It can be easy for young men and women to stay in their comfort zones throughout their elementary, middle and high school careers.

When the cap is tossed in the air, as it was for 113 Palmerton Area High School Class of 2024 graduates Tuesday night, it is time to take some risks and embrace mistakes.

Before his peers accepted their diplomas, class valedictorian Cody Walkowiak urged them to leave the familiar places and routines behind.

“No matter what it is, no personal achievement can be obtained without some degree of risk,” he said. “Whether it is going for a job interview, joining the military, launching a business, or even something as simple as asking that crush out on a date, taking risks gives us a chance at fulfillment.”

Salutatorian Tyler Shollenberger said each of his classmates is special in their own accord.

“Goals are set by the individual and satisfaction is only achievable through yourself,” he said. “I’ve found that advice is important, and you should take the opinions of others into consideration, but the only expectations that matter at the end of the day are your own. Whether you spent your high school career studying all the time, competing on our sports teams, playing video games, posting on social media, or helping others in your community, as long as a sense of self-fulfillment follows, you need nothing else in your life and don’t let anyone look you in the face and tell you you’re not good enough.”

High school was full of lessons for Class President Kaitlyn Heimbach, but one of the main things she’ll take with her, she said Tuesday night, is to step back and enjoy the process.

“Now that high school is over, we look back and realize some things did not need to be stressed over,” she said. “It is so much more than the classes we take and the grades we earn. Like our class song says, we are young so each and every one of us deserves to enjoy it.”

Principal Paula Husar said it was evident early on what was special about the Class of 2024.

“These students really do care about each other,” Husar said. “They truly support each other and are nice to each other. It may not sound like much, but it’s a rare quality for a group at this young age. That’s a quality that will take them far in life.”

When the Class of 2024 was starting its journey as freshmen in the high school four years ago, Dr. Jodi Frankelli was starting her tenure as the district’s superintendent. Now, both the graduates and Frankelli, who recently took a job in the Allentown School District, are moving on to their next phase of life.

“As you were experiencing things during your high school career, I too was experiencing those same activities and events, just from a different perspective,” she said. “Today is not just about looking back, it’s also about looking forward with hope and optimism.”

Having Googled what makes a good graduation speech, Board President Sherry Haas figured the words of wisdom and quotes she found had already been heard by most of the graduates.

“After many scrolls, one finally jumped out at me from the late, great Audrey Hepburn,” Haas said. “Nothing is impossible. As you think of some of the most important successes you have had, I guarantee most of them were made possible by what you learned from the failures that led up to it.”

Whatever the future holds for the Bombers who departed the high school Tuesday, Walkowiak challenged them to embrace change along the way.

“It can be discomforting, but it is the only way you can get where you want to be,” he said. “Change doesn’t happen overnight. It is a collection of small steps that lead you down a path for accomplishing what you desire. It does not matter what other people believe you are capable of, only how much you believe in yourself.”