FARMINGDALE — Life is about taking risks. That was Valedictorian Kevin Zembroski’s message to the 68 classmates in Hall-Dale’s class of 2012 who graduated alongside him Saturday evening.

Zembroski told fellow graduates that he was inspired by the late Steve Jobs’ (co-founder of Apple Computers) 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University, in which Jobs told the graduates, “Stay hungry; stay foolish.”

Additional Photos

Haley Jaramillo, left, hugs classmate Shyanne Bryant before Hall-Dale High School graduation on Saturday evening at the school in Farmingdale. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

Loralai Dubord, left, gets her picture taken by her sister graduating senior Brittany Dubord before Hall-Dale High School graduation on Saturday evening at the school in Farmingdale. Staff photo by Joe Phelan

“When I heard these words this past year, I knew what Jobs meant. He was advising everyone to strive to learn and gain knowledge in any situation, but he was also advising people to take risks and make mistakes,” Zembroski said, urging his classmates to do just that.

The high school’s gymnasium was filled with parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and educators who came to support the graduates in their final high school event before heading out into the world on their own.

Two graduates — John Fredericks II, of Farmingdale, and Nathan Childs, of Hallowell — have enrolled in programs at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.

Both students were accepted in the art program at the community college, but Fredericks changed his mind after visiting the school. He was impressed with the horticulture program offered there and decided to give it a try.

“The next stage of my life will be completely new, and I thought I might as well try something new,” Fredericks said. “It’s going to be a drastic change.”

Childs agreed. He said he’d been going to Hall-Dale for all of his school years and is looking forward to building upon that at SMCC by pursuing graphic design.

Hall-Dale salutatorian Jana Parsons told outgoing seniors that high school was a time to become adults, which they have done.

She asked her classmates to look around at some of the amazing people leaving Hall-Dale who plan to become music teachers, doctors, engineers, video game designers, artists, do volunteer work, join the military or enter the work force, and much more. She thanked them for making the journey with her.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves, we’ve learned a lot about each other, and we’ve learned a lot about what we can become,” Parsons said.

Student speaker Wendy Goldman talked about change and how it can be stressful and terrifying at times, yet welcoming.

“We have all embraced the idea of graduation and what lies beyond this day. We are ready for a bigger pond, ready to be challenged in new ways and ready to enter a new and unknown place,” Goldman said.

The night was a culmination of everything the graduates have worked for thus far — from kindergarten to middle school to high school, said student speaker Paley Sweet.

“We sit here today as students who have only scratched the surface of what we can and will achieve,” Sweet said. “Among us there are basketball state champions, all-state singers, state track runners, people who have traveled to places like Haiti and the Dominican Republic to help out others in need, talented theatrical performers and great leaders.”

Hall-Dale High School Principal Steve Lavoie thanked the relatives of graduates for their support and the Hall-Dale High School staff for their dedication.

He told the graduates they are “a class of only 69 kids. That makes you pretty unique. Sixty-nie kids with diplomas from Hall-Dale High School diplomas.”

“Please remember that,” he said.

Though they’ve learned an abundance of information already, Lavoie reminded them that nothing is free and it takes a lot of hard work to go forward. He asked them to remember the quality of education that their community provided them and to find a way to give back in the future.

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