Anna Wright continued a trend during the Montgomery County High School graduation ceremony on May 18.

Wright snapped a selfie before picking up her diploma, making it the third year in a row that the last MCHS student to walk on stage took a phone picture of oneself. Jaylynn Zerr (2024) and Maddie Wisdom (2023) did it the last two years.

“My class was talking about it and then people were saying that I might not do it, so of course I had to do it,” Wright said.

Wright was one of 72 students to receive a diploma at the one-hour ceremony. She said she wasn’t upset that she was the last person in the alphabet to walk across the stage.

“I was actually kind of happy with it because everyone in my class was already back sitting down, so they got to watch me walk across,” Wright said.

Brian Ernst, who wrapped up his third year as MCHS principal, said he was very proud of this year’s class. The class earned a record $1,703,350 in scholarships. Avery Ridgley and Ava Rakers each earned 19 scholarships.

“This cohort certainly made our school community proud with their achievements and laid a strong foundation for the future cohorts to go along,” Ernst said. “This cohort leaves a legacy and a lasting impression that will be a standard moving forward.”

A pair of twins – Abby and Gabby Arens – earned a combined five scholarships. Next year, Abby is heading to Missouri State University, while Gabby is going to Paul Mitchell School.

“We’re ready to spread our wings and away from each other,” Abby said.

The Arens are among a large group of twins within the last five years to graduate from MCHS, joining Aleida and Hannah Eldringhoff and Jack and Madi Polston in 2024, Lyric and Athens Ford and Brenden and Dominic Luttrell in 2023 and Anna and Hannah Schroer, Renee and Tyler Finke, Kyle and Luke Yelton and Alison and Codi Viehmann in 2021.

“It was a long four years,” Gabby Arens said. “I can’t say I’m sad to see it go, but I am at the same time. I’m excited to move on. I wish I would stay here for just a few more minutes, then we can stop arguing as a class for a little bit. But nothing seems to happen.”

Ridgley, Hannah Blake and Avery Leu made speeches. Ridgley, who plans to attend Oklahoma State University, said she and her classmates are looking forward to enjoying life after high school.

“For a significant portion of our lives, we couldn’t wait to graduate from high school,” said Ridgley, who has been very active with the FFA chapter all four years. “Now, that moment, the day we’ve been longing for, has arrived and will never happen again. After today, we’re no longer seniors of Montgomery County High School. We’re alumni embarking on separate journeys.”

Wright completed her first and only year at MCHS. She transferred from Hermann High School before the 2024-25 school year began.

“I was staying with my dad a lot more than I was staying with my mom in Hermann, so it was easier instead of going back and forth and back and forth,” Wright said.

Wright competed in track at MCHS this spring. When she was at Hermann, she participated in cross country and track. In her freshman year, she was a member of an Hermann cross country team that won a state title.

Wright, who plans to compete in track at Westminster College next year, said she enjoyed her short time at MCHS.

“I really liked it here,” Wright said. “I had such a good experience. People were awesome.”

Rakers did the invocation and Jadrian Thurmon performed the benediction at the ceremony.