Tonganoxie High School will have 137 students graduating at Chieftain Arena on the THS campus Saturday morning. Commencement exercises will start at 10 a.m. The Class of 2023 will be the first THS class in the post-COVID-19 era to have its ceremony on campus.

Ceremonies were moved to Children’s Mercy Park, home of Sporting Kansas City, in Kansas City, Kan., in an effort to better distance graduates and guests during the pandemic. The contract with SKC concluded last year and so students will be graduating inside Chieftain Arena, which opened in January.

Senior class president Dalton Regehr will give the welcome and then the THS Senior Ensemble will perform.

THS principal Cody Witte will recognize National Honor Society Members, 4.0 students, careers technical education students and FFA state degree winners. He also will honor students going into the military.

Next will be recognition of salutatorians Katelyn Bothwell and Dalton Regehr.

This year’s THS valedictorian is Remi Baldock. He will give an address.

Witte will return to the podium to give the principal’s message.

Assistant principal Kelly Hoopes and activities director and dean of students will handle presentation of the class.

USD 464 board members Kaija Baldock, Jim Bothwell, Chris Gratton, Drew Overmiller, Stephanie Shupe and Justin Sturgeon will award diplomas to the Class of 2023.

The THS band will provide music for the recessional.

Graduation escorts are Brendan Bowling and Mallory Dick; greeters are Kasia Baldock, Marissa Bowlin and Lilly Breuer.

McLouth High graduation

McLouth High School soon will celebrate 28 graduates on Saturday.

MHS commencement exercises also are set for 10 a.m. The ceremony will be in the Gold Gymnasium.

The MHS band will perform the “Graduation Suite” for the processional at the start of Saturday’s ceremony.

USD 342 Superintendent Jerome Johnson will give opening remarks and Grace Forsberg, senior class president, will provide the welcome.

Co-valedictorians Corissa Bandel, Mable Caldwell, Grace Forsberg, Regan Harriman, Jillian Holwick and Camden Weissenbach will be recognized.

Aaron Polson will then recognize honor students and announce several scholarships, as will Annamarie Rainey and others.

Johnson will then present the class for graduation and board of education members will present diplomas. After diplomas have been handed out, Johnson will present the class as the newest group of alums at MHS.

The MHS band will then perform the MHS alma mater and “Graduation Suite.”

Class colors are maroon and white and the class flower is the carnation. The class motto is “Things may change us, but we start and finish as family.”

Graduation escorts for Saturday’s ceremony are Ash David, Holly Harriman and Lacie Gallagher.

Senior class officers for 2022-23 were Forsberg, president; Kennedy Coffin, vice president; Sky Forsberg, secretary; and Regan Harriman, treasurer.