WAYLAND – WACO High School seniors ended their Warrior careers with a bang Saturday night as they celebrated their graduation with a fireworks display.

The school held its graduation ceremony outdoors in 2020, and the event went so well that the Warriors have continued the tradition ever since. The seniors’ loved ones sat in lawn chairs on the school’s football field, ready to cheer on their graduates as they received their diploma. Saturday night’s ceremony featured a touching PowerPoint presentation showing all the students, their favorite quotes and what they have planned for this fall. After that, the graduates and their guests were treated to a fireworks show.

Guest speaker for the evening was Ray Wise, who was inducted into the WACO Wall of Fame. Wise remarked on WACO’s incredible postseason run in football earlier this school year, which culminated in the Warriors finishing runner-up in the state title game. Wise said the Warriors should be proud of that accomplishment, but he also knows from personal experience the “burn of being runner-up.”

Members of WACO’s Class of 2023 shared some of their favorite memories during their time as a Warrior. Lydia Hesseltine said she’ll always treasure the memories from her extracurricular activities like cheerleading, wrestling, softball, flags and NHS.

Hesseltine said her favorite WACO teacher is Anne Weir, who teaches English.

“She’s always open ears, and she’s there for you no matter what,” Hesseltine said. “She understands we have a busy life. And she gives us food, too.”

Hesseltine plans to attend William Penn University in Oskaloosa to get a teaching degree. Her goal is to teach early education.

Shelby Baldosier transferred to WACO from Fairfield when she was in seventh grade.

“WACO has always been super accepting,” she said. “It’s a great atmosphere.”

Baldosier was excited when WACO reignited its FFA program a few years ago. She became the group’s sentinel two years ago.

“It was fun to help them get that off the group, and to be a part of it and help it grow,” Baldosier said.

Like Hesseltine, Baldosier said her favorite teacher was also Anne Weir.

“Mrs. Weir is straight-forward, and she’s always got something good to say,” Baldosier said. “She’s not a negative person, and always trying to better herself and everybody else. She’s the kind of person you strive to be.”

This fall, Baldosier will attend Mesalands Community College in New Mexico where she’ll study shoeing horses. She said she wants to return to Iowa after graduation to start a farrier business.

Mattias Luitjens was involved in many activities at WACO such as track, cross-country, quiz bowl, NHS, band and choir.

Luitjens said he had so many good teachers during his academic career that he couldn’t pick out just one. He said his favorite subjects were math and music.

“My favorite memory is probably messing around in the music room with the marching band before football games,” he said.

Luitjens will continue his education this fall at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, where he will study computer science and music performance, specializing in piano. He has taken piano lessons since he was in first grade.

“I’m hoping to turn it into a career in one form or another,” he said about his piano skills. “I have the fun option and the safe option, with computer science.”