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LAKE PLACID - Lake Placid High School graduates should try new things, make new friends and stay Web savvy.

That's what Geoffrey Johnston, a Google employee and 2003 LPHS alumn, told graduating seniors Friday night at the ceremony in the high school gym.

He said it is the responsibilty of their generation to bring businesses up to date with new technologies.

Johnston, who attended Harvard, traveled in France while writing for a guide book and now works in California, said that while Lake Placid is a great place, the new graduates should go new places and experience new things - even if they end up back in Lake Placid.

And, while they're doing that, they should be opening to meeting new people, because "without making new friends it'll never be as fun," he said.

Salutatorian Sean Dennin echoed that the graduates should try new things because that will keep them open to finding something they will love to do.

"Find a passion, something you love, and pursue it," Dennin said.

When the graduates run into setbacks along the way, valedictorian Alexandra Caudill said, they should remember times when they were happy or successful and they will gain the confidence to be successful once more.

"We will always keep our eyes on the sky," Caudill said.

A balloon was released for Lisa Lynn Dudley by two graduates who were bestowed with her memorial scholarship, Joseph Graham and Jordan Favro. Classmate Ashley Lavery said Dudley liked balloons.

Dudley, who had cerebral palsy, started kindergarten with the class but died when she was 6 years old after suffering a seizure.

"The school will forever remember Lisa," Lavery said.

Also at the ceremony, 10 of the 54 graduates were honored for being the fourth generation of their family to graduate from LPHS, and Jessica Leigh Wood and Kristy Ann Siegle honored their grandmother, who was celebrating the 50th anniversary of her high school graduation.

On a table at the front of the stage, a replica of the high school created by graduate Cameron Patnode was displayed.

Contact Jessica Collier at 891-2600 ext. 25 or

jcollier@adirondack

dailyenterprise.com.