KENNEBUNK —The weather was beautiful on a sunny Sunday afternoon, during which 110 Kennebunk high school graduates prepared to graduate on KHS Stadium Field.

After a long march from the parking lot to the track, they were welcomed by KHS Principal Susan Cressey, who reminded them they all still had a home in Kennebunk.

“Parents, extended families ”“ it took a village,” Cressey said.

Valedictorian Jaclyn Murphy gave a witty and often self-deprecating speech about effort and grit in which she invoked the names of several of her peers, listing their names and what skills they had honed through hard work.

“Life is not about doing your best, but giving your best,” Murphy said. She thanked all of the teachers, friends and family that helped her break a high school track record and “racewalk with gusto.”

The guest speaker was math teacher Pat Moody, who gave a speech celebrating “kids today.” The speech was framed around a book Moody read about the traits that allow people to survive during tragedies and natural disasters.

“Staying calm and think positively,” Moody said were the traits that helped people survive. “Everything is contagious.”

Moody followed his speech with the refrain “kids today,” which all the graduates repeated when Moody raised his hand; he followed with notes about about 20 kids and the deep character they have displayed during their four years at Kennebunk High School. He then ended with a “bonus question,” listing graduates of the school that later ended up working at Kennebunk High School.

During the graduation, there was an extended cheer for Zach Jewett, who has been in a wheelchair and has cerebral palsy, as he crossed the graduation stage and received his diploma.

The graduation was over quickly, and after the names were read the graduates moved their tassels and tossed their caps up in the air; they were quickly on their way out into the field where they greeted their parents. The graduates snapped photos and posed with their friends before heading off to Project Graduation.

Newly-minted KHS alumnae Danielle Bickford said that she felt free, yet still challenged after graduating. Her immediate plans after graduation are to travel to an orphanage in Nicaragua and teach art.

Cooper Nunan, who will be attending Maine Maritime in the fall, said that high school “flew by very fast” but the graduation was perfect and glad it went so well.