KENNEBUNK — Riding a roller coaster of emotions, the Kennebunk High School Class of 2018 embarked upon the next chapter of their lives following the school’s 143rd Commencement Exercise on Sunday.

Held on the school’s football field before a standing room only crowd of family, friends and well-wishers, KHS seniors made the transition to graduates, but not before pausing to recall the journey that got them to this point in their lives and remembering a special teacher who died last winter before he could witness this day.

KHS Valedictorian Hallie Schwartzman said she is excited to have completed high school, but sad to say goodbye to cherished friends.

“This is a huge day for me,” Schwartzman said. “It means letting go and moving on to the second phase of my life.”

Schwatrzman will attend Colby College this fall, but said she’s undecided about what she wants to major in at the next level.

“I do want to some day go to business school,” she said. “And maybe work at a few business internships along the way.”

Watching her deliver a speech during the graduation were her father, Joe, her mom Edie, her three siblings and her grandparents.

“I will miss knowing everyone here,” Schwartzman said. “I’ve grown up with everyone and seeing a familiar face and the comfort it brings knowing everyone here is something I will miss.”

Zack Harmon and his wife Lisa attended the graduation to watch Zack’s daughter, Sarah Harmon, pick up her diploma.

“She works hard and always strives to do her best,” Zack Harmon said.

Sarah wants to become a pharmacist and her father said the hardest part of being a parent will come at the end of the summer for him.

“This part’s easy, but it will be really tough for me when I have to drive her to college at Wingate University in North Carolina,” he said. “When I think back of her time at Kennebunk High School, I’ll remember seeing her smiling face cheering at the football games.”

New KHS graduate Spenser Rynne was happy that his parents, David and Suzanne Rynne, and his grandparents, Lola and Richie Corleto, were on hand to see him graduate on Sunday afternoon.

But he was saddened that his favorite teacher, John Daley, was conspicuously  absent from the graduation activities.

Daley, 53, who had taught history and financial literacy at Kennebunk High for 20 years, died unexpectedly on Jan. 14 while on a trip to New Hampshire.

“We were good friends as he befriended many students at this school,” Rynne said. “We miss him every day.”

As far as future plans are concerned, Rynne, who learned how to weld while in vocational classes during high school, says he has a job interview soon with Pratt & Whitney and is keeping his fingers crossed about that.

“My advice to younger students following me in school to is enjoy everything while you can because it goes by fast,” he said.

Guest speaker for the graduation was KHS science teacher Melissa Luetje, who dedicated her speech to Daley and thanked him for helping her when she was a new teacher at the school 16 years ago.

“John was among the first to befriend me,” she said. “He was real, genuine and down to earth. He also showed me how important it is to be authentic. Thank you for being champion of the underdog. You are missed.”

Luetje told the graduates that their ability to persevere and overcome obstacles and adversity will long be remembered at KHS.

“You rallied around one another when it mattered the most,” she said. “The term resilient doesn’t do your class justice. You guys are a community in the truest sense of the word. You matter.”

Diplomas were presented to the 176 graduates by Superintendent of School Dr. Kathryn Hawes and KHS Principal Susan Cressey.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.