It was a historic year for the Mexico High School Class of 2026.

The Mexico High School commencement ceremony was held Friday evening at Hawthorne Heights, where MHS Principal Brad Ellebracht recognized the many accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

Among the 212 graduates, Ellebracht said 970 college credit hours were earned, 67% are continuing their education at either a two- or four-year university, 20% are going straight into the workforce, and five are entering specialized training programs. Two students, Ava Herron and Marali Herrera-Amaya, completed their associate degrees; 19 graduates plan to continue their athletic careers in college and some students have plans to serve in the military.

The achievements of these Bulldogs did not go unnoticed. Ellebracht said this year’s seniors received a “record-breaking” $2 million in scholarships from local, state and collegiate sources.

There were also six valedictorians, all of whom tied for the top spot in their class. The valedictorians were Kyle Lewis, Marali Herrera-Amaya, Mary Crews, William Hernandez-Sampayo, Emmaleigh Seibert and Miah Sprock.

“It’s safe to say the class of 2026 is ready to take on the world, and we look forward with pride and excitement to see what they’ll accomplish,” he said.

Bulldog pride was a common theme this year. Dr. Troy Lentz, superintendent of Mexico Public Schools, took time during his commencement speech to remind parents that graduation is an opportunity to remind their students how proud they are.

“It’s not always easy, but this is a milestone to celebrate for sure,” he said. “I just want you to know that we are very, very proud of you.”

Lentz also offered graduates three pieces of advice: Be nice, work hard, and be proud of where you came from.

“Mexico is a great town, and you should be proud to be graduates of Mexico High School,” he said.

With that, Lentz introduced this year’s honorary graduate of Mexico High School — Tony Robertson.

“Through his leadership — yes, there is leadership in banking — decades of community service, and deep-rooted commitment to the people of Mexico, Tony has helped shape the strength and spirit of the Bulldog community,” Lentz said.

Robertson has served the community for more than three decades at Central Bank, and he now serves as community bank president. All three of his children are MHS alums and now Robertson joins their ranks.

This year’s distinguished alumna, Janet Graham, was introduced by Sidny Groves, MHS speech and debate teacher.

“Throughout her career, Janet’s mission has remained clear — to instill in young people a love for dance and the performing arts,” Groves said. “Her proudest moments have come not from trophies or titles, but from watching students grow, mature and accomplish goals they once thought were impossible.”

Graham established Janet’s Dance Studio in Mexico in 1980 and has spent nearly five decades inspiring her students. Before making her way onstage to receive her award, her current and former students stood at their seats — a visual representation of just how many lives Graham has touched.

As they made their way across the stage to receive their diplomas, many MHS graduates chose to leave their principal with parting gifts — a legacy for future Bulldogs to live up to and more rubber ducks than he knew what to do with.

For more photos, see The Mexico Ledger's online photo galleries.