Sentinel High School in Missoula awarded diplomas to its Class of 2025 in a commencement ceremony that included the debut performance of a Native American honor song by a Missoula County Public Schools Native American student drum group and a commencement address by custodian Mark Minor.

Principal Stephanie Tennis opened the program and welcomed graduates, staff and families. The ceremony included a land acknowledgment: “We acknowledge that we are gathered on indigenous territory,” and introduced the student and staff drum group led by Shawn Whitegrass and Brittany Hunter to perform an honor song for graduates.

Superintendent Micah Hill formally presented the graduating class and certified that students had met requirements for graduation. “By the authority vested in me by the state of Montana and the Montana Office of Public Instruction, I present to you and to the Board of Trustees for Missoula County Public Schools, the members of the Sentinel High School Class of 2025 as having fulfilled all of the requirements and obligations to be awarded a diploma,” Hill said.

Commencement speaker Mark Minor, identified in the program as a Sentinel custodian, delivered a personal speech to graduates about kindness, patience and hard work. “Be kind. Be patient. Give a 10 in everything you do,” Minor told the Class of 2025.

Student addresses included a speech from senior class speaker Simon Montesilio and remarks from co-class presidents Hudson Noddy and Tyler Stanton. The program also featured performances of the national anthem by students Haley DeRosa, Reese Johnson and Kelsey LaRocque and a selection of speakers and staff recognized on stage, including Board Chair Walena Olperson and trustees Arlene Walker Andrews and Jenny Walsh.

The ceremony concluded with the traditional turning of the tassels and presentation of graduates. A long list of individual graduates was read aloud during the program.