FARMINGTON — The Mt. Blue High School class of 2025 held its commencement ceremonies outside Sunday morning, June 9, on Caldwell Field next to the high school. The 55th Commencement saw 178 seniors receive diplomas and 10 international students receive certificates of attendance.

Principal Joel Smith welcomed everyone, noting, “We got rid of the bugs, we turned the wind up a little bit.”

“You made it, you’re here,” he told the seniors. Smith said when he was younger the days were full of possibility, everything was new. The past four years have flown by, he noted. “As I learned, it’s not about how fast time moves,” he stated. “Time doesn’t slow down. We can make the most of every moment we choose to step outside of our comfort zones.”

The moments remembered most from the last four years won’t be the easiest ones, Smith said. “They’ll be the ones that pushed you, the ones that took you out of your comfort zone, the times when you tried something new, when you weren’t sure if you were going to succeed,” he noted. “As you move forward, whether you’re learning new skills or experiencing different cultures and foods, remember this, embracing the unfamiliar will make time feel more vibrant and meaningful. When you challenge yourself to embrace the unfamiliar it will make everything more vibrant, special. Time won’t fly by. It will expand.”

Smith encouraged taking that step into the unknown, even if it’s scary. “Don’t chase comfort, chase curiosity,” he urged. “Seek out the new. Take risks, make mistakes, stay curious. Make this journey your own.”

“As I stand here today, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has brought us all to this moment,” Eleanor “Nora” McCourt, Maine Principals’ Association Award recipient said. “A journey that has been uniquely ours, yet deeply connected to the community that surrounds us. We have all engaged with different groups and activities at Mt. Blue or in the Farmington area that have enriched and added meaning to our high school experiences.”

Winning the state championships in Nordic skiing has been one of the most influential experiences for McCourt. “But what I’m most proud of is the sportsmanship banners that now hang in our gym alongside those from so many other Mt. Blue sports teams throughout the years,” she said. “These banners represent something more meaningful than victories. They represent who we are as a community.”

Community is traditions like Chester Greenwood Day that connect us to our local history, widespread excitement for bracelet day at the Farmington Fair every September, the way that Wilton comes alive every August, McCourt noted. “I’ve come to understand that I’m part of something much larger than myself,” she said. “A tradition of hard working, unassuming people who are always eager to support and give back to the people and traditions that have raised them.”

Everyday activities connect each other and form bonds that will remain, McCourt stated. People and places have shaped the seniors’ experiences and like the experiences of many generations who have walked the halls of Mt. Blue, they represent a community that values perseverance, kindness and authentic connection, she noted.

McCourt said her experiences arise from living in Farmington, students attending Mt. Blue from the other towns might have different ones. “However, this institution has connected each of us,” she noted. “I believe that we will continue to see the ways our connection to Mt. Blue persists after graduation. Start thinking now, how will we help sustain community service in order to support those who come after us?”

The class of 2025 has learned how to step outside of its comfort zone and not to be afraid to be awesome, learned how to make mistakes, and developed a resilience and determination that will serve it well, McCourt said. She thanked the community for its help creating empathetic, determined, collaborative and kind young adults.

“Take a moment now to look around at the people you have been making memories with,” Allison Casavant, student council president said. “As we step beyond these walls, step outside your comfort zone, go out and make memories. Take the risk.”

Graduation marks the final step together after 12 years, Casavant noted. “Going to college, the workforce or military is the next big thing,” she said. “Some of us are eager and some are a little afraid to take the leap. But today, we have each other. Let’s take the next step towards our future. Let the last 12 years give you confidence and carry you through this next step.”

It’s how uncertainty is faced that matters, Casavant stated. “Choose to face the next steps head on and face the uncertainty. Don’t forget to live a little in life and step outside your comfort zone.” Only then will what life has to offer be truly experienced, she added.

“Throughout my years at Mt. Blue High School, I’ve grown to know many of you through classes, clubs and athletics,” Lucy Knowles, class president said. “I think it is safe to say that our distribution of talents, interests and personalities takes on a wide range and derived from these attributes are our class’ successes.”

Some successes did not come easily and challenges were faced at every corner, Knowles stated. “We have persevered … have skills to take on anything with our newly created community of problem solvers and thinkers. We will continue to shape our world and each other for the better.”

Knowles thanked teachers, mentors and coaches for their support. Many students might have quit due to stress, confusion or carelessness without their pushing as students were sometimes reluctant to push themselves, she noted.

“Life is not a straight line for most,” Knowles advised. No matter how chaotic the road looks, you can always find a a purpose if you look hard enough, she said. “Never give up,” she added.