AUBURN — By the time Principal Donald Fournier was finished with his commencement speech Friday night at Saint Dominic Academy, even the most casual observer got a sense that he knew every single teenager in cap and gown.

There’s Austin Christopher, for instance, a hockey goalie, tennis ace and future novelist.

There’s Justin Cruz, winner of the Andrew Paione Memorial School Spirit Award and whom Fournier called a “witty, powerful orator.”

Jacob Vining is a true intellectual, the principal said. Valedictorian Eric Link is one of the best intuitive thinkers Fournier said he’s ever taught. Salutatorian Jordan Charest is “a great scientific mind and an excellent writer with a great laugh.” Courtney Costello, “a great portrait artist who has a sweet disposition.” Brendan Mahns, with his iconic pocket protector, is “a self-proclaimed nerd of the round table.”

On and on he went, describing the 55 graduates as if they were his own children. In many ways, they are.

“This senior class is and always will be very special to me,” Fournier said. “I have watched them grow and become young adults through all of their classes, special events and athletic contests. I have been proud to see them handle adversity as well as accomplishments and they will always have a very special place in my heart and I thank you for that.”

The graduates, when they first entered St. Dom’s as freshmen, went into a school named St. Dominic Regional High School. The 2013 class is the very last to be associated with that name; the school is now named St. Dominic Academy.

It’s a special designation, but if you ask Principal Fournier, it’s only one of many. The graduation class is distinct in many other ways, as well.

“What, you may ask, is this Class of 2013 like?” Fournier told the audience. “Let me tell you.”

He described how members of the senior class gave up weekends and vacations to raise money for various causes or to perform public services. That, Fournier implied, is how the teens of St. Dom’s roll.

“For the past semester,” he said, “the entire senior class has been practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy in no fewer than 25 nonprofit institutions and schools throughout the Lewiston, Auburn and Augusta areas and have logged 6,621 hours during their senior involvement.”

Not that it’s all work with no joy. Salutatorian Jordan Charest recalled tales of high adventure while he and his classmates were laboring to the south on the Mission Mississippi Project. These were adolescent hijinks, for the most part, but it taught the students of St. Dom’s an important lesson.

“We proved,” Charest said, “that doing God’s work doesn’t have to be all work and no play.”

Likewise, Valedictorian Eric Link urged his friends and classmates to follow their passions, meet new people and learn something new every day. It’s the kind of advice they’ve been hearing all of their young lives, Link said, but starting Friday night, it began to feel very real. How are they to move forward and succeed without sacrificing the good times they are used to?

That lofty matter became the theme of the night.

“We have to find a job, we have to pay the bills,” Charest said, in his address. But, “sometimes, you have to do what you want. Life is meant to be enjoyed. You won’t be happy if you never have fun.”

Outside St. Dominic’s Academy on Gracelawn Avenue, the rain was falling hard. It didn’t keep anybody away, though — the parking lot was full and the street out front was lined with cars. On hand for the big night were members of St. Dom’s classes of 1948, 1963 and 1988. They were there to both celebrate their own reunions and to support the new graduates.

By the end of the evening, it seemed like everybody knew everybody. Principal Fournier read the names of each graduate and described them to the best of his ability. It was kind of an overview of the students who were walking out the doors of St. Dom’s on Friday night for the last time.

“And that, in a nutshell, is just a taste of the talent, personality and spirit of the class of 2013,” Fournier said. “Their spirit and strength will now be a part of the proud past of St. Dom’s.”

Senior Awards

Bishop Cote trophies

Courtney Costello, Minary A. Craig, Justin Cruz, Kathryn Emery, Bethany Fox, Zakary Johnson, William Soper, Hannah Tyce.

Bishop Gerry trophies

Katie Bosse, Darby Frost

The All St. Dom Award

 Zakary Johnson, Kayla McLellan

Catholic Financial Life French Award

Kathryn Emery

Dominican Sisters Athlete of the Year

Sarah Trott

Br. Gerard LaFlamme Athletes of the Year

Zack Deblois, William Desmarais

Athletic Ambassadors

Austin Christopher, Kelley McLellan

Key Clubber of the Year

Katie Bosse

Senator of the Year

Katie Bosse