Forest Hills — For her final commencement address as governor, Gretchen Whitmer said she wanted to be among her fellow Rangers, joining the Forest Hills Central Class of 2026 graduation.
A 1989 Forest Hills Central graduate, Whitmer was keynote speaker for the graduation ceremony Thursday at Van Noord Arena in Calvin University’s Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex.
“I’m really excited,” said Lydia Morey, one of 234 graduates. “For Forest Hills Central, it shows the graduates how far they can go and, in a way, helps us jumpstart our careers because she has been so successful.”
Graduate Emmy Norton said she couldn’t believe it when she first learned Whitmer was speaking.
“I’m kind of shocked because I feel like it’s not very common to have a governor at your graduation,” said graduate Auburey Sicler.
Fellow graduate Hailey Grosser added that she’s excited to one day tell her children the governor spoke at her graduation ceremony.
‘I encourage you to take the detours. The most interesting journeys rarely follow a straight line.’
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Whitmer’s 20-minute speech mixed details from her personal journey at Forest Hills with highlights of the Class of 2026’s accomplishments, such as a student giving a TED Talk about kindness, a close race for class president and an entrepreneurial group that ran the school’s Snapchat account.
“You have made some great lasting memories here,” she said. “You participated in all the classic rites of passage: the Ranger Rumble and the Homecoming parade; finally being at the front of the student section during football games; the powder puff tournament dominated by fierce friendly competition; the senior retreat at Camp Henry, where you all sing together, and of course — facing off against your teachers in a tug-of-war.”
She also shared part of her own journey, recalling how she came to the district in fifth grade and attended Thornapple Elementary School, where she ran for class secretary at her father’s encouragement.
“I gave my first speech ever, put my name on the ballot for the first time ever and probably lost the election for the first and only time ever,” she said to laughter.
She also talked about how studying was not her first priority in high school, but, through the tough love of her parents and the support of her teachers, she turned her academic career around earning “Most Improved Student” her junior year.
Whitmer told graduates she had two main pieces of advice: build strong communities and keep an open mind about life’s path. She said success should not be measured only by achievements, but by how people treat others and support their communities through everyday acts of kindness. Whitmer encouraged graduates to “be good villagers” by helping friends, neighbors and family members.
Her second message was to embrace uncertainty and take unexpected opportunities. Whitmer said life rarely follows a straight line. For her, she said, a random internship at the state Capitol eventually led her into public service and the governor’s office.
She urged graduates not to compare themselves to others or focus only on what looks impressive, but instead to pursue experiences that feel meaningful, exciting or new.
“You are not permanently resigned to being who you were in high school for the rest of your life,” she said. “That’s a good thing as you begin the rest of your lives. I encourage you to take the detours. The most interesting journeys rarely follow a straight line. They have twists and turns, and sometimes you don’t know what’s coming around the bend.”
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