Detroit Lakes High School graduates seniors; 204 students in Class of 2023 receive diplomas

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Two-hundred-and-four Detroit Lakes High School seniors received their diplomas on May 21 as students, faculty, family and friends filled Lakeshirts Fieldhouse to capacity and watched their loved ones begin their next chapter.

Josh Omang, right, principal for Detroit Lakes High School, moves a student’s tassel after they received their high school diploma during a graduation ceremony on May 21, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Josh Omang, principal of Detroit Lakes High School, said, for the faculty and school staff, graduation day is always a favorite on the calendar.

“When I came here, these kids were in 6th grade when I moved back here, and I had some of them in my Physical Education class,” said Omang. “So I got to see them from a little middle school crew to now. It’s just fun to see them, especially at our capstone night, to see how much they’ve grown. They’re ready, they are ready to do something else. So, it’s good”

During the ceremony, senior Tyler Haus, gave his fellow classmates three pieces of advice.

“First, be grateful,” said Haus. “Every morning when you wake up, I want you to think to yourself, ‘wow, aren’t I lucky to be living here today and getting to enjoy this beautiful world that we have’ … and this leads me to my next piece of advice, when life does get challenging, stay off of social media … finally, no matter what the situation is, treat everyone with kindness and share your happiness.”

A Detroit Lakes High School student smiles after crossing the stage and receiving his diploma during their graduation ceremony on May 21, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Also in attendance for the event was Detroit Lakes Public Schools Superintendent Mark Jenson and members of the Detroit Lakes school board.

Newly-elected school board member, Ethan Walz, said graduation day is something that every student faces when it “hits” them that a new chapter of their life is about to begin.

“It’s kinda one of those days that it hits you, what are you going to do after graduation,” said Walz. “And that can be scary for some kids, but I feel like through the academy model that we’ve got here, and really grown on, that hopefully we’ve given these students a better opportunity than years past to make an informed decision and go to where they need to go, either to college or technical school, or right into the workforce. Hopefully, we’ve set students up for success through this.

Detroit Lakes High School students smile after crossing the stage and receiving their diplomas during their graduation ceremony on May 21, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Josh Omang, right, principal for Detroit Lakes High School, moves a student’s tassel after they received their high school diploma during a graduation ceremony on May 21, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Members of the Detroit Lakes High School Class of 2023 receive a standing ovation from their families and friends during their graduation ceremony on May 21, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)