Dina Cordeiro of Haverhill addressed her peers one last time as their class president Thursday as the Class of 2009 said farewell to Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.
She rose from the sea of maroon caps and gowns to a rousing round of applause and took her spot at the podium.
"This is a class full of unique and talented students," she said.
Cordeiro mused about the advice they heard as freshmen in the halls of Whittier: to enjoy the four years because it would go by in the blink of an eye.
"It went by too fast, but we did it," she said. "We all made it through."
There were 142 graduates from Haverhill of the 234 seniors receiving diplomas. Other graduates come from Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.
Because of the rain, the ceremony that was planned for the school's field was moved indoors.
The parking lot behind the school was packed with cars. The gymnasium filled quickly to capacity and an overflow crowd was ushered into the school's auditorium where a big screen TV was set up to broadcast the graduation.
Caps bedazzled with "09," initials and other designs were motionless as the graduates whose heads they covered were transfixed on the ceremony, save for a few waves and blown kisses to family members and friends in the audience.
The guest commencement speaker was Katherine Craven, the executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority. She imparted some wisdom on the graduates while making the crowd laugh a time or two.
The theme of the evening, echoed by Cordeiro and Craven, seemed to be to honor the support that got the graduates where they are today.
"Remember your parents, your guardians, your teachers, your coaches," Cordeiro said.
"Look out to your teachers, your parents, and those who are here for you," Craven said. "At my graduation, I don't think I took the time to look around and appreciate who was there for me that day. Celebrate with the ones you love."
