(PHOTOS) 'Adaptable' Triumph High School class of 2023 celebrates graduation

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — If Triumph High School’s class of 2023 could be described in one word, it would be “adaptable,” said principal Troy Lake.

They were only freshmen when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their schooling. Despite the challenges, Lake said, the 33 now-graduates managed to persevere through their classes and celebrate the end of their high school journey at Storey Gym this evening.

“When you think of virtual, you think of Canvas, you think of Zoom. … Prior to their freshman year, it was just all kinds of wordy stuff,” he said during the graduation ceremony, “but that’s become their main state, that’s how they did their business.”

Like Lake, student speaker Riley-Jayne Balderaz expressed her admiration toward her classmates’ resilience.

“Today we celebrate our triumph over adversity,” she said during the ceremony. “We stand here with our caps and gowns looking back at the obstacles we’ve overcome, the challenges we have faced and the doubts we have conquered. We’re not just high school graduates; we’re survivors of our struggles and we have emerged stronger and wiser and more resilient than ever before.”

While this evening was meant to be a joyous occasion, the class of 2023 and their loved ones also held a moment of silence to remember Angelina Harrison, a 16-year-old Triumph student who died in January. To memorialize Harrison, a cap and gown were draped over an empty chair.

“She can’t be with us in person, but she’s with us in our hearts,” Lake said.

The list of the graduates can be found below: