Peterson and Pehringer to be 2026 commencement speakers

At their graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 17, the Newcastle High School graduating class of 2026 will have two commencement speakers. They are NHS science teacher Nicholas Peterson and NHS English teacher Erika Pehringer.

Before their class meeting on Feb. 25 to decide on a commencement speaker, the seniors had already agreed on whom they would like to take on the responsibility. In an interview with the News Letter Journal, senior Baleigh Knight said that she and fellow senior Kathryn Huber suggested nominating Peterson.

“I’d say he is probably the teacher closest to our class,” she said.

Other seniors, such as Brynne Kilby and Kahlen Mullen, also recommended including Pehringer.

According to senior Callie Christensen, the two teachers were a natural selection. Like Knight, she noted the close rapport between these two educators and the senior class.

“We basically chose them because they’re young teachers, and we think they connect to our class and do really well teaching each of us and understanding our emotions,” she said.

Christensen also mentioned another reason for their selection of Peterson.

“He showed up at the same time as us, and he is leaving with us,” she said.

That is, the science teacher had the class of 2026 as students during his first year at the high school, and he is teaching them during his last year with Weston County School District No. 1, as his position was one of those eliminated in the district’s reduction in force. This fact makes the commencement speech a bittersweet occasion, yet Peterson is treating the opportunity as celebratory.

“Personally, for me, it just feels kind of like a good last hurrah,” he said.

Like Peterson, Pehringer also taught the class of 2026 during her first year at NHS. After a sudden teacher resignation in March 2023, the NHS alum helped out her alma mater by filling that position until the end of the school year. Then in 2024, she was hired as an English teacher at the high school, instructing the same group of students as juniors.

The Newcastle native said she is honored to be one of the commencement speakers.

“I’ve known so many of these kids since they were really young,” she said. “And getting to see them go through school and graduate is exciting. And to be picked as someone they trust to speak on their behalf even more so.”

While grateful to be chosen by the graduating class, neither was especially surprised.

“Some of the girls had floated the idea that they might pick us earlier in the year,” Pehringer said, “but that was so long ago. I thought they would pick someone else by the end, but no, here we are.”

Despite anticipating that they might be chosen, the duo was slightly flummoxed by the speech-writing process.

“We definitely didn’t know what we were doing or how to structure it,” Pehringer said.

Fortunately, they were able to turn to Principal Bryce Hoffman for help. Hoffman has served as a commencement speaker twice before and was able
to give the pair some pointers on how to structure their speech.

“Once we figured that out, it was smooth sailing,” Pehringer said.

With a clearer idea of how to compose their speech, the teachers were able to hammer it out in a couple of hours, and fittingly, they color-coded their manuscript the same way Pehringer has her students highlight their essays.

Not wanting to give away too much, Peterson and Pehringer did share a couple of the themes of their speech. They intend to impart the importance of being true to oneself as well as recognizing students, especially those “underdogs” who do not always get the spotlight. Peterson also said he will reiterate a message he has given to his students in class.

“I’m going back to something that I’ve always pushed these kids to strive for,” he said. “One of my key talks I always have with a new class is the power of yet.”

This, he explained, is the recognition that failure is not the end of an effort and that with enough determination, any goal can be realized. 

Attendees can expect a speech that matches the personality styles of the two speakers. Peterson and Pehringer will integrate not only props but, in true Mrs. Pehringer fashion, some Taylor Swift quotes as well.

Both speakers admit that they are likely to become emotional during their speech.

“I’m a little bit of a crier,” Peterson said. “I might get a little choked up.”

“Most people know that I’m kind of a crybaby,” Pehringer said. “I’m not above crying in front of my community.”

Despite the bittersweet nature of the class of 2026 — a class with a close connection to Peterson and Pehringer — leaving high school, the duo ultimately hopes these students take away a positive message.

“Life is going to get pretty sweet after they graduate,” Pehringer said.