may not fully realize it yet, her love
013for him is already woven into the fabric of her soul. He carries this love in silence for a really long time. But the the weight of an unspoken love is truly a heavy thing to bear. So, one day he goes up to her and asks her point-blank I beg of you tell me now what is better to speak or to die? Now, to be completely honest with you I do not know the fate of the knight and the princess. But in the end, it doesn't really matter. Because I do know one thing. And that is I will always choose to speak. And so should you. I will always choose honesty over silence, even when honesty is terrifying. Because we can we convince ourselves that there will always be another moment in our lives. But guess
014what? Time is never on our sides. Our hearts and our bodies are only given to us once. And before you realize it, like the knight your heart grows tired from all it has carried. As for our bodies, time is not gentle with them. There comes a day where fewer eyes will turn near them fewer hands would like to reach for them and fewer people wish to be near them. And at that moment, at that day, what matters is not what was kept hidden, but what you dared to say. Right now, many of us are feeling uncertain. Maybe even scared. We stand at the edge of something completely unknown. And there is no groundwork for how we should navigate that. And if that is so uncertainty is true for you tonight, I ask of you, do
015not turn away from it. Don't hide it. Do not run from it. Because with every tear shed tonight, happy or sad, and within every restless mind wondering what tomorrow will bring, there lives something beautiful. There lives what came before us. The late nights, the conversations we thought would never end, the people who shaped us without even realizing it. The versions of ourselves that we became within these walls. Intertwined with this sorrow is a joy that once filled these moments. The courage that brought us here and the love that made it all possible. And that that means something. I think sometimes people mistake vulnerability for weakness. >> [snorts] >> But to feel deeply, to care deeply, to allow yourself to love other people and places and moments despite knowing they cannot last forever, that is what
016I believe is true bravery. So to all of you, even to those of you watching in the stands right now, I ask of you, let yourself feel. Even in your lowest moments, even when it is terrifying. Because guess what? It would be such a tragedy for any one of you to be anything less than who you truly are. Thank you. It's been an honor. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Danny. Outstanding job. Congratulations on being the valedictorian that represents the graduate class of 2026. Next, we will have a performance from our Clinton-Massie High School band under the direction of Mrs. Kristen McClain. >> You got to have fun. I did it three times. >> [music] [music] >> Yeah. >> [music] [music] >> Thank you, Mrs. McLean. Thank you to our Clinton-Massie High School band for that
017performance. Next we will have the presentation of the class gift from the Clinton-Massie High School graduating class of of Please welcome to the stage Ms. Malia Beam. Good evening, everyone. My name is Malia Beam and I'm honored to be here on behalf of the class of 2026 to present our class gift. At this time, I would like to invite Superintendent David Moss to join me on stage to accept the gift. One of the best attributes of our school is the extremely tight-knit community that we live in. Throughout my time here, I've witnessed the power that results when people stand together and support each other, not just in the good times, but in times of tragedy. Earlier this year, one such tragedy struck our community when a house fire on March 3rd claimed the lives of
018five children and their mother. To honor their memory, we have decided to donate the remainder of our class fund to build a memorial in their honor. While this contribution cannot ease the grief weighing on our hearts, we are grateful to be part of celebrating the lives of such a beloved family and hope that this memorial can bring a sense of comfort and healing. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank Thank you, Malia. On behalf of the Board of Education and our school district, I'm I'm honored to accept this gift from this class. Uh this memorial will serve to honor the memory of those we lost and keep the their memories alive in our community. Thank you very much and congratulations. >> [applause] >> Thank you to the class of 2026 for that thoughtful generosity. Good evening,
019graduates. You arrived. You made it. And tonight you're going to graduate. The class of 2026, 4 years ago you walked into Clinton Massie High School as freshmen, unsure of what the future might hold. Today, sitting before us as graduates, stronger, wiser, more resilient, and ready for anything that may come next. It's amazing how quickly time passes over those 720 days we talked about, filled with memories, friendships, lessons, victories, challenges, and growth have gone by in the blink of an eye. For many of you, kindergarten still doesn't seem like that far of a memory. Tonight is more though than a ceremony. It's a celebration of perseverance, growth, and accomplishment. Because the truth is this journey wasn't always easy for you. There were moments of pressure, uncertainty, disappointment, and even challenges. But through it all, you kept
020going. You learned how to adapt, how to overcome obstacles, and how to support one another. Those lessons will matter far more than anything that's written on your transcript. Outstanding students like the ones seated in front of us tonight are not created alone. They're the product of supportive families, dedicated teachers, caring mentors, loyal friends, and a community that believes in its young people. To the Clinton Massie community, thank you for your continued support of our schools and our students. Your investment in these graduates has helped make this night possible. Graduates, while tonight might seem like a celebration of your accomplishments, it's actually also a recognition of the people who have helped you reach this moment. Parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, coaches, siblings, mentors, and friends have encouraged you, challenged you, and believed in you along the way.
