They celebrated their achievement of completing rigorous testing, clinicals and jumping through many hoops, and looked forward to their work in the field.

This is NCCC’s 57th graduating nursing class going on to contribute to the health of the region.

LPN class student speaker Christine Fefee said their work is not just about their medical knowledge. It’s also about holding someone’s hand before surgery, sitting with an elderly patient who hasn’t had visitors, laughing, crying and grieving with them.

“As nurses, we have a unique understanding of how precious life is,” Fefee said. “Remember, every day, no matter how big or how small, you make a difference in someone’s life.”

Alex Hill, a newly licensed registered nurse, shares a hug with Stephanie Cassell at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

RN class student speaker Alexandra Hill of Saranac Lake was the LPN class speaker last year. She said her classmates put their “blood, sweat and literal tears” into earning their licenses.

She said some are single parents, step-parents, dog and cat parents, partners or full-time employees. Some traveled from two hours away to attend their courses. Two of her classmates had babies this year, Hill said, shouting out to Cecilia Allen and Georgia Bickford.

NCCC Nursing Director Tana Hare said nursing is more than a job — “It’s its own language. … It blends art and science and heart and mind. It calls on us to care, to think critically, to stand up for others and to show up on the hardest days. … Over time, it becomes a belief system, a deep understanding of the human experience.”

NCCC President Joe Keegan’s wife Lisa is a nursing clinical faculty member, and he was impressed with the commitment of students he hears of from her.

Fefee and Hill each said the newly licensed nurses will likely work alongside each other at area hospitals.

A new class of licensed practical nurses and registered nurses recite the Modern Nightingale Pledge at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Lisa Keegan, who was slated to be the guest speaker, couldn’t attend. In a message to the nurses, she told them all to remember their “why” — the reason they became nurses.

Alexis Cassell, an adjunct nursing instructor, told the new nurses to call on all the hard skills and soft skills they learned in their classes — from how to dress a wound to how to comfort a patient — and said they should be confident to grow in their knowledge.

“Good nurses are a blessing,” Joe Keegan said. “We need more of them.”

Roger Marsh, a newly licensed registered nurse, shares a hug with Stephanie Cassell at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Julian Shaw, a newly licensed registered nurse, shares a hug with Alexis Cassell at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Christine Fefee speaks for the class of new licensed practical nurses at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Gregory Coffin, a newly licensed practical nurse, walks to the stage at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

A crowd of newly licensed practical nurses and registered nurses prepare to get their pins at a ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Shawlame Gorman, a newly licensed registered nurse, shares a hug with Alexis Cassell at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Serena Vargulick, a newly licensed practical nurse, shares a hug with Laura Cunningham at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Kayla Kempf, a newly licensed registered nurse, shares a hug with Alexis Cassell at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

DeAnna Peckham, a newly licensed registered nurse, walks to the stage at a pinning ceremony at North Country Community College on Thursday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)