On Sunday, May 17, St. Clair High School hosted its annual Senior Recognition and Awards Ceremony, celebrating the remarkable achievements of the graduating Class of 2026. The event served as a formal tribute to years of hard work, grit, and dedication as these Cyclones prepare to cross the high school finish line.
Principal Troy Guentzel opened the ceremony by welcoming the seniors and their proud families. In his opening remarks, Guentzel noted that the senior year represents the culmination of a long educational journey. He emphasized that the afternoon’s ceremony was designed to shine a bright spotlight on the students’ tireless efforts across three core pillars: academics, athletics, and the arts.
Academic Excellence
The academic portion of the afternoon saw dozens of students recognized for maintaining rigorous classroom standards throughout their high school careers. A total of 37 students received the Academic Letter, which requires a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or higher.
The high-achieving class also boasted a significant number of honor students. Twenty-one seniors earned the prestigious Distinguished Honor Student status by maintaining a GPA of 3.67 or higher—earning the privilege to wear gold cords during graduation. The remaining 16 Honor students were recognized for achieving a GPA between 3.33 and 3.66.
In addition, two senior boys, Elijah Bailey and Huntly Lentz, earned national recognition through the U.S. Department of Education awards, which require a cumulative 3.67 GPA and scoring in the 85th percentile or higher on standardized testing.
Highlighting the deep academic talent of this graduating class, 25 Cyclones were honored with the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. The following students were recognized for this impressive achievement:
- Braxton Breezee
- Janessa Carstensen
- Isaac Coudron
- Ryan Eichhorst
- Orrin Gessner
- Will Goosen
- Brevin Hansen
- Brynn Hansen
- Grace Ireland
- Bryna Irvin
- Zoe Johnson
- Aubree Mathiowetz
- Brooklyn Meng
- Garrett Mills
- Valerie Quast
- Matthew Scholz
- Boston Trier
- Paige St. Peter
- Ben Terry
- Luke Vaughan
- William Wellmann
- Aubrey Will
- Hunter Winkler
- Meg Young
- Will Youngerberg
For nearly half of the graduating class to receive such high academic honors is a strong testament to the quality of learning provided at St. Clair, and it highlights the deep commitment these students possess in the classroom.
Athletic Achievements
St. Clair Activities Director Brad O’Donnell took the stage to recognize the seniors who pushed their physical limits and demonstrated exceptional leadership on the field, court, and track.
Though the Triple A Awards (recognizing excellence in Academics, Arts, and Athletics) were announced earlier in the school year, the official plaques were presented to their deserving recipients: Janessa Carstensen and William Wellmann.
In addition to the Triple A Awards, the William Karels Award highlighted outstanding senior athletes in Braxton Breezee and Will Youngerberg.
A special commendation was also given to six dedicated students who participated in three sports during all four years of high school: Avery Anderson, Brooklin Hinze, Aubree Mathiowetz, Valerie Quast, Jon Pierce, and Hunter Winkler.
Celebrating the Arts
The creative pulse of St. Clair was celebrated next. On behalf of Band Director Carpenter, the music and theatrical awards were presented to showcase the school’s immense fine arts talent.
The Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award honored Orrin Gessner for his outstanding contributions and achievements—including a perfect 40 score at this year’s MSHSL Contest. Janessa Carstensen received a double-bounty as the recipient of both the John Philip Sousa Award & Director’s Award for superior musicianship and outstanding dedication.
Choir Director Tami Sellner presented National Choral Awards to Ben Terry and Meg Young for outstanding vocal achievement, then awarded the Director’s Awards to William Wellmann and Avery Wilmes.
In the theatrical arts, Director Ms. Winkelman took the stage to present the Thespians of the Year awards. Highlighting a banner year for the theater program, Winkelman noted that 15 seniors participated in drama productions this year. The top accolades went to Ben Terry, William Wellmann, and Meg Young for their remarkable contributions to the stage.
Community Support & Scholarships
A massive wave of community generosity was on display as local organizations, businesses, and families presented numerous scholarships to support the graduates in their next steps.
- Gene Goettl Scholarship: Ryan Eichhorst
- James Buysse Scholarship: Isaac Coudron
- Harold Drummer Sr. Scholarship: Will Youngerberg
- Eagle Lake Area Lions Club Scholarship: Presented by Angela Putnam, who playfully added a plug inviting community members to join the Lions Club, awarded to Max Wilson.
- Brad Loeffler Scholarship: Brooklyn Meng
- Marvin & Ardis Steel Memorial Scholarship: Laynee Bracken and Max Wilson
- Widseth Engineering & Architectural Scholarship: Kaylee Rohman
- Wingert Land Services Agricultural/Engineering Scholarship: Cody Weiderhoeft
- Matthew Young Technical College Scholarship: Max Wilson
- St. Clair GIFTS Foundation Scholarships: Presented by Julie More, marking the 10th anniversary of the nonprofit. Three $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Elijah Bailey, Janessa Carstensen, and Aubree Mathiowetz.
- Molly Goebel Memorial Scholarship: In its inaugural presentation, this community-focused scholarship was presented by Goebel’s daughters to Will Youngerberg in recognition of his dedication to community service.
- St. Clair Post 475 Auxiliary Scholarship: Presented by Beth Froehlich, supporting the young women of St. Clair, awarded to Braxton Breezee, Laynee Bracken, and Brooklyn Meng.
- St. Clair Staff Senior Scholarship: William Wellmann, Meg Young, Ben Terry, Janessa Carstensen, and Aubree Mathiowetz
- Minnesota Honor Society Scholarship: Braxton Breezee
- Red Cross Scholarship: Elijah Bailey and William Wellmann
A Heartfelt Farewell
The emotional heart of the ceremony came during the Senior Farewell, delivered by senior Ben Terry.
Principal Guentzel provided some touching context before Terry took the podium. He shared that three seniors—including Terry—had originally hoped to be the graduation speaker. Graciously, Terry stepped aside to allow his classmates the stage, a mature gesture that earned him the well-deserved honor of speaking at the senior banquet instead.
Terry began his speech with a startling, dramatic hook: “Statistically, three students in this room will one day go to prison.” He followed it up with a series of other rapid-fire statistics about who would get married, have children, become millionaires, or—perhaps most unlikely—go to space.
It was a clever bait-and-switch. Terry quickly shook off the cold nature of percentages to deliver an inspiring message: the Class of 2026 is not a collection of statistics, but a group of unique individuals. He urged his peers to remember that their true worth and passions cannot be confined to a predictable box. Reflecting on his own high school journey, Terry reminded his classmates that while stepping out of comfort zones and trying new things is terrifying, those are the exact moments that leave the most lasting impacts on our lives.
Looking Ahead
As the ceremony drew to a close, the unique spirit of this graduating cohort was front and center. Under the vibrant display of the class colors, red and white, and adorned with the class flower, the lily, the Class of 2026 stood ready for their next chapter. They carry with them a humorous and fitting class motto: “Plot-Twist, We Graduated.”
The ceremony concluded with Guentzel thanking the seniors for “another incredibly successful graduating class” at St. Clair. As the district continues to grow in size, so does the success of the pillars that make any school attractive: academics, arts, and athletics. These Cyclones may soon walk the stage, accept their diplomas, and venture onto new paths of discovery; however, receiving recognition for four years of hard work and determination make the late-night study sessions, early morning workouts, and hours of practice worth it.
