(Shoshoni, WY) – “I don’t know if I should be happy or disappointed,” student presenter Cayden Harris told the crowd to rounds of laughter at the 2026 Shoshoni High School graduation ceremony, as he struggled to open a miniature mason jar filled with four-year-old tea.
Harris, who was also Shoshoni’s County 10 Student of the Year recipient, explained that during his freshman year, he and some friends found the empty mason jar while in geometry class, and they decided to fill it up with water and an old tea bag. He then came up with the plan to drink that four-year-old tea on graduation day, and after telling the attendees the backstory, he produced the jar in question to equal parts laughter and horror (laughter from the students and dads, horror from the moms and staff). But as stated above, the jar had different plans and wouldn’t open, even with help from fellow graduates.
While it was probably for the best that the jar remained closed and Harris didn’t drink its contents, the whole thing did create a graduation moment the Class of 2026 will likely never forget. (Editor’s Note: Cayden’s mom, Casey, has shared that after the ceremony, “They in fact got the jar open and a sip was taken.”)
Shoshoni Schools Superintendent Bruce Thoren hosted the ceremony, which began with the National Anthem sung by the Shoshoni Choir (who later went on to perform Green Day’s “Good Riddance” with music teacher Coulter Neale on guitar), followed by remarks from Shoshoni School Board Chairperson Gavin Woody.
After the now legendary tea jar incident, Haris introduced the guest speaker for the day, Marty Weber.
“The two most asked questions this weekend are going to be where are you going and what are you doing?” Webber told the graduates. “If you took a survey of the people in this gymnasium… and asked them when they were in your seats, everybody had a plan. But a lot of times it won’t work out, and that’s all right. A lot of people’s career paths went a different way. You thought when you left high school, ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that.’ In the coming days, months, and years, you guys are going to have opportunities to do many different things. Make sure you take advantage of it, because you never know where it will take you.”
Weber also advised the students to “never stop learning” and to find a career path they love.
The ceremony continued with speeches from Valedictorian Brenna Ann Metzler and Salutatorian Corbin Anthony Brown.
“It feels like just yesterday when we were little sixth graders doing daily Zoom meetings in our pajamas, and now we’re here,” Metzler reminisced with her fellow graduates. “Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives, and it won’t be the same for any of us.”
Metzler echoed Weber’s sentiment about finding a career that you love.
“Don’t select a career because you’ll become rich. Money means nothing if you’re miserable every day. Choose a career where you enjoy even the boring minutes. Wherever life takes us, let us remember the moments that led up to today. Remember the friendships, the laughs, and the adventures that shaped us into who we are. The same experiences change each of us in a different way, and we can each change the world around us.”
Brown then took to the podium, and after recalling memories shared amongst their class, gave kudos to his peers for making it to graduation day.
“If we’re being honest, I know some of you are probably thinking, how did he get up there? But don’t worry, I’ve asked myself the same question a lot. And I mean a lot,” Brown joked. “But don’t worry… this moment isn’t about one person, it’s about all of us. Because every single person here found a way to make it to this stage.”
“We all have had moments when we felt stressed, overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do. Right now, I’m pretty stressed giving this speech to be honest,” Brown continued. “But that’s okay. Because the truth is, nobody has everything figured out. Not now, not later. …Some of us are chasing big goals, starting businesses, traveling, just trying to figure things out most of the time. And for the first time, it’s fully on us. So here’s what I want you to do with it. Don’t play it safe. It’s easy to stay comfortable, to do what’s to be expected. But the people who actually want to build something meaningful are the ones who stand out, take risks…”
The students were then presented with their diplomas, and the accomplishments and future plans of each graduate were read aloud as they walked across the stage.
The Shoshoni Class of 2026 included:
Galen Vess Allen
Eli Steven Ballard
Prestley Ray Barta
Kaden Lewis Bridger
Corbin Anthony Brown
Irelynn Grace Campbell
Felix Andrew Garcia
Max Durand Gopp
Preston Eugene Hance
Cayden Tyler Harris
Payton Rae Helton
Carson Taylor Kisling
Kaitlyn Marie Livingston
Cayden Clifton-Raye Madrid
Carlos Adrian Marrufo
Brenna Ann Metzler
Callie Marie Miller
Justice Morgan Miller
Oakley James Noriega-Hicks
Madilyn Grace Ramage
Kyra Kaye Rodriguez
Peyton Tyce Rogers
Trindan James Rogers
Logan Charles Schubach
Jeremiah Douglas Segura-Croce
Cheyenne Judy Irene Pauline Selig
Leta Nilene Shelton
Brueklyn Mae-Ann Truempler
Joshua Don Wilbourn
Michael Jeremiah Wilczewski
Ella Clara Yildirim
h/t Vince Tropea, County 10
Class Motto:
“Here for a good time, not a long time.”
Class Flower:
Hydrangea
Class Colors:
White and gold
Class Spokesman:
Cayden Harris
Class Sponsors:
Amy Mason, Rachel Rapp