Houlton High School sends graduates off in style

HOULTON, Maine — Eighty-one graduates said good-bye to their fellow classmates, teachers and their high school Thursday evening at the John A. Millar Civic Center as Houlton High School held its commencement exercises for the Class of 2010.
In an evening filled with tears of happiness, the graduating seniors did their part to make their exit memorable for the packed house of about 1,000 spectators. After receiving their diplomas and the ceremonial turning of their tassels, the outgoing class erupted into hoots and hollers, while filling the air (and each other) with “silly string.”
Senior Class President Vanessa Sanderson welcomed the packed auditorium and took classmates on a trip through time, speaking about how much their lives had changed since their elementary school days.
“Our freshmen year took a lot of getting used to,” she said. “There was no recess, much longer classes, and brand new students and teachers. Our class finally came together this year. We made friends with people we had not spoken to and became closer to the friends we already had. Everything we have gone through, every laugh and every tear has shaped us into who we are today.”
Valedictorian Stephanie Kreyssig encouraged her class to not dwell on the past or spend too much time gazing to the future.
“In reality, all that truly matters is what’s right here, right now,” she said. “This is the start of our new beginning, and the choices we make after tonight determine what and where our end will be. This is the time for us to take every chance and opportunity we’re given at any moment because when that moment’s gone, there’s no way of getting it back.”
Salutatorian Magdalena Garcia-Ponder quoted author Ralph Waldo Emerson as she encouraged her classmates to “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
“The future is going to be full of several challenges that we will encounter and learn to overcome,” she said. “Whether we are going to college or onto an immediate career, there will be obstacles to face. I have learned to live life to the fullest and take every opportunity that comes my way. I hope everyone else in my class feels the same way and will successfully achieve whatever they set their minds to.”
Ashley Hannigan, first honor essayist for the Class of 2010, introduced the evening’s guest speaker, HHS English teacher Kathy Chase. “Whether you find her dramatically acting out a scene from Macbeth or perhaps dancing to Pat Benetar, you’ll find her enthusiasm almost magnetic,” Hannigan said.
Chase, a 1977 graduate from HHS, gave a humorous speech, as she explained her phobias of public speaking.
“As teachers, parents and other adult figures in your lives, we are all role models,” she said. “And many of us take our responsibilities very seriously. I have asked you to challenge yourselves for years now.”
Chase said she had many directions she could have gone with her speech, but instead chose to focus on the class’ success despite adversity.
“Long ago, this class was labeled as unfocused and lackadaisical, among other less flattering terms,” she said. “They have striven to disprove that designation. When they were younger, they certainly tried my patience and tested my resolve. I sometimes wondered if anything I said had penetrated. But what an opportunity I have had to watch them mature both academically and socially and transform into young adults with a clearer sense of direction.”