DIXFIELD – Sixty-eight seniors left Dirigo High School as one, in front of a sea of hundreds of faces early Friday evening.
During the nearly 90-minute ceremony, students, teachers, friends and family members vigorously fanned themselves with graduation programs and caps.
“I was sweating the whole time,” said graduate Coty Beardsley of Mexico, standing outside with his parents, sans cap and gown after the program, like many other classmates.
“I went through five or six paper towels,” he added.
Throughout the program, a strong sense of community and togetherness filtered through in the speeches by members of the Class of 2005.
“I know this community will always be here with open arms, ready to accept us once again, as it did in the beginning,” said class President Nicole St. Pierre, referring to the SAD 21 towns of Canton, Carthage, Dixfield and Peru in her speech, titled “A Small Town Graduation.”
“Dare to chance the rapids, and dare to dance the tides,” St. Pierre said.
“Up until now, we’ve never been apart for more than a summer vacation,” said class Vice President Meredith Skibitsky in her “Saying Goodbye” speech.
“After today, reality sets in,” she said.
Skibitsky urged her classmates to “go into the world with the same vigor and enthusiasm with which you have graced Dirigo High School, and accept life’s challenges with an open mind.”
Jennifer Harvey, in her “Parents’ Speech,” asked classmates and parents “to sink not into grief, but joy.”
“Wipe those tears away, Mom, for today, we celebrate a journey that taught us how to love, how to accept, and how to understand. Together, parent and child, we survived one of the most tumultuous and exciting times of our lives,” she said.
Principal Dan Hart said the class was the first graduating class to have him as their principal through all four years.
“I’m just amazed at them,” he said afterward. “They have passion, they support each other, and they accomplished a lot, and they did it with humbleness. They take their education seriously.”
Hart said the class, which was advised by Tracy Hutchinson, was one of the top three to five classes in the history of Dirigo High School.
Fifty of the 68 received local, regional and statewide scholarships and financial awards totaling more than $30,000.
Fifty, or 74 percent, are going on to college, 10 are sticking around to work full-time in the area, and eight have enlisted in the military, Hart said.
“Take a good look at this class, and make a good mental picture of us in your mind, and remember us well,” intoned St. Pierre.
“We will be back someday, and we’ll be better than ever, so don’t you forget,” she added.
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