Gravette High School celebrated the graduation of up to 130 graduates on May 16, 2026. The Class of 2026 leaves behind a strong legacy of achievement and unity as these young adults head toward bright futures.

During the ceremony, Superintendent Jeff Gravette praised the uniquely united class and took a special moment to recognize the legacy of retiring Principal Shannon Mitchell.

In front of us this morning are a uniquely talented group of graduates. I’ve loved watching how much you root for each other these past years. This is a united graduating class. That comradery, that sense of purpose has led to over 2,000,000 dollars in scholarship offers. State title winners, club wins at state competitions, the highest of marks in fine arts competitions. We are here to celebrate you today, the class of 2026.
We are blessed to be here now, nearing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Representatives from each of the 13 colonies came together to craft the early principles that would eventually found this nation. Among those were equality and the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Graduates, your pursuit of happiness begins today. Take the lessons you learned in these halls, your faith, your passions into that quest for happiness. Be grateful for your parents, your family, your teachers, your coaches and all those who volunteer to work to give you all the great experiences from these past 13 years.
In your days at Glenn Duffy you learned to share, to read. At the upper elementary your teachers helped you grow more confident, you did BIG projects, some with way too many glue sticks and glitter involved, stains that our custodians are still working on all these years later.
At middle school you started to mature. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds and the middle school staff helped you score at the top of the state.
At this moment your years at GHS may seem like a blur. Your class has been dominant at every phase of the high school experience. There is something special about this school, something you don’t find everywhere. Much of that is the culture. The values that shape this building.
We are blessed by outstanding leaders that do all the hard things to keep Gravette special. It is not an easy job to be the principal in 2026.
Dr. Mandy Barrett, principal of Gravette Upper Elementary and Mr. Taos Jones, principal of Gravette Middle School. Thank you for being a huge part in the success of our school district for all these years.
I’m glad to have you on this stage with me today as we have our last graduation with GHS Principal Shannon Mitchell. Mrs. Mitchell will retire this coming month with a legacy of service and success few in this district have ever achieved.
She has guided this building to the highest academic marks in our history while maintaining the standard of what it means to be a Gravette Lion. On behalf of our board, our staff, our students and families, thank you Shannon Mitchell.
You are a product of this school, this town. Thank you for pouring your heart into all you do. We love you.
Graduates, watching each of you grow into the strong, thoughtful leaders you are today has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. We have seen you overcome challenges, discover who you are, and arrive at this graduation day with courage and determination.
Behind every one of you stands a family filled with pride, parents, grandparents, and guardians who have loved you endlessly, supported you through every obstacle, and believed in you even on the hardest days. Take a moment to look at this awesome crowd who showed up to support you today.
Their dedication, sacrifices, and unwavering encouragement have helped shape this remarkable class into what it is today. To all of the parents and families: thank you.
Some of you may remember president Ronald Reagan. He was the president in Back to the Future, a movie partly about a fabulous time called the 80’s. You had to be there. Gas was about a dollar, people seemed to get along better than today. And when the light turned green, all the cars went. Class of 2026, go when the light turns green. A text message was a handwritten note you put in a friend's locker, an email required a stamp and a trip to the post office. I’ll close with two quotes from President Reagan this morning. He said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” As an educator that has always stuck with me as a call to action. So here comes one last lesson as you become adults and our next generation of leaders. Keep learning. Take responsibility for your actions. Understand that generations of Americans have sacrificed to give you the freedom, the liberty you have today. Make yourself an informed voter, be active in your community, seek truth. Our phones and screens have undoubtedly shrunk our attention spans. To be frank, some of you are probably wishing you could just get the TikTok version of this speech.
BE the generation that strengthens our democracy, our nation, our community. For years people have asked you what you want to be when you grow up.
Some of you may have that answer already. Rather you do or don’t here is something to add, to be when you grow up. Be kind, be compassionate, be understanding. Seek to make things better around you without complaining about things you are unwilling to help change. Get in the arena and out from behind a screen.
ENAGAGE in this democracy, respect those who serve. Challenge yourself every year to get better.
My final quote from President Reagan is “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Be selfless in your service. Help the people around you.
Make us proud, show the world what a student from Gravette High School can do. I know you will, you are lions.
Superintendent Jeff Gravette
Speech to Graduating Class of 2026

The Class of 2026 left a significant mark, securing more than $2 million in scholarships and over $240,000 in military educational benefits. Outstanding individual and group milestones from the graduating class include:

Leslie Alvarez: The student commencement speaker achieved historic national recognition as a Gates Scholar, securing a full-ride scholarship to Columbia University.
Logan Wolf: Made headlines by simultaneously graduating with a high school diploma, an Associate's Degree, and a Bachelor's Degree.
Record-Breaking Programs: The school saw unprecedented Career and Technical Education success (with 75 FBLA students advancing to State and 16 HOSA state medalists), historic athletic achievements (qualifying all 14 wrestlers for the state tournament), and top district fine arts honors for students like Gwyneth Henzie.

Alongside their academic and extracurricular achievements, the Class of 2026 demonstrated remarkable resilience and peer support. From the football team honoring teammate Harrison Whitley during his battle with Ewing Sarcoma, and through the award-winning leadership of senior Parker Pittman.

The Gravette School District officially congratulates the Class of 2026. We are proud of your accomplishments and wish our newest alumni success in all future endeavors.

A fantastic photo set by Gravette parent and professional photographer Sa-Sha Copeland, who captured every graduating senior accepting their diploma alongside other moments from the ceremony, is available to view below: