Superintendent Sean Koster opened the ceremony by describing high school graduation as the fleeting moment between the end of one chapter and the start of the next. He said each of the students were standing on the edge of a new life and would start a new version of themselves, but they would always be a part of New Ulm High School.

English teacher Peter Engeldinger served as the guest speaker for the class. Engeldinger has worked as a teacher at NUHS since 1993.

Engeldinger said he has enjoyed following the class of 2025 and that they have inspired him.

“You are the reason I have been here for 32 years.”

Cullen Slette delivers the commencement speech for the NUHS Class of 2025 graduation. Slette told his fellow graduates to take changes and not be afraid of change.

In his speech, Engeldinger referenced the 2008 book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell. One of the messages of the book is that to be great at something, a person needs 10,000 hours of practice.

“You’ve got to put the time in to be able to do something well,” Engeldinger said. He then asked the graduates what they had become good at.

Engeldinger said according to the school’s academic calendar, the students logged 1,115 hours this school year. After 12 years of education, each student graduating has 12,000 hours.

“The question is begging to be asked: What are you now an expert at?” Engeldinger asked.

He argued each student has gained wisdom and the ability to see the difference between people. The students have also learned to take a closer inspection of things.

NUHS seniors Reagan Jorgensen (left) and Rory Juberien (right) are all smiles ahead of Friday nights graduation ceremony.

“And what did we discover upon closer inspection?” he asked. “That there are no easy answers, that the struggle is real and that it is worth it.”

Engeldinger encouraged the graduates to continue to wrench their brains because achieving anything of any merit is going to hurt.

“If you’re not suffering at least a little, you’re not working hard enough,” he said.

Engeldinger closed by telling the students their education has prepared them to know how to get the job done.

The senior class commencement address was delivered by Cullen Slette. Looking back on his high school career, Slette said there were things he would not miss, but said he would miss his classmates.

Cullen Slette, the commencement speaker for NUHS Class of 2025, accepts his diploma from Principal Mark Bergmann.

“We have shared almost every day of our lives for the past several years together,” he said. “This will be the last time we all be together.”

He described graduation as a time of transition. Going forward, the class would not have teachers taking attendance and telling them what to do. They were all free to move on from that past. He also warned his classmates that life is short.

“We only get one shot,” Slette said. “Let’s make it count.”

He advised his fellow graduates to take risks and big chances. Slette admitted he had not reached all his goals and some of his dreams have changed over the years, but he has learned to adapt.

“Take the big chances,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to change.”

New Ulm High School graduate Britton Beran receives his diploma during Friday night’s graduation ceremony.

New Ulm High School Class of 2025 graduate Adeline Ringhofer hugs her father Matt Ringhofer after accepting her high school diploma.

Austin Zamzow is the last member of the New Ulm High School Class of 2025 to accept his diploma from Principal Mark Bergmann during Friday night’s commencement ceremony.