‘You guys are an incredible class’: SMEC graduates 32 in Thursday commencement
Published 6:25 pm Thursday, May 22, 2025
Zackariah O’Connor leads Southern Minnesota Education Consortium ALC graduates in during the prelude Thursdday afternoon at the school’s commencement. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southern Minnesota Education Consortium graduates stand following the prelude of the school’s commencement Thursday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Haley Orta gives her address Thursday afternoon during the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium commencement at the school. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Molly Jorgenson speaks to the crown during Southern Minnesota Education Consortium commencement Thursday afternoon at the school. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southern Minnesota Education Consortium graduate Autumn Berger hugs teachers as she goes down the line during SMEC’s commencement Thusday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Karter Harshman holds a picture of good friend and fellow Southern Minnesota Education Consortium graduate Phoenix Chinnow during SMEC’s commencement Thursday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southern Minnesota Education Consortium ALC graduates stand to be recognized during the school’s commencement Thursday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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One of the largest classes to graduate from the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium (SMEC) Alternative Learning Center took their final bows at the school in holding its commencement out in the sun of the Thursday afternoon sun.
Twenty-nine of the 32 total graduating this year were recognized by staff, family and friends in the Thursday ceremony, and from the very beginning Principal Deana Dontje recognized their achievement and the mark they left on the school.
“You guys are an incredible class,” she said, speaking directly to the relationships they’ve forged during their time at the school that serves seven area districts as well as hosting students from Austin. “You guys have become a little family.”
Dontje went on with her praise for the graduates, lauding them for not only reaching this pivotal moment, but for their overall impact on a school they themselves had come to adopt.
“I’ve seen you push our school to be better,” she said. “As you step out in the world I have no doubt you will continue to build on what you’ve accomplished here.”
But more than that, the impact on the students was again encompassed by the voices of their own graduating classmates, who attended the ALC at SMEC for a variety of reasons.
Molly Jorgenson made the last minute decision to stand up and thank teachers and friends for supporting her during a time when she thought that “I didn’t think I would graduate.”
Scheduled speaker Haley Orta had similar thoughts as she touched on her own challenges during her mid-teen years which included becoming a mother at the age of 16.
She owed her own progress again to those at the school that stood behind her.
“I can never have gotten this far without the people at this school,” she said, going on to thank the friends she made within the graduating class during their combined time at the school.
Dontje herself expressed her own pride in the work the graduates did to get this far and further encouraged them to not only make their mark on the world, but to carry with them the notion of what can be accomplished.
“Go out there and show everybody what a graduate of SMEC ALC is capable of,” she told the graduates.
