SALEM TOWNSHIP — Clad in white and blue robes, 62 graduating seniors walked out the doors of Mt. Abram High School for the last time Friday night.
With the mountains of western Maine as a backdrop, the class of 2016 walked into its future having just been reminded the importance of remembering its past.
“Enjoy every moment and memory you made in high school,” Principal Michelle Tranten said. “Remember your roots. Be humble and smile.”
Proud relatives and friends packed into the high school’s circular gymnasium for the 7 p.m. ceremony Friday, which lasted just over an hour and a half. The ceremony’s sentiment was nostalgic, with speakers discussing the importance of cherishing memories and the presentation of a slideshow that featured candid pictures of each graduating senior at various stages of childhood.
In her address to her fellow classmates, salutatorian Bailey DeBlaise articulated how the memories and moments they have shared serve as building blocks for their future.
“Moments are ephemeral. They’re special when they happen, but they fade. Tonight is not a moment. Graduation is not a moment. Tonight is the beginning of a movement, for all of us, to bigger and better things,” DeBaise told her classmates. “This is where we begin the rest of our lives.”
DeBlaise plans to attend Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, in the fall to study psychology and art therapy. Of the 62 graduating seniors, 40 will attended a postsecondary school in the fall, two will begin military service, two will attend the Maine Job Corps program, and the remaining 18 will enter the workforce.
“It’s finally our chance to follow any path we choose, do what we love and make a difference. It’s sad to picture us all traveling on our own separate paths, and as much as I’d love to see you all every day, I cannot wait to see the great things you do,” DeBlaise said.
Valedictorian Courtland Talmage spoke eagerly to his classmates about the new opportunities that the future holds shortly after they formally received their diplomas. With new hobbies, new passions, new careers, new people and new places on their horizons, he urged their classmates to be true to themselves through it all.
“We can finally learn what it means to be ourselves. And be ourselves we must, because in a world of 7 billion people, you can’t possibly please everyone. It just doesn’t make sense to attempt to be someone you aren’t,” Talmage said.
Talmage will be studying computer science at Bowdoin College this fall, though regardless of their path, he encouraged the graduates of the class of 2016 to embrace what they choose to do.
“Whether you work in the woods, in a hospital or in your own business, you have a set of specific skills and talents that no one may match. You have unbridled potential to do something of significance,” he said.
Sen. Tom Saviello, R-Wilton, Rep. Russell Black, R-Wilton, and Rep. Tom Skolfield, R-Weld, attended the ceremony. They recognized the top 11 students in the class for their academic excellence, along with thanking retiring teachers Alice Yates and Mark Sweeney and guidance counselor Mike Ellis for their years of service.
Saviello told students that going forward, they shouldn’t be afraid to look five, 10 or 20 years into the future and to set goals for themselves. When life changes, and often not always for the better, Saviello told students never to give up and stay positive. But in order to move toward the future, it means having to say goodbye.
“Learn how to say goodbye and don’t be afraid to say it. Finish strong,” Saviello said. “The world is yours to conquer.”
Lauren Abbate — 861-9252
Twitter: @Lauren_M_Abbate
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.