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‘Never Stop Pedaling’: WMU Class of 2025 rides into the future
From bike rides to bittersweet goodbyes, WMU's Class of 2025 reflects on the road behind — and the one ahead
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WINFIELD — The gymnasium at Winfield-Mt. Union High School was filled with laughter, a few tears, and plenty of pride Sunday afternoon as the Class of 2025 celebrated their graduation.
Beneath banners boasting of school pride and surrounded by teachers, friends, and family, the seniors marked not just the end of high school — but the beginning of their next adventure.
“This probably doesn’t seem real right now,” commencement speaker Matthew Sheyko told the class. “You are done with high school.”
Sheyko, a longtime WMU social studies teacher and boys’ track and field coach, was invited to speak as he, too, prepares to leave the district at the end of the school year. His address drew laughter and reflection as he connected life’s twists and turns to a bike ride — one he quite literally began that morning, pedaling nearly 45 miles before arriving at the school.
“You have so many memories with the people around you,” Sheyko said, recalling moments like trampoline park piggyback rides and Spanish class antics. “But all of them have built and shaped you into the person you are today.”
His message was clear: life, like a long bike ride, is full of bumps — potholes, flat tires, and unexpected collisions — but each moment strengthens you.
“Will you give up? Quit? Or will you persevere and keep moving forward?” he asked, invoking a quote from Fred Rogers: ‘There is no normal life that is free of pain. It's the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth.’
While Sheyko focused on the pedaling — the perseverance and strength it takes to keep moving forward — Valedictorian Pacey Schlee captured what makes the ride meaningful: the relationships formed, and memories made along the way.
“I don’t remember a time when any of you were strangers,” she said. “That’s the best part about this class.”
Schlee reflected on the class’s long history together, from preschool Tootie Tots to high school sports and postgame McDonald’s runs. Her mix of humor and sincerity painted a portrait of a close-knit group that weathered awkward years and small-town adolescence side by side.
She encouraged underclassmen to stop and enjoy the ride.
“Forget the drama and the rumors,” she said. “Go to the games, hug your teammates, make memories. You’ll blink and be sitting in these red chairs.”
In a heartfelt close, Schlee thanked teachers, coaches, and family — especially her grandparents — before quoting Natasha Bedingfield’s song “Unwritten” and reminding her classmates, “Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.”
If Schlee showed what makes the journey special, Salutatorian Kohlby Newsom reminded the class what they need to pack for the road ahead. His lighthearted speech focused on the values that define WMU: humility, hard work, and kindness.
“You could fit us all on one bus,” he joked, “but we’ve been through a lot together.”
He reflected on the group chats, the Friday night lights, and the inside jokes that make high school unforgettable. Then he offered a few lessons for the next leg of life’s journey.
“Work hard,” he said. “Make smart decisions. And when you don’t — which, let’s be honest, will happen — learn from them.”
Most importantly, he encouraged his classmates to carry kindness.
“Kindness is free, and it travels well — so take it with you wherever you go,” Newsom said.
As the graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, a sense of shared history and mutual pride echoed through the gym. Teachers snapped photos. Parents dabbed at their eyes.
In a year marked by milestones and goodbyes, the WMU Class of 2025 reminded the community what matters most: connection, character, and the courage to keep pedaling.
“You’ve experienced life together,” Sheyko told the class. “It is the people you will miss. The memories you made you will think fondly of. So don’t get caught up in a resume — get lost in being a good person.”
And with that, the ride continues.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
