BY ANNIE HOLLER
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Seventy-five Tug Valley High School seniors crossed the commencement stage June 6, closing one chapter of their lives and beginning another as family members, friends and educators celebrated the Class of 2026.
The ceremony featured messages centered on opportunity, gratitude and perseverance from class valedictorian Chase Grubb, salutatorian Bailee Hall and guest speaker Dr. Payton Fitchpatrick, a 2019 Tug Valley graduate who recently earned his medical degree.
Grubb, who plans to attend Marshall University and major in chemistry before pursuing medical school and a career in pathology, reminded classmates that their diplomas represent more than the completion of high school.
“The high school diploma opens doors and allows you to move to the next step of your life, whether it be college, trade school, the military or the workforce,” Grubb said. “Every member of this graduating class has accomplished an important feat, and I wish great things for each of you as you begin to pursue your dreams for a bright future.”
Hall, who will attend West Virginia State University, where she will continue her softball career while studying pre-medicine, encouraged classmates to hold on to the everyday moments that defined their high school experience.
While championships, awards and milestones will be remembered, Hall said the smaller moments often leave the deepest impressions — conversations with friends, encouragement from teachers, late-night study sessions and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges.
“Savor those thoughts,” Hall told her classmates. “File them away so that if you find yourself having a stressful day or think you don’t have a reason to smile, you can take a walk down memory lane and pull out something special from our time here together.”
Fitchpatrick, the first person in his family to graduate from college, challenged graduates to reject stereotypes often associated with rural communities and to pursue their goals with confidence.
“People away from here often overlook or underestimate the abilities of those graduating from smaller schools, especially those in rural Appalachia communities,” Fitchpatrick said. “That’s a huge mistake on their part.”
He credited Tug Valley’s teachers for helping students build a strong foundation for future success and encouraged graduates to embrace the opportunities ahead.
“Go forward and do great things,” he said.
Graduates receiving very high honors were Gabriella Brewer, Mindi Dearnell, Haven Deskins, Allison Fields, Jace Hale, Brennan Hall, Laila Hodge, Hailey Newsome, Hunter Newsome, Ana Serrano and Jacob White.
Students graduating with honors were David Copley, Kablan Dillon, Ricky Ferris, Benjamin Hannah, Molly Hatfield, Damian Hensley, Jaxon Hundley, Alyson Marcum, Kayla Martinrz, Agnes Messer, Rylee Mills, Dominic Sollazzo, Walter Spurlock, Riley Stacy, Haven Tomblin and Gage Whitt.
Other members of the Class of 2026 were Roger Adams II, Diana Bartram, Kelley Blair, Andin Booth, Tristan Bradley, Jacob Bragg, Barrett Browning, Noah Canterbury, Kaylee Chapman, Jeremiah Collins, Zerelda Copley, Bradley Davis, Lila Duncan, Trenton Edwards, Austin Evans, Kaden Evans, Ethan Farra, Alia Gillman, Brielle Hayes, Sammi Kiser, Cody Maynard, Hailey Messer, Jerry Messer, Tyson Miller, Dalton Moore, Timothy Morgan Jr., Courtney Newsome, Addison Ooten, Aleksah Osborne, Caleb Preece, Kayla Richardson, Maryssa Salmons, Samuel Salmons, Ryder Sanders, Braydon Walker and Jake Wilson.