Donegal High School honored the Class of 2023 during a graduation ceremony on June 6 in the high school stadium at 1025 Koser Road, Mount Joy. Three students of the 220 in the class were selected to speak at the ceremony.

Valedictorian Emma Myers talked about not taking shortcuts to success, quoting "No Easy Way Out" from the "Rocky IV" soundtrack, noting, "This song has been a personal anthem of mine for many years." She advised her fellow students to search for the light in the darkness and to put fear aside when facing adversity. "I now see that while I was stuck, the people beside me in those moments encouraged me to reconsider my route instead of recklessly forging ahead," she stated, urging her classmates to look within themselves for strength in times of doubt. "We are capable of winning regardless of a setback." After graduation, Emma plans to attend Thomas Jefferson University to major in biochemistry.

Sierra Houck was named salutatorian. She noted that she wasn't sure at first what to talk about in her speech, but she soon settled on lessons she learned from some of her classmates. "I focused on the lessons of standing up for what you believe in, the importance of not discrediting yourself and remembering that talent is not only determined by the answers on a multiple-choice exam," she stated. "I then advised the class to diversify their time and make sure that during their lifetime, they remain open to different opportunities." At Donegal, Sierra was a member of the Math Honor Society, National Art Honor Society and National Honor Society, among other activities. Her post-graduation plans include attending Ithaca College to major in biochemistry and participate on the swim team.

Class president Sophia Floyd presented a speech about focusing on becoming who you want to be rather than what you want to be. "Sometimes, in all the rush of senior year and graduation, we lose sight of what's really important," she stated. In school, Sophia was a varsity soccer player, serving as captain both her junior and senior years. She played varsity basketball for three years and was captain during her junior year. She was also part of the track and field sprint squad and served as vice president of the Student Council. She plans to attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania to major in nuclear medicine technology and play soccer.