For the second year in a row, the school was able to hold graduation inside the school with families.

This year’s class verse was Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Class speakers Isaac Bakke and Josiah Guenther addressed the struggles and highlights of the 2022 MVL class.

Bakke said this year’s graduates faced a shortened sophomore year because of the COVID pandemic. Junior year was a return to school, but many students were absent for weeks at a time for quarantines.

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt A group of Minnesota Valley Lutheran graduates embrace following the commencement celebration on Sunday.

Bakke told his classmates to find courage from their class verse. He said it summarizes what is ahead.

Guenther praised MVL for the quality education they received and wished to thank MVL parents for their extra sacrifices. Many parents had to work hard to make sure kids made it to school and extracurricular activities.

Frequent road construction was another obstacle for those attending MVL, but the families made it work.

Guenther also praised the teachers who he said were often similar to parents for how much they cared for students.

The commencement address was given by the Rev. Rob Guenther of St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church inNew Ulm.

Guenther said Deuteronomy 31:6 was an appropriate verse for a commencement speech. The book of Deuteronomy was a lesson given to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. Moses would not join the Israelites in the promised land. His speech beginning in Chapter 31 was about transitioning to new leadership.

The verse is a commencement speech, Guenther said, and just as Moses did not follow the Israelites into the Promise Land; teachers will not follow students beyond graduation. The graduates will need to move forward without their teachers.

Guenther said he would not mince words: for many graduates life was about to get harder. Some would face struggles. Struggles could be financial, physical, mental or moral, but he encouraged students to look to God for the endurance to move on.

Though parents and teachers could not go with them, he said, God would be with them always.