021Graduates, please take a look around. Take a moment. Find those in the crowd who have supported you silently. Give them that thank you. I'm proud of you. Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it. Many students in the class of 2026 have already begun their building their impressive futures through college credit plus coursework and career technical education programs. Some of you have earned college credit, recognition, industry credentials, certifications, and even degrees before receiving your high school diploma tonight. If this is you by going above and beyond receiving this accomplishment, would you please stand for recognition? Thank you. We're also incredibly fortunate to have a staff of hardworking professionals who dedicate themselves every day to educating, inspiring, and supporting students. To all Clint Massie employees,
022thank you for the impact that you have made in the lives of students each and every day. Graduates tonight though is not your finish line. It's just the beginning. It's the launching pad. You're in the starting blocks. As Falcons, you're meant to soar. Some of you will plan to attend college, some will enter the workforce, some will serve in the military, some will pursue skilled trades. Some of you are still discovering what path is right for you. Whether you're headed to Harvard or planning to stay home, no matter where life takes you, remember this. Success is not measured by awards, titles, or accomplishments. It's measured by your character, your integrity, your resilience, and the way you treat other people. There are moments ahead when life will feel uncertain. There'll be obstacles, failures, and even setbacks.
023Do not let those moments define you. Let them strengthen you. Be willing to work hard. Be willing to take chances. Be willing to grow. Never stop believing in your ability to make a difference. Your class motto, "There's just no telling how far we'll go." is a perfect message for this moment. Right now your future is filled with endless possibilities. Some of you go far from this community while others will stay close to home. Wherever your journey leads, carry these lessons with you and the values that you've learned here along the way. Be proud of where you're from. Represent this community well. Lead with courage, act with kindness, and never underestimate your ability to change the world around you. To the class of 2026, it's been my honor to serve as your principal. Congratulations to you
024wherever you go and through everything you do. Stay classy, Clint Massey. Be smart and be safe. Let's make this official. >> [applause] >> Danny Mefford Olivia Parpender Malia Beam Lauren McQuery Samantha Van Pelt Trenton Bennett Taylor Green Traegan Byington Liam Whitamore Shelby Robinson Dakin Johnson McCall Hinsley Jennifer Anderson Brandon Baker Hannah Barrett Aaron Belile Rowan Biaglow Xavier Bolinovich Cameron Bishop Georgia Black Corey Blanton Quentin Bowman Aubrey Carlisle Alexis Sheravelli Clayton Shirini Colin Shirini Aiden Clark Reese Clark Isabelle Coates Alexa Cooper Riley Corcoran Harley Couch William Creech Brendan Culberson Fennigan Dennehy Elise Dennis Brady Dillon Seth Dixon Elijah Dotson Garrett Doyle John Evans Monica Fairchild Ava Fischer Braden Flint Tristan Francois Addison Gassaway Annelise George Jolene Gorman Alia Gray Warren Geiselman Cadence Gwen Cassie Hargis Noah Hawk Santiago Jaramillo Evan Jett Lucy Ann Kern Aiden Kirby
025Jaslyn Lawson Quinn Lahey Owen Long Riley Long Alyssa Lorenz Sierra Mains Chase Mallett >> Elijah Martin Carley Martin Providence Maxwell DeBoard Naveah McClanahan Kayleigh McAlister Audrey McKay Joule Meadows Kyle Miller Xander Mills Devon Moore Emma Moore Dylan Mounts Isabelle Munoz Elijah Muterspaugh Cohen Neff Daniel Page Oberweiser Emily Opp Scarlett Patterson Grace Pates Edith Pegan Noah Popal Lexis Poston Braden Powell Aaliyah Pugh Sophia Purvis Brandley Really Charlotte Robinson Elijah Rose Eli Reuther Landon Shafer >> Evan Schwartz Carson Sheldon Alexander Sherman Alyssa Shockley Hunter Shoemaker Aubrey Seibert Elizabeth Smith John Snell Jack Stingley Stormy Stroud Lila Fegee Corinne Teske Tristan Trampler Gunner Traub Chloe Traub Taylor Vert Aaron Wax Ava Walby Kennedy Walby Chloe Williams Myla Winkel Bailey Wolfe Isaac Young Caden Zantini >> To the Clinton-Massie Board of Education, staff, parents, and community, it's my honor
026and privilege to present to you the Clinton-Massie High School Class of 2026. The graduation tassel is a symbol of success. The ceremony begins with the tassel on the right as these students have earned the right to graduate. By moving the tassel to the left after graduation, this is a public symbol of crossing over from high school to the next stage in your life. Students, please join together now by moving your tassel from the right to the left to outwardly symbolize the accomplishment of graduation. Congratulations. Next, please welcome to the stage Michelle Shelby Robinson. Good evening, everyone. For those of you who may not know me, my name is Shelby Robinson, and I've had the privilege of serving of the Class of 2026 Treasurer for the last 3 years. Tonight marks the end of one chapter
