It was a role reversal of sorts: a high school senior got to be proud of her mom during a high school commencement ceremony.

Leona Ressler, mom of a total of five St. Mary's Central High School graduates, as well as the backbone behind the school's popular after-prom party, received a Distinguished Service Award at the school's commencement ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

Her daughter, Brittany Ressler, watched from the group of anxious graduates as her mom received the award.

"I'm glad she got the award," Brittany said. "I know how much work she puts into (after-prom). For her, it's a year-round thing."

Brittany is the youngest of Leona Ressler's five children and was the final one to graduate from high school. With her graduation, though, also comes the retirement of her mother as after-prom committee chair.

Leona Ressler put 15 years into the parties, starting when her oldest daughter was a senior at the high school.

"At that time, there were a lot of the hotel parties," she said. "We were going to give them a safe place to go."

She began by securing a place to go - the local bowling alley - then finding fun prizes for everyone who attended. In the past few years, she said about 95 percent of the prom-goers now attend the after party.

But now that her final child has graduated, she's stepping down. Of course, she may just show up occasionally to help with setup or something, she said.

"If she truly retires, our school and community will truly miss her," said John Jankowski, St. Mary's superintendent.

Her daughter Brittany, 18, one of the 87 seniors graduating from St. Mary's Central High School this year, plans to head off to UND in the fall to study phlebotomy, she said.

"It's just another step in their lives," Leona Ressler said.

Which is exactly what student speakers Ryan Nelson and Katherine Sage addressed in their speeches. Both also commended the faculty and staff of the high school for helping shape their lives.

"No student has worked harder than our teachers," Nelson said.

Fifteen honor students were also presented at the ceremony, and 12 commended honor students were recognized.

St. Mary's was the first high school graduation ceremony of the season. South Central High School in Bismarck will hold its commencement on May 24. Century High School, Bismarck High School, Shiloh Christian and Mandan Senior High School will hold their commencement ceremonies on May 27.

(Reach reporter Crystal R. Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@bismarcktribune.com.)