Aurora graduates to turn tassels Sunday

Aurora High School’s Class of 2026 is set to turn the tassels on Sunday, celebrating one of the final area graduation ceremonies 
Commencement exercises will begin at 2 p.m. in the Aurora Sports Complex. The processional will be accompanied by the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance.” 
Class speakers are selected through an application process. Seniors who want to be considered submit their essay, which is scored by a faculty council and the top two scores are selected to speak. 
This year’s class representatives will be Savanna James and Eva Yllescas.
The class flower is the red rose. The Class of 2026 has selected the following motto: “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” -- Willam Arthur Ward.
Aurora High School recognizes the Laude System, with red cords given to students to designate Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA and above), black cords to Magna Cum Laude (3.855-3.999) and white cords to Cum Laude (3.7-3.8554). Cords will also be given to represent career pathway honors. These include business marketing and management (royal); ag and natural resources (green); manufacturing (orange); human services, education and design (navy); studio art or graphic arts (teal); nursing (blue and white); and construction tech (harvest gold), medical (green and white); and medical (blue and white).
Legacy graduates will be signified with an alumni legacy lapel pin. 
Aurora High School Principal Doug Kittle announced that there are 97 seniors in this year’s graduating class. Four students received diplomas in December.
Aurora graduates (not mid-term) are as follows: Canon Allen, Christian Alvarez, Alex Anderson, Leland Becker, Ethan Beed, Heather Beckman, James Benger, Rowan Bennett, Scott Bennett, Ludvig Bjerring, Emily Bohlman, Kobe Bonifas, Samuel Bowman, Adrianna Brei, Emma Broman, Ellie Brown, Tegan Burson, Tayt Carr, Landon Colburn, Kayden Crosby, Ella Curtis, Calan Darbro, Kelsen Davidson, Tagen, Dennhardt, Ella Eggleston, Alexis Ericksen, Caspian Eshtelaq, Lukas Evans, Jessalyn Fillinger, Ian Fitzgerald, MaKeya Fourcloud, Alex Ginn, Emely Rodriguez, Isaac Graham, Peyton Graham, Darlene Groetzinger, Brooks Handrup, Makenna Hanke, Arianna Harvey, Caleb Hiebert, Amme Hitts, Angelo Holke, Mason Howland, Savanna James, Ian Jensen, Haylee Johnson, Cage Julianelle, Taylor Kenney, Bailey Kliewer, Brynn Kliewer, Kooper Kliewer, Ashlyn Kottwitz, Jayke Krueger, Garrett Kuehner, Brennan Lantzer, Haven Leu, Gavin Logue, Landen Manka, Matthew Marr, Kaydence Meininger, Brett Mellies, Kenna Merrihew, Tainee Merrihew, Julia Messere, Lylah Mitchell, Zachary Peters, Madelyn Ramaekers, Samuel Randell, Gentri Rasmussen, Mayzi Retzlaff, Peter Russell, Zildjian Sandberg, Paytn Schamp, Carter Schuetze, Caly Settles, Jayden Slagle, Jordyn Slagle, Jayden Smith, Ryan Staehr, Sydni Steinke, Trenten Stevens, Collin Stolpe, Jacobi Thomas, Trinity Uhrmacher, Faith Utley, Dain Vap, Hannah Vermillion, Jordyn Wells, Kendal Wineteer, Paityn Wyatt, Eva Yllescas, Micole Yockey.
The four students receiving their diplomas at semester included Blake Brown, Faith Hagelstein, Ayden Larson, Benjamin Santeliz-Diaz.