Mt. Ararat High School student speakers reminisced about their past, spoke of breaking down barriers and finding happiness in their new future during Sunday’s graduation ceremony.

Maine School Administrative District Superintendent Bradley Smith began by talking about bridges. He said bridges were built to overcome an obstacle and that they are also a symbol for where the graduates are and where they want to go in life — their educational journey.

Student speakers — all graduating with high honors — included Macey Downs, Emma Levy and Rose Horowitz.

Downs pulled inspiration from her fifth grade writer’s notebook — gathering her thoughts in what she referred to as her messy cursive handwriting.

She read from a section where she wondered about what her purpose might be — that of a speech writer on the level of Martin Luther King, an inventor, a mother, great grandmother, someone to be remembered.

“I may just be here to be alive — to experience life,” Downs said.

Downs said that for grand or humble purposes. She said now, at age 18, she’s no closer to figuring out that purpose.

Levy said she took to the books before writing her speech and learned to avoid platitudes like “go change the world” or “this is our time.” She decided to look at her own awkward transition through high school.

“With glasses, braces, frizzy hair, good grades and a spot in the school band, I was the epitome of a confirmed nerd,” Levy said, adding that for the sake of safety, she had no intention of crossing social borders.

Levy said that no matter how many times she watched the transformation of characters like Sandy in “Grease” or Andy in “The Devil Wears Prada,” in the real world she had little courage to break through social barriers.

Safe in her own boundaries, Levy said she soon became aware of the diversity and vibrancy around her she was missing out on. It was two years of isolation until she attended a leadership conference that gave her the courage to explore the world around her.

Horowitz told her class that many of them may not have any idea of what they want to do with their lives as well as a message for those who think they know exactly what they are going to do — that it’s okay, if not good, to change your mind.

“It’s okay to take it slow and process life,” Horowitz said.

Horowitz told her classmates that they should find the balance between utilizing their strengths and being happy with how they are doing it. She said happiness is underrated and even if her classmates do not yet know themselves, it is up to them to make that move and not stagnate over time.

Mt. Ararat listed 168 seniors graduating at their commencement ceremony Sunday. dmcintire@timesrecord.com

• Mt. Ararat student graduates at VFW: see Page A3.