As they look forward to the future with excitement, Lily SanGiovanni reminded her fellow graduates not to forget to live in the moment and appreciate the present, as well.

SanGiovanni was one of four student speakers during South Portland High School’s graduation ceremony Sunday, which was held at the football stadium.

To illustrate her message, SanGiovanni turned to the lyrics of the song, “My Silver Lining,” which was written by two Scandinavian musicians.

The lyrics she quoted included the words: “There’s no starting over, no new beginnings, time races on. And you’ve just gotta keep on keeping on. Gotta keep on going, looking straight out on the road. Can’t worry ’bout what’s behind you or what’s coming for you further up the road.”

She said that the graduates had spent much of this past academic year looking forward, but SanGiovanni said it’s also important to live day to day, even while they’re on the brink of a “new and exhilarating chapter” in their lives.

SanGiovanni said the class of 2015 is “filled with love, talent and amazing school spirit.” She said that the class included the best baseball player in Maine, the best trumpet player and the best artist.

In her welcoming remarks, SanGiovanni also said her class is made up of some of the “wisest and most humble people I’ve ever known.” She also said the students weren’t just being handed their diplomas, that the honor was something they’d worked hard to achieve.

In her speech, Honor Essayist Morrigan Turner reminded the graduates that they were not just individuals, but as a whole they were part of something larger than themselves.

She also said the graduates couldn’t have gotten to this special day without each other.

“We all helped each other on this journey and I thank you for pushing me to be the best I could be,” Turner said.

In addition, she told the graduates to take their “passion, courage of conviction and sense of selves” into their next step on the road of life.

Abby Young, the salutatorian, said each of the graduates is “truly special” with the “potential to do amazing things.” She also said her fellow grads should not be afraid to “dream big and never give up.”

Young said there would always be mountains to climb, but the most important thing is to know that the hard times will end and that those difficulties all help build character.

“We have all dreamt what being an adult would be like, now we are on the brink of that dream,” she added. “It’s our time to live the fairy tales we imagined when we were little.”

In his address, valedictorian Jacob Brown focused on the importance of friendship saying that all of life’s moments are better when they’re shared with someone else.

He said that preserving the bonds of friendship beyond high school “is so important to me. There’s nothing better than good times with friends.”

Brown also credited his friends for making high school better and for motivating him and making him look forward to each day. Discussing what’s on our minds with friends is not only comforting but also helps put our minds at ease, he said.

The students’ speeches were followed by an emotional rendition of the song “Caledonia,” by the South Portland High singers, which included the lyrics, “I’ve been telling old stories, singing songs

that make me think about where I’ve come from, that’s the reason why I seem so far away today.”

Then Principal Ryan Caron, outgoing Superintendent Suzanne Godin and Richard Matthews, chairman of the Board of Education, began handing out the diplomas, while parents and friends cheered on the individual graduates.

South Portland valedictorian Jacob Brown talked about the importance of friendship during his graduation speech.Staff photo by Kate Irish CollinsMarching in: Led by class marshals Lily SanGiovanni and Gabriella Ferrell, South Portland graduates make their way into the football stadium.These South Portland grads are all smiles. From left are Jackman Mickiewicz, Sarah Micucci, Andrew Whipple, Holly Black, Griffin Henderson and Emma Russell.Abby Young, the salutatorian at South Portland High School, tells her fellow graduates to “dream big and never give up.”