Valedictorian Brooklynn Shumway said the 2,340 days of school that got them to graduation flew by. She recalled the days that they couldn’t even write their own names. Now they are signing their names on important documents. When many of them met, they were still in car seats. Now they are driving their own cars.

“(We went from) counting on our fingers to … still counting on our fingers, but with more complexity,” Shumway said.

She said as they go out into the world, the graduates shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. When these mistakes happen, she said not to dwell on them. But she added that they shouldn’t dwell on their successes too much, either. Shumway said they should always be looking forward.

She said living in the United States is sometimes taken for granted and she expressed gratitude for the many opportunities they all have here.

Layne Colgan smiles with friends as the Saranac Lake High School class of 2023 watch a slide show of photos from their high school days at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

“It’s a great accomplishment, seeing that there are plenty of young adults our age, or that were our age, that were never given the chance to do so,” Shumway said.

SLCSD Superintendent Diane Fox told the seniors on Friday that they were graduates, but on Saturday they would begin to scatter to the wind on their own personal journeys. She left them with some advice as they start to venture out.

“Mark Twain once said ‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’ Embrace this as a personal challenge,” Fox said. “You may even come to realize that Twain’s quote is only partially correct. He should have said ‘The most important days in your life are the days you were born, and the day(s) you find out why.’ We are constantly reinventing ourselves as we learn and grow because no one is born for a single purpose.”

Salutatorian Kailyn Mader said her class went through some unique and unexpected trials, most prominently the coronavirus pandemic, but that these trials made them stronger. She said through it all they maintained a “glass half-full” mentality.

She asked the adults in the audience how many of them followed through with the plans they made after graduating high school. Only a few hands went up. Mader said on the path from Point A to Point B it’s OK to end up at Point C instead.

Saranac Lake High School seniors watch a performance of Derrick Fox's "Journey On" by the school choir at their graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

The guest speaker, Mark Farmer, himself graduated from SLHS in 1979, and has worked for 33 years in the district as a social studies teacher, dean of students, student council advisor and senior class advisor. He has coached numerous sports and worked as the athletic director. He is currently the chair of the district’s Board of Education.

Farmer spoke about how learning has changed so much since he was in school. Technology has completely changed how people learn and how they learn to learn. He told students that would continue to happen throughout their lifetimes, too.

Farmer’s message to graduates was that they should define success for themselves. He told them to go find that success, but to always return to their hometown. Whatever community they’re living in, he urged them to give back.

SLHS Principal Josh Dann said 37 of these seniors are graduating with technical certifications from BOCES programs. He said 23 grads are getting jobs right away, 31 are planning to attend a two-year college or trade school, two are enlisted in the military or military academy and 33 are planning to attend a four-year college.

He said this class had several firsts, from the inaugural games of the new flag football team, to the seniors pulling off senior skip day and a senior prank without him knowing ahead of time.

Saranac Lake High School Valedictorian Brooklynn Shumway shakes hands with SLCSD Superintendent Diane Fox as she crosses the graduation stage on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

“With all the social media and lack of privacy, there are no secrets at the high school. Usually students leak this stuff out, but you pulled it off,” Dann said.

“If you don’t like it, transfer,” Dann said before students stepped on stage for their diplomas.

That was a bit of an inside joke between him and the seniors this year.

Malea White smiles after receiving a scholarship at the Saranac Lake High School graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Carter Hewitt smiles at the Saranac Lake High School graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Awa Kujabi chats with a friend as the Saranac Lake High School class of 2023 watch a slide show of photos from their high school days at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Austin Barry smiles and shakes hands with Saranac Lake High School Principal Josh Dann as he crosses the stage at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)