Mat-Su Central celebrates class of 2026

Mat-Su Central School 2026 graduate Lizzy McQuillin delivered a wonderful version of the National Anthem on Friday night at the Curtis D. Menard Center while the Colony JROTC presented the colors. McQuillin followed her performance with an equally moving address to her peers. She asked them to be the ones to support others, much like they were supported through their education.

“I want to encourage you guys to reflect on all the people who helped you become who you are,” McQuillin said. “Someone who was there when you needed them the most, or someone who saw you at your very worst. Maybe you even tried to push them away, but they still chose to be the person you needed. But more than just thinking about that example in your life today, I want to encourage you guys to be that person for someone else. That when life gets hard and someone feels like they’re in over their head, be the friend they call because they know they can count on you to pick up the phone and to show up.”

Principal Jason Moore spoke from his heart as he addressed the graduates. He congratulated them on four years of hard work while balancing jobs, classes, sports and family responsibilities and completing huge educational milestones outside of the traditional classroom setting. He encouraged students to try new things, be willing to fail and learn and grow as they pursue the next step of their lives.

“Success is not about never making mistakes,” Moore said. “In fact, I encourage you to make a new mistake every day. Just don’t keep making the same mistake over and over. That’s not growth. That’s a subscription plan.”

Senior speaker Valentina Polushkin shared her fear of failure and how it shaped her educational journey. She shared that allowing herself to fail and then picking herself back up was something that had to be learned and not a given. She, too, encouraged her peers to learn from their mistakes.

“After you flop so many times you realize it’s actually not that big of a deal,” Polushkin said. “And so my fellow graduates, after you guys walk out this door and we probably never see each other again, I want you to keep my lesson in mind. That life is full of failure… We still owe it to ourselves to have these experiences. We owe it to ourselves to try, to live life to the fullest.”

Mat-Su Central hosts a rose ceremony during commencement, where graduates present a rose to someone in the audience that had a positive impact on their education. Graduates dispersed throughout the crowd, giving warm hugs and handshakes to friends, family and staff who welcomed their graduates with tears and pats on the back.

Graduates that received degrees and certifications, college credits, scholarships for secondary education and those who signed up to join the military while attending Mat-Su Central were recognized by counselor Kristin Langhoff. In honor of past Mat-Su Central Principal John Brown, The John Brown Lifelong Learning Scholarship was awarded to Valentina Polushkin.

Graduate Kylie Benner led her fellow graduates in moving their tassels from right to left at the end of the ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it now gives me great pleasure to present to you the newest alumni of Mat-Su Central School, our class of 2026!” Principal Moore exclaimed as a sea of graduation caps filled the air and a round of applause echoed throughout the building.