Albert Maillie gets ready Tuesday before the start of his graduation ceremony at The Green Ladle at Lewiston High School. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

LEWISTON — Lewiston High School held its August graduation ceremony Tuesday evening at the Green Ladle Culinary Arts School, located on its campus. Thirty seniors were welcomed to class of 2024.

Corey Beaulieu, 18, chats with friends Tuesday before the start of his graduation ceremony at The Green Ladle at Lewiston High School. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Each year, Lewiston High School holds a graduation ceremony in June. Later in the summer, another ceremony is held in August for students who needed a little more time to earn their credits.

“August graduation provides a celebration for those students who needed additional time in the summer to complete the requirements,” Assistant Principal Doug Dumont said.

Graduates were all smiles as their friends and families filled the seats ahead of the ceremony.

The culinary arts program at the Green Ladle has given Corey Beaulieu ideas about what to do in the future. In April, Beaulieu took a trip to Italy with his classmates as a part of the program.

“It was two weeks and we went to Rome, all the big places. It was really fun,” Beaulieu said. “It was a two-year program. I went junior and senior years. I became really close with all my classmates. We still talk. It’s great.”

Looking ahead, Beaulieu hopes to continue baking and perhaps make a career out of it.

“I do want to go to the Culinary Institute of America, but that’s a lot of money. We’ll see what happens,” Beaulieu said.

Joining Beaulieu at the ceremony were his friends, Faith Crowley and Gabriel Frank. All three agreed that friendships were their biggest takeaways from high school.

Julesa Dejesus Raines, 19, right, helps Alexandra LaChance, 18, put on her mortarboard Tuesday before the start of their graduation ceremony at The Green Ladle at Lewiston High School. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

For Alexandra LaChance, her high school experience was different than most of her peers.

“I actually didn’t have a high school experience because my mom had a stroke in my freshman year,” LaChance said. “She’s bedbound and a lot different. She will be here tonight, amazingly. For almost a year she was in a coma and I stopped going to school.”

LaChance came back for her senior year.

“I’ve been through a lot of all-nighters. I plan to go to college and become an ultrasound tech,” she said.

Another graduate, Guilhermina Paolo, said she was happy to be done with school at last. “It’s been a fast year,” Paolo said.

Samuel Mugishu said he wants to start a business sometime in the future. He said his best friend is still a student at LHS, so he intends to be around for a few more years.

“I have great memories of this place,” Mugishu said.

“A little nervous, a little happy, a little overwhelmed,” was how Mason Maloon described his feelings ahead of the ceremony.

Mackenzie Pelletier-Charest, 18, left, Alexandra LaChance, 18, and Julesa Dejesus Raines, 19, review a Tik Tok video they made together Tuesday before the start of their graduation ceremony at The Green Ladle at Lewiston High School. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

“It’s good that I don’t have to be here anymore but now I’m gonna get scheduled a lot more at work. It’s a win-lose situation,” Maloon’s friend, Liam Merrill, chimed in.

“I want to travel for a bit, for a year or two. I was thinking Japan,” Maloon said.

“I’m going to work for a year, save up some money, then take the two free years at Central Maine (Community College), and then go up to Maine Maritime for four (years),” Merrill said.

Looking back on their high school years, friendships stand out the most, both Maloon and Merrill agreed.

“We’ve made friends; we’ve lost friends,” Maloon said.

“And then teachers too. There’s been some important teachers, honestly, throughout high school. We’ve had difficult teachers, good teachers, bad teachers,” Merrill continued.

“I will remember my teachers and friends in my LRTC (Lewiston Regional Technical Center) classes,” Merrill said.