River Bend Learning Center Coordinator Chris Bodick said students graduating from River Bend this year represent individuals who completed the school’s work program, area learning center and online program.

The ceremony included two student speakers. The first speaker, Alejandro Garcia, served as the school’s representative to Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (MAAP).

Garcia said when he first entered River Bend four years ago, he was not expecting the school to become a second home for him. For most of his life Garcia had felt out of place, like he did not belong. He said the place he felt most out of place was the classroom.

“I hated my teachers and as far as I was concerned the feeling was mutual,” he said.

Alejandro Garcia delivers his commencement speech during River Bend’s graduation ceremony. Garcia credited the school with saving his life and realizing he was capable of much more.

For a time he would spend every lunch period in detention forced to work on homework he never planned to finish. Garcia said before River Bend, school was not enough to help him, and what little was being done made him resent teachers more.

The COVID pandemic was the moment things changed. He said the shutdown forced the government to find alternative methods to education. That is how Garcia came to River Bend for an alternative education.

“It was here that I realized that I learned I was capable of so much more,” he said. “It was here that I was given opportunities I would not have gotten anywhere else,” Garcia said.

He said four years ago, he had lost all hope of graduating high school and many expected him to be living on the streets.

“River Bend didn’t just help me get my grades up, in all honestly, River Bend saved me life,” Garcia said. “These aren’t just teachers, they are family. They helped me find who I really was. I was excited to come to school and tell people about my day and hear about theirs.

Prudence Thompson gives a commencement address for the 2025 River Bend graduating class. In her speech, Thompson encouraged her fellow grads to look to tomorrow instead of dwelling on the past.

It was at River Bend he realized teachers only wanted to see them succeed.

Garcia also thanked his family for their continued support as he worked to graduate.

He said that everyone makes mistakes, but mistakes do not define a person. It is how a person responds to those errors that defines them.

To his fellow graduates, Garcia said he wished nothing but the best for all of them and he wanted them to know they were all capable of incredible things.

“Today I shared my story,” he said. “I hope to one day to hear yours.”

River Bend student Alejandro Garcia walks across the stage after receiving his diploma during Tuesday’s graduation ceremony at New Ulm Community Center.

The second student speaker, Prudence Thompson opened by thanking the teachers of River Bend for their support and pushing them to graduation. She also gave a special thanks to her mother for never doubting her. She said her graduation was a shared accomplishment with her mom.

Thompson said in order to graduate she needed to learn to let go of certain things, including the expectations of others.

She said there will be people who don’t like you for fitting in a certain standard. Thompson warned her fellow graduates not to conform to what others expect.

“Tomorrow is a promise,” she said. “So stop dwelling on the past […] create a life that you can be proud of.”

River Bend teacher Kristi Rainwater served as the staff speaker. Rain gave the students one last assignment: to read all the names in the graduation program.

River Bend student Zoey Gareis receives her high school diploma during Tuesday’s graduation ceremony.

“Those are the people that are in front of us, the friends we know the family members we have, the students we had in our classroom,” she said. “They all have a story of how they got here.”

Rainwater wanted the River Bend graduates to know that every one of them had great potential that she saw firsthand as their teacher and encouraged them to continue expressing themselves.

“Your education was not just about reading and writing, it was about critical thinking, questioning assumptions, embrace diversity and to find a place that desperately needs your unique talents and perspectives.”

In closing, Rainwater told students not to be afraid, to be themselves. Each person had a story worth telling. She asked them to fill that story with courage compassion and purpose.

“No mater where life takes you will always be a part of the River Bend family,” she said.

River Bend student Emily Ryhkus holds her high school diploma during Tuesday’s graduation ceremony.