027of our lives and the beginning of another, and I think that's both exciting and a little terrify- terrifying. For so long, graduation felt far away, something we talked about but couldn't fully picture. Now it's here and strangely the routines, the people, and the moments that made up our lives for the past several years are about to become memories. High school was not always easy and I don't think any of us made it here how we imagined it. These years exact These were stressful days, setbacks, disappointments, and moments when we doubted ourselves. But there were also friendships, accomplishments, laughter, and experiences that helped shape who we are today. What matters most is that no matter what of each of us faced, we kept moving forward. Even on the days when we felt exhausted, uncertain, or overwhelmed,
028we continued showing up for ourselves and each other. Looking back now, I think the consistency, the decision to keep going even when things got rough, is one of the most important things we've learned. As we leave here tonight, we're all heading in different directions. Some of us may have detailed plans for the future, while others are still fight figuring thing things out. And honestly, that's okay. Life is unpredictable and none of us truly knows exactly when we'll end up years from now. I think what gives us us confidence is knowing that the people sitting here today have already proven they can adapt, work hard, and overcome challenges. So as we move on from this place, I hope we carry more than just memories with us. I hope we carry the friendships we built, the lessons
029we learned, and the confidence to keep trying even when things feel uncertain. No matter where life takes us next, the class of 2026 will always share this moment and the years that brought us here. So here's to the late nights, the inside jokes, and the people who made these years unforgettable. And whatever comes next for all of us, we made it and somehow, despite everything, I think we turned out pretty great. Congratulations to the class of 2026. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Shelby. Next, we welcome to the stage Mr. Daken Johnson for our benediction. We would ask all staff, students in attendance other than our graduates to please remain seated. Attendees as well, please wait until all of our graduates have filed out at the conclusion of this evening's proceedings. Hello everyone. My
030name's Daken Johnson. Um I've been here at Clint Massie since preschool over at the YMCA over there. Shout out Miss Jamie and Miss Tanya. Um They gave me 5 minutes to send my fellow peers out to the world with prayer. Such an honor. Um so I'm going to fill some of that time with telling you about um the God I serve and I pray to. And I want you to hear me. The gospel is this. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wage of sin is death, but God gave us eternal life in Jesus Christ. God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, he sent his only begotten son to die for us. That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and
031you believe it within your whole heart, you will be saved. I want those who haven't heard this before or haven't said this in their heart to hear me. Jesus is real. If you're a person like me who likes to hear numbers and facts, listen to this. There are over 24,000 manuscripts and fragments across different languages that speak of Jesus' existence. To compare, there are only around 10 surviving manuscripts that prove Julius Caesar ruled Rome. Here's another one. The Bible was written over the span of 1,500 years with 40 different authors across multiple continents. There are over 60,000 cross-references within the scripture itself with zero contradictions. Let me tell you that doesn't happen by chance. I just want these these facts and information to sit on your heart and make you think. This is eternity at
032hand. And with that, if you would all bow your head and pray with me. Dear heavenly father, I want to thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ for dying on the cross. And we come to you with our hearts so full of gratitude. Thank you again for gathering us here today one last time. As we take our next steps into our future, I pray for your guidance and protection on our decisions. May you put us on the right path for our future that we may also glorify you and your kingdom. Help us to grow and strengthen our faith. I pray for our future plans and careers. May you bless them and make them successful. Thank you for the gift of salvation. And thank you for the time we've had together. I thank you for all
033the memories we've made and the times we've shared together here at Massey. Help us to remember these experiences throughout the next chapter of our lives and let us not forget how big the God we serve is. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. >> [applause] >> And class of 2026, as the wise words of Jason Tatum, We did it! >> [music] [music] >> Mhm.