Oliver Ames Graduates its Class of 2012

As Class President Emily Murphy explained, the High School Class of 2012 will go down as pioneers in a few ways.

It was the first class to spend all four years together in one, newly renovated building. It was the first class to attend a separate, senior prom. And, it was the first class to wear uniform graduation gowns during Sunday's ceremony.

Murphy's speech played on the Mayan theory that the world may end or change in the year 2012, but she ended her speech with the motto printed on the Class of 2012 T-shirt.

"As our class t-shirts say," she said. "The world isn't ending, we're just taking over."

"Taking over" was a prevailing sentiment Sunday afternoon at when 285 graduates crossed the stage and received their diplomas.

"We are change, and we are the future, and we are a revolution," Class Speaker Jack Davis told his classmates.

Davis said that, as graduates, they were entering a new phase in their lives where self-motivation will be key.

"People will no longer push us forward," he said. "It is now up to us to persevere in moving towards what we want."

Along with Murphy and Davis, John Barata, a Youth Ministry Coordinator from Holy Cross Parish and Oliver Ames soccer coach, delivered the Welcome Address, and Valedictorian Courtney Hargreaves spoke at the ceremony.

Music was provided by the Oliver Ames High School band, led by Robert Wheeler, and the OA string orchestra led by Kristy Foye.

In Hargreaves' valedictory address, she urged her classmates to live by three principles: The ability to adapt, the ability to persevere and learn from mistakes, and the importance of dreaming and leading a fulfilling life.

"You don't remember or appreciate the things that come to us easily" she said, while describing the concept of "YOLO," which stands for "You Only Live Once."

"I"m glad our class has adopted this way of thinking," Hargreaves said.

Murphy said that among the many things she and her classmates will take away from their high school experience, memories are among the most important.

She pointed to fan enthusiasm at playoff soccer games, student council accomplishments, and a football team that played in the Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium.

"Overall, I think we can all say our time at Oliver Ames has changed our lives in one way or another," she said.