“After 13 long years of schooling, the system has deemed us competent enough to move on to our next chapter in life,” Valedictorian Jake Kollmer told his classmates. “Some of you will miss high school …. nerds.”

Guest speaker Sue Van Nortwick, who taught most of the graduates at Petrova Elementary shared dozens of pieces of brutally honest advice, from her own life experience, from her family and from seeing others.

“Be OK with people not liking you. Most of them don’t even like themselves,” she said.

There will always be doubters, she added.

Agi “Muna” Kujabi grins as Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox moves her tassel at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

“Make sure that the person who is doubting you, isn’t you,” Van Nortwick said. “You’re looking in the wrong mirror when you look for your worth in the approval of others.”

She told them to pause before taking out student loans and consider if they are traveling on the path that they want. Higher education is expensive today.

“You don’t want to be 50 years old and still paying back loans you took out at 18,” Van Nortwick said.

During the ceremony, the district distributed $174,800 in scholarships to students, funded through a variety of donors.

Van Nortwick told the graduates to remember to appreciate the small things in life. Life is precious and it can change fast. She said she knows this well, as do many in the class of 2025. Personally, she has lost close family members in car crashes. She said some of the students know Kennedy Columbus, a senior and standout softball pitcher from Chazy Central Rural School who was killed last week when a tree landed on her car.

Addison Ash and Liam Nobles share a hug after getting their diplomas at the Saranac Lake High School graduation ceremony Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Van Nortwick acknowledged the massive upending of life the students all endured through he coronavirus pandemic. In an instant, their burgeoning social lives disappeared.

She recalled breaking up fights between boys and comforting girls crying in the bathroom at the 50-plus middle school dances she chaperoned. Growing up is messy, uncomfortable and necessary, she said. Because of the pandemic, the students lost access to a key part of maturing. But she said they persevered and developed anyway.

Salutatorian Zoe Carpenter listed a few of the experiences the students shared — singing in concerts, going on field days, that one Friday in March during the seventh grade when they were sent home and weren’t sure when they would return again, sports, regents.

“As we all move through life, we will always have these things in common. That’s the beauty of public school,” Carpenter said. “People from across the state and country all have shared experiences with which they can relate to their peers when they leave the comfort of their childhood.”

She said she was not going to lie and say they were the best four years of her life. She really wanted to quit at times.

Pearl Hough grins as she gets her diploma from Saranac Lake High School Principal Josh Dann on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

“Frankly, I hope these were some of the worst years of my life,” Carpenter said.

She said the class of 2025 has lots to accomplish. She said every one of them will be a good person and a bad person at different times. The will make mistakes, but so will every other person they interact with.

Kollmer said everyone was probably sick of numbers, but told them to consider the number four. There are four years of high school, 400 meters in a track, four beats in a measure, four sides in a square. But he said they shouldn’t define themselves by a number.

“A 4.0 GPA? How much does that really matter?” he asked. “It only takes two wings to fly.”

SLHS Principal Josh Dann called the Class of 2025 the “Why” class. They never settled for easy answers. They turned “Why?” into a lifestyle. They asking why they need to show up on time, why he couldn’t share the WiFi password with them and why they needed to learn what they were being taught.

Cameron Garrett smiles as a scholarship for him is announced at the Saranac Lake High School graduation ceremony Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Dann said they questioned everything, and that’s what made them successful. He said they brought “energy, laughter and a unique brand of chaos” to school and that he’s proud of them.

He told them to be prepared for hardship, and meet it with strength and resolve. And he encouraged them to get out, do things and live life off of the phone.

Nadia Pollock smiles as a scholarship for her is announced at the Saranac Lake High School graduation ceremony Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Thomas Kline grins as he gets his diploma from Saranac Lake High School Principal Josh Dann on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Kaylin Todd grins after Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox moves her tassel at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Dillon Wilson does a secret handshake with Saranac Lake High School Principal Josh Dann before receiving his diploma on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Vivian Hinkley grins as Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox moves her tassel at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Georgia McMinn grins as Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox moves her tassel at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Zach Goetz grins as Saranac Lake Central School District Superintendent Diane Fox moves his tassel at graduation on Friday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)