The valedictorian of Marian Catholic High School’s Class of 2024 said friendships are the cornerstones of high school.

“The bonds we’ve formed in these hallways and classrooms have provided us with support, laughter and unforgettable memories,” Morgan Kelly said during Friday’s commencement. “These friends have been our confidants and cheerleaders, helping us navigate the ups and downs of high school life. We have shared countless moments of joy, and together, we have faced challenges that seemed impossible at times.”

All 74 graduates have had obstacles, whether academic, personal or athletic, she said.

“Through determination and hard work, we have emerged stronger and more resilient. These experiences have shaped us into who we are today and have prepared us for the future that lies ahead,” Kelly said. “As we look forward to the next chapter of our lives, we carry with us the lessons we’ve learned and the strength we’ve gained.”

Kelly congratulated her classmates.

“As we step into this next chapter of our lives, let’s carry with us the lessons we’ve learned, the friendships we’ve forged, and the support of those who have believed in us. Let’s embrace the future with courage and confidence, knowing that what lies within us is truly extraordinary,” she said.

Class Salutatorian Megan Reaman said the class entered Marian as freshmen students 1,372 days ago.

“Today, we leave the building as graduates. Today is the last time that we will all be in one room together. We will now leave the comfort of Marian and go out into the world,” she said.

Reaman cited a quote from Pope Benedict XVI: “The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”

She noted that Marian has become a place of comfort, where students found friendships and continued their relationships with God. Relationships helped the students find their own unique identities, she said, but it is now time to start a new chapter.

“Each one of our futures will look different,” she said. “Some of us will go to college, some will go into the workforce, and some of us will go into the Armed Forces. We will each live distinctly different lives. Greatness will look different to each of us, but that is OK. You were put on this earth to be great and to share your greatness. We are all created with different strengths so that we can add different areas of greatness to the world.”

Michael Brennan, Marian’s head of school, said all were waiting for the graduation ceremony.

“It seems like only a few days ago we were having orientation and preparing for fall sports and then saying to each other ‘Is it May 31 yet?’,” he said. “Well, here we are, moments away from walking back down the aisle and leaving the gym for a final time as a group.”

Brennan recited Marian’s motto: “An exceptional education rooted in faith, family, and tradition.”

The class, he said, reignited the “faith” in the motto, having accumulated more than 5,200 hours of community service, or 2,000 more than the required minimum.

As for “family,” Brennan said, friends come and go but family stays near during the most difficult of times. Not just birth families, he said, but the Marian family.

“I’ve been in quite a few schools, and I’ve never seen a group embrace a school family quite like you guys did,” he said. “You would show up at youth volleyball, basketball, and baseball games to support our ‘little ones’ who were always here cheering you on.”

With “tradition,” Brennan said the graduates have made a large impact on the Marian community.

“Your ability to impact partner school students through bonding activities, youth camps, and campus ministry established traditions that are sure to carry on.”