Becker High School will bid farewell to the Class of 2018 Friday with the 100th annual commencement in the gymnasium of BHS.

 

The class chose a quote from Anatole France, Nobel Prize winner in literature in 1921. He was a poet and a journalist and the quote the 2018 class chose was “To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

 

This year’s celebration is special for the fact the school is celebrating its 100th graduating class. Not only are this year’s students being recognized, but in a special way all past and present graduates are being honored this special day.

 

Friday’s commencement will feature music, a couple greetings, recognition of the military and speeches by students Grace Jacobson and Blake Paulson. Faculty has nominated Josh Ihrke to speak to the graduates, providing inspiration and guidance as they set out to conquer the world.

 

There is no class valedictorian, salutatorian, class color or class flower.

 

Honor graduates will also be recognized and awards will be presented to this year’s Hall-of-Fame recipients, Heidi Fredrickson Mesik (Class of 1997) and Doug Kolbinger (Class of 1986).

 

Fredrickson Mesik participated in the Close-Up program in high school with a trip to Washington D.C. that was hugely impactful on her future career.  She attended college at U of M-Morris where she  played on the basketball team.  After college, Heidi spent three  years in the nation’s capitol serving as both the deputy political director  and press secretary of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). She moved back to Minnesota to serve as  Mark Kennedy’s press secretary on his U.S. Senate campaign. 

 

Heidi feels fortunate to have worked for dedicated public servants who she still respects and admires today. Currently, Heidi is employed by a public affairs company, a public relations firm in Minneapolis where she serves as senior account executive. She married Brian Mesik in July of 2017 and serves as “bonus mom” to five wonderful children.

 

Kolbinger attended Cheyenne Aero Tech and became an FAA airframe and power plant technician after graduation.  He then worked as an aircraft mechanic for 18 years including stops at Eastern Express Airlines (Bangor, ME), Continental Airlines (Denver, CO. and Kansas City, MO) and Northwest Airlines (Minneapolis).  

 

Doug is currently the maintenance planner scheduler at Liberty Paper, Inc. where he has worked since 2006.  He has also served this community as an EMT for the past 23 years, including working for several years for the Monticello ambulance service.  For the past 26 years, Doug has served as a volunteer firefighter with the Becker Fire Dept.  He has held numerous leadership positions within the department, including serving as the Fire Chief for the past seven years.  

 

He is married to his wife, Becky, and together they have two daughters, Emma and Madelynn.

 

Supt. Stephen Malone will follow the HOF speeches by presenting the diplomas along with School Board Members Aaron Jurek and Mark Swanson.

 

The high school wind ensemble — under the direction of Craig Vogl, will serenade the seniors as they exit the auditorium doors to their first steps towards college, the military, a job or a family environment.

 

Guests to the commencement program will have the opportunity to purchase for $5 a Centennial Guide — a scrupulous publication featuring all the past class graduates, stories from past students, a pictorial and biography of the Class of 2018 and hundreds of historical photos and stories from the past 100 years.

 

There will also be a copy of the guide inserted in the June 2 publication of the Citizen-Tribune for every family within the Becker School District.

 

For those who  do not live in the district and/or were unable to purchase a guide at graduation, the Citizen-Tribune will have copies for sale at the office starting Monday, June 4.