MORGANTOWN — Despite heavy rain, whipping winds and chilly temperatures, the graduating class of 2026 at University High School filled the school’s football field Friday evening with smiles, pride and celebration as they became the school’s 100th graduating class.
Parents packed the bleachers dressed in raincoats while umbrellas flooded the stands as graduates embraced the milestone ceremony despite the difficult weather conditions. The evening marked a historic moment for the school, which has spent the academic year celebrating its centennial anniversary with events honoring the legacy of the University Hawks.
Class President Julia Watson reflected on the school’s history and legacy during her commencement speech, reminding classmates they were “part of history” as the 100th graduating class at UHS. Watson highlighted the school’s beginnings in 1925 as University Demonstration High School before sharing memories of student life that shaped the class over the past four years.
“Sports matches, theater productions, dances, all whizzed by before we even realized they’d happened,” Watson said. “Now, here we are on the football field one last time.”
Watson also reflected on how quickly the class reached graduation after entering the school as freshmen years earlier. She described the ceremony as a moment of closing one chapter while opening another as graduates prepared for college, careers and future opportunities beyond high school.
Throughout the ceremony, graduates laughed, hugged and posed for photos while family members cheered from beneath umbrellas along the rain-soaked bleachers. Even as rain continued to fall across the field, the class of 2026 remained energized, embracing both the challenging weather and the historic significance of the night.
Watson ended her speech by thanking families, teachers, administrators and classmates for their support throughout the journey to graduation, encouraging graduates to continue supporting one another as they move into the next chapter of their lives.
