Renee Pritchard walks back to her seat after receiving her diploma during the Butler Area Senior High School commencement ceremony at Art Bernardi Stadium on Thursday in Butler Township. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle

Butler Area Senior High School seniors faced one final setback before they could collect their diplomas Thursday evening — graduation was pushed back by an hour.

Despite the inclement weather that delayed the start time for commencement, the nearly 475 students remained excited to walk across the stage and graduate high school.

As class president Marley Fish said in her opening remarks, the members of the class of 2022 will be remembered for their resilience, which was the theme of the ceremony.

“Despite the challenges of navigating online learning and overcoming the feeling of isolation that came along with quarantine, my classmates were able to persevere and continue to accomplish impressive feats, even during a worldwide pandemic,” Fish said.

Butler High School principal John Wyllie gave kudos to the senior class for working through several difficult and uncertain years and coming out better for it.

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Sophia Wogan receives her diploma during the Butler Area Senior High School commencement ceremony at Art Bernardi Stadium on Thursday in Butler Township. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle