LEWISTON — In a ceremony filled with appreciation for those who help others, 232 Lewiston High School seniors became graduates Friday night at a packed Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

After students marched in, Principal Gus LeBlanc shared a bit about the Class of 2013.

The seniors have increased the school’s graduation rate, often beating the odds. One struggled through homelessness and is on her way to college, “mostly done by herself,” LeBlanc said.

Some lost everything they owned in the recent downtown fires and were graduating. Some came to Lewiston as immigrants, having to learn a new language and culture.

Seven were the first in their families to graduate from high school. Many will be the first in their families to attend college. Dozens are the third, fourth and fifth generations in their families to graduate from Lewiston.

Forty-five percent will attend four-year colleges; 25 percent will go to two-year colleges; nine will serve in the military; and many others will join the workforce.

Class President Marina Affo told classmates that what they achieved, or didn’