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NUHS grads told it’s all about journey — pursuit of dreams

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt The New Ulm High School Class of 2022 toss their mortarboards after being certified high school graduates.

NEW ULM– Friday was graduation night for the 143 students of New Ulm High School.

The graduation ceremony for the Class of 2022 was the first one open to the public since 2019.

Student Council President Makiah Otto began the ceremony by telling her class that she was proud of them for making it through high school during the COVID pandemic. The class proved they could overcome great obstacles.

The commencement address was given by senior Jacob Martinka who spoke about the importance of dreams and overcoming obstacles.

Martinka began his speech by listing dreams and goals he was unable to achieve during high school but said he had so many other wonderful memories that would not have been possible.

Martinka told his fellow classmates they might not accomplish all their dreams, but encouraged them to keep pushing forward.

“Sometimes we get too comfortable and lose track of our goals,” he said.

Martinka shared a story of contracting a rare disease that caused him to lose control of his body. It was a major setback for him and it prevented him from reaching certain goals, but he ultimately made a recovery.

“Bad stuff can happen to you, but it is possible to move on,” Martinka said.

Later in the ceremony, Principal Mark Bergmann praised Martinka for his inspiring words. He agreed that while the graduating class might not reach its goals, the journey toward those goals is still worth it.

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