Class of 2026 urged to “try”
By Kerri Rempp
Sioux County Schools PIO
Effort was the theme during the 2026 Sioux County graduation ceremony May 2.
Sioux County graduate Bryan Hourt, class of 1990, delivered the commencement address and told students he hoped they would walkaway with three lessons: be proud of where you’re from, learn from your failures and try.
Hourt, who has spent his career at Honda, said all three are important elements in how he lives his life.
“I don’t just say Nebraska. I’m always from the northwest corner of Nebraska,” Hourt said of telling his story, adding that he also always includes the fact that he attended a one-room school and the size of his graduating class. Though he admitted during the address he realized after looking at class photos before the ceremony, he’d been misstating the number in his class for three decades.
Still, while he’s found success in his life, he encouraged the graduates to learn from their failures by being honest with themselves and reflecting on what happened.
“Failures are where the real learning happens,” he said. “If you let them define you,
that’s where growth stops. Failures are not the opposite of success, they are the tuition.”
His final lesson – try – was learned through the fact that while he wasn’t the best student in school, he still found a way to become someone co-workers on whom co-workers could depend.
“I had one thing, and that was try. Try beats talent when talent stops trying,” he said.
Use those lessons, he said. To be someone that society wants to exist, to contribute and leave the world better than they found it, he concluded.
Valedictorian Baxter Reece reflected on the memories the class shared and the knowledge they’ve gained from their teachers and each other. He, too, encouraged his classmates to try their hardest to make their futures what they want.
“Like Coach Wendland said in football, it’s better to mess up at full speed. You won’t be as disappointed as when you mess up slow.”
The seniors were presented with their Honor Roll awards during the graduation ceremony as well.
Honor Roll Certificates
Awarded to students earning a 3.5-4.0 GPA
Preston Kreman 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd quarters and 1 st semester
Landen Oldaker-Garcia 1 st and 2 nd quarters and 1 st semester
Baxter Reece 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th quarters and 1 st and 2 nd semesters
Honorable Mention Certificates
Awarded to students earning a 3.0-3.49 GPA
Preston Kreman 4th quarter and 2nd semester
Landen Oldaker-Garcia 3rd and 4th quarters and 2nd semester
Logen Oldaker-Garcia 2nd and 4th quarters and 1st semester
Weston Schaefer 1 st and 3rd quarters
Most Improved Certificate
Awarded to students earning a GPA .3 points higher than the previous semester
Preston Kreman 2nd and 3rd quarters and 1st semester
Taylor Kreman 4th quarter
Baxter Reece 1st quarter
Landen Oldaker-Garcia 1st and 2nd quarters and 1 st semester
Logen Oldaker-Garcia 2nd quarter
Honor Roll awards are given to students earning a 3.5-4.0 GPA
Preston Kreman – 2 semesters Bronze Pin
Landen Oldaker-Garcia – 2 semesters Bronze Pin
Baxter Reece – 6 semesters Gold Pin and 8 semesters Medallion
