Moon Area High School held its commencement Friday night, when 282 graduating seniors crossed the stage to receive their diplomas.
Superintendent Donna Milanovich, addressing students and their parents a final time, urged the grads to make the change they want to see around them, and have the courage to go after their dreams.
"Change is inevitable...you cannot stop change, but you can embrace the positive aspects of it and view it as a new adventure," said Milanovich, who retires next month.
Moon's three distinguished class members spoke to a gymnasium filled with family, friends, teachers and classmates.
Allison J. Murphy gave a scenario of making a wrong turn, reminding her classmates that it is all too easy to get stuck dwelling on the past and wondering "what if?"
"There is no way to go back and change what has completely been done...you can take a risk and go in your new path," Murphy said.
Selin Sirinterlikci said high school taught them character, they learned to be fearless and persevere beyond obstacles.
"When you trip on a hurdle, get up, dust yourself off... and never stop running," Sirinterlikci said.
Bianca M. Bisegna invited her classmates to leap into the future, where cancer is a thing of the past and there's no such thing as an energy crisis.
"It is up to us to model it, shape it, and craft it into what we want it to be," Bisegna said.
Principal Barry Balaski said he felt proud of all the students and couldnt help but reflect on his own son, from the moment they brought him home from the hospital to memories of him walking at 9 months, throwing a football and learning to ride a bike.
"I had a tear in my eye, as I do now, when he walked across the stage," Balaski said.
He told the students he's learned from all of them, and that they have left a legacy.
"Congratulations to you class of 2013, you've made it."
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