Staff photo by Clay Schuldt The 2021 River Bend graduates throw their mortarboards in the air in celebration of their graduation. The students were able to do a hybrid graduation ceremony Wednesday.

NEW ULM — River Bend Education District hosted a graduation ceremony Wednesday.

River Bend was able to hold an in-person ceremony for the 2021 grads on the school’s north lawn. The number of people inside the tent was limited. Parents were unable to attend the ceremony, and several waited outside the school in support.

The graduation speeches were pre-recorded for the event. Graduates William Gonzalez, Colten Becker and Koby Harder gave a combined three-part speech based on the legend of the phoenix. The phoenix is the symbol for River Bend. In the phoenix legend, a firebird burns to ashes but rises from those ashes stronger than before. The three graduates said this is representative of their time at River Bend. They all experience a breakdown, but they can rise up better than before.

Pamala Lee Alba also gave a graduation speech on the challenges of reaching graduation day. Alba acknowledged she was uncertain she would ever reach graduation and was initially disappointed that she had to attend River Bend. However, after graduating, she believes River Bend graduates work harder to achieve a diploma.

She thanked her teachers for their support and for pushing her to graduate.

“The best part of River Bend is the teachers genuinely want you to succeed,” Alba said.

River Bend teacher Joe Ness gave a commencement speech. He quoted the film “The Great Debaters” and said “we do what we have to do, so we can do what we want to do.”

Ness said that he does things he doesn’t like, to put him in a position to do want he wants. The students graduating from River Bend made choices and did things that allowed them to graduate.

“I bet your present self is grateful to your past self for sticking to it and earning a diploma,” Ness said.

He advised graduates to continue to work hard to give their future selves a better tomorrow.

Ness also asked the graduates to take care of their relationships and be kind to those who love them.

The River Bend students graduating this year include Pamela Lee Alba, Essance Rose Anderson, Colten Randall Becker, Mathew John Emmanuel Dustin, William Ignacio Gonzalez, Koby David Harder, Kloey Marie Johnson, Jayden Todd Kraayenhof, Jacob Alonzo Larson, Johnathan Edwin Lindberg, Laisha Elena Moran, Abigail Rose Ranweiler, Andrew James Rykhus, Hunter Waya Schroeder, Aleah Symone Taschek, Isabel Lori Tigre, Madison Rose Tauer and Jaylin Jamel Williams.

The entire ceremony was streamed on Zoom and can be viewed on the school’s website.