AUGUSTA — Before the 132 Erskine Academy students accepted their diplomas Friday night, they heard from their fellow students that although their time together was ending, their friendships and memories would stay strong.

Emma Wilkinson, ranked fourth in her class, said before the ceremony at the Augusta Civic Center that the moment was bittersweet.

“It’s definitely mixed emotions. It’s sad because we’ve had such a great time here, but we’re happy to be moving on,” she said.

Wilkinson said her class had become closer this year than any other year before.

Jamie Soule, associate headmaster at the South China school, agreed that the class is very close.

“This class is certainly known for their kindness,” he said before the ceremony. “Even though they’re a diverse group, they’re certainly close.”

Soule said the class is a fantastic representation of the school and what it means to be Erskine Academy students.

“They have it all,” he said.

As with Wilkinson, Alexis Wright, ranked third in the class, spoke about her memories from her time at school. She told her fellow students that their present circumstances don’t determine what they can do and that graduation is a new start.

Marissa White, the valedictorian of the class, recalled how going from a small middle school to Erskine was “flat-out scary” and how graduation represent a similar change from the comfortable to something new.

“Today is one of those days for us to say goodbye to everything that was familiar. Everything that was comfortable,” she said. “We’re moving on, but just because we’re leaving and that really hurts, there are people that are so much a part of us that they’ll be with us no matter what.”

The salutatorian, Cory Pedersen, however, expressed regret for not being more involved at school until his mother forced him to join math team senior year, and for not making more connection with other students.

Pederson said self consciousness and nervousness made it hard for him to create strong relationships with his classmates, and he was sure several students in the audience knew next to nothing about him.

“I’m sorry for both of us. I refused you the opportunity to know me, and I refused myself the opportunity to know you,” Pedersen said. “Such is the worst thing you can do because you never know when such an opportunity will become something great.”

The keynote speaker, Sarah Harding, who graduated from Erskine in 2000, told the students that they have the power to chose a life path for themselves. She encouraged them to pursue what is important to them and what makes them happy.

“What is your passion?” Harding asked the students. “If you don’t know yet, that is OK. Never give up on finding what makes you truly happy.”

Paul Koenig — 621-5663

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Twitter: @paul_koenig