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On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, 58 Bangor High School seniors began their postgraduate journey in high spirits. Their class motto — “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me” — seemed perfect for the happy occasion.

The commencement ceremony for the 2008 graduating class attracted a large crowd of relatives, friends and well-wishers to the high school gymnasium. It began with a welcome by Megan Gerke, the class salutatorian, Gerke thanked everyone for coming while reminding the audience of the many diverse talents possessed by this class.

Advising her classmates to smile because “every day is a gift,” Gerke ended by urging them to “be smart and make excellent choices” as they head off into their respective futures.

The senior address was given by Natasha Everson. Citing a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson about the acorn that eventually produces a mighty forest, Everson admonished her fellow graduates to give of themselves and to spread their talents. She concluded by promising that “whatever we do, we’ll always remember what our roots are.”

Class valedictorian Joseph Vargo — whose sister Kristina was valedictorian in 2004 — reminded the class of some of the shared “silly memories we won’t forget” before talking about some of the life lessons he had learned from sports. He said that the often-heard phrase “Don’t beat yourself” was also good advice for the world beyond athletics.

And a lesson from football about getting right back up after being knocked down could just as well be applied to the world of academics or business.

Vargo, a superior track athlete, said someone once told him not to think of the hurdles as one race but 10 separate races. Since it’s impossible to jump all the hurdles at once, a runner has to do his or her best in whatever section they are in. “That’s a good lesson,” Vargo said.

Two songs were performed during a brief musical interlude — “Come Sail Away” by Styx and the Beatles classic “With a Little Help From My Friends,” the latter performed by the entire class.

Lee Freill, the commencement speaker, spent much of his address telling the students what a special, caring place they had grown up in. A 1965 Bangor graduate, Freill went first to UW-La Crosse and then to the University of Iowa, where he got a degree in analytical chemistry in 1971.

Although Freill has lived in Iowa for decades, he said he often encounters Bangor graduates and that the tie with his hometown is something priceless they have in common.

Freill told the seniors they can always look for a level of support from the community as well as hope and encouragement from friends and family. “Be flexible, be prepared and be thankful for what you have been given,” he said. He concluded by congratulating the seniors and reminded them that they were now part of a special group — Bangor High School alumni.

School board President Rod Hundt and Superintendent Roger Foegen handed out diplomas, then the graduating seniors marched out of the gym and into the warm afternoon to begin the next phase of their lives.