Mitch Torgeson found the program for St. Mary's Central High School commencement exercises came in handy as a fan as he and several hundred family and friends of 2005 graduates squeezed into the school's gymnasium Sunday to watch 98 seniors receive their diplomas.

Mitch and his wife Shelly were there to see their daughter Tessa, along with the other St. Mary's students in blue caps and gown, complete their high school education. Mitch's dark suit and tie may have made the gym seem a few degrees warmer, but he manned the video camera throughout, making sure the family would have the event recorded for posterity from the march into the gym to the jubilant toss of mortar boards at the event's conclusion.

Tessa was particularly happy to have her father in attendance, particularly since he had just returned in March from a six-month deployment with the North Dakota Army National Guard in Afghanistan. She admitted it was a tough six months without him for her and the rest of the family.

"He missed all our birthdays, Christmas, my sisters' basketball games and my soccer games. It was really difficult and made me appreciate my parents a lot more and what they do for me," Tessa said. "It means a lot he was able to get back in time for graduation. It's one of those important events, and I wanted to be able to share it with him."

It was the first time Mitch had been deployed with the National Guard. He's a 27-year member of the Guard, and for 22 of those years he's been flying helicopters and airplanes. In Afghanistan he flew an Army C-12 transporting personnel and equipment. During his time there, Mitch had the opportunity to fly through many countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Germany, Turkey, Hungary and Rumania.

"When I left I was pretty sure I'd be back in time for this. I always participated in all the kids' events - all the athletic and music stuff. Those were the things I missed the most, being away from my family," Mitch said. "Tessa is our first to graduate."

While he was gone Mitch said he didn't worry that much about his family. He felt his daughter was in good hands.

"I was able to keep in touch with everybody. In fact the principal, Tom Eberle, is a former neighbor and friend, and I kept in contact with him. I felt comfortable that they would provide my daughter the guidance she needed while I was gone," he said.

Tessa, a National Honor Society member and recipient of the President's Education Award, is planning to attend Minnesota State next fall and is thinking of majoring in mass communications. Mitch said she was co-editor of the student newspaper, and one of the highlights during his stay overseas was getting the student newspaper.

Tessa's father's deployment inspired her Veterans Day speech in which she said, "As a daughter of a currently deployed soldier, I can now identify with the true meaning of sacrifice. I recognize that soldiers are more than men and women fulfilling the call of duty. They are real. My dad is so much more to me than his rank."

Despite the warm gymnasium, commencement exercises went off without a problem. Student speakers Michael Weisbeck and Amanda Doll said they were going to miss St. Mary's and their friends, but are ready to move on to meet new challenges. To both seniors, St. Mary's was more than just a school; it's family.

Dale Eberle, a 12-year member of the school board, six as its president, received the Distinguished Service Award from Rev. Marvin Klemmer.

Superintendent John Jankowski gave thanks to three parent organizations, noting the music parents organization had raised $500,000 for the school since 1978, the carnival committee raised a record $135,000 this year and the athletic boosters, which recently bought the school a new bus and will be building a new structure to house the busses, had raised $1,515,000 since its inception in 1971. Jankowski also noted the school will hold its first Hall of Fame this fall during September's homecoming activities.

St. Mary's commencement is just one of many local exercises. Also graduating Sunday were 21 seniors from Dakota Adventist Academy, north of Bismarck. Whitney Reinke, graduated as the top senior with a 4.0 grade point average.

Upcoming ceremonies include:

3 South Central High School and the Adult Learning Center commencement exercises will be at 7 p.m. May 27 in the Belle Mehus City Auditorium.

3 Bismarck High School graduation ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m. May 29 at the Bismarck Civic Center.

3 Century High School will follow at 7 p.m. May 29 at the Civic Center.

3 Shiloh Christian High School graduation starts at 2:30 p.m. May 29 in the Tom and Frances Leach Gymnasium at the school.

3 Mandan High School graduation will start at 2 p.m. May 29 at Faris Field, in Mandan.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)