BRUNSWICK

Kyra Teboe’s high school class saw a lot of social upheaval on the national scene over the course of four years. Through it all, the Brunswick High School valedictorian said, her class showed a willingness to act, and to listen.

“As we progressed through high school, we saw the development of movements such as Never Again, Protect the Second Amendment, Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, and Me Too,” Teboe in her address during Friday’s graduation ceremony at Watson Arena. “We heard about school shootings, police shootings and other massacres, and we observed multiple nationwide protests.

“Regardless of your views on any of these issues, all of us must accept that our society is in a state of change,” she added, “and many people — especially those of our generation — are standing up for what they believe to be right.”

Some of her fellow classmates began advocating for their beliefs, Teboe noted, organizing a school walkout in response to school shootings nationwide and bringing a panel of legislators to the school to answer students’ questions about gun violence and possible solutions.

“The world needs people who care, people who hold concern for contributing to society, people who don’t become apathetic when injustice prevails,” she said. “As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.’

“So no matter where life takes you, I hope you never forget that you come from the Brunswick Class of 2018,” Teboe added, “a class that exemplified compassion and conscientiousness.”

Among the 168 graduates was Joe Almgren, who, shortly before the ceremony began, thought about how nerve-wracking graduation could be.

“We’re moving on into the world,” he said, anxious along with his classmates, but added: “It’s a good day, it’s a happy day.”

Almgren said his four years of high school have been fun: “I’m going to miss it a lot.”

“I am graduating with a group made of lovely people, all of whom I respect so much, and every single one I admire in some way,” said Master of Ceremonies Julia Krutul. “Every single one. My class, you are amazing. You are open and kind, thoughtful and hilarious, and excellent in every way. Tonight is about you.”

Salutatorian Ethan Boll reflected on his classmates’ accomplishments over the last four years by comparing the experience to “Star Wars.”

“Now, many of us still don’t know what we want to major in or what career path we should follow — myself included — but high school has given us an idea of what we love to do,” Boll said. “In some way or another, we’ve all destroyed a little Death Star.

“Some of us got into our top choice colleges, some of us landed that perfect job, some of us broke down social barriers and many of us won state championships,” Boll added. “The point is that the last four years of our lives have meant something.”

In her remarks, Teboe noted how students made an impression on high school staff and faculty, noticed for their friendliness, inclusiveness, dedication and diligence.

“Going forth, I encourage each of you to continue to care, even — or perhaps especially — in the face of what sometimes seems to be a rather daunting and unfriendly world,” Teboe said. “The world needs our class.”

The class of 2018 put in more than 17,000 hours of community service, raising nearly $10,000 and 10,000 pounds of food for Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, and approximately $8,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“Eighteen of us gave up study halls to volunteer at the elementary school this past semester,” said Teboe, “and six others spent senior year volunteering as mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters. … I hope that each of us will continue to care about the right thing to do.”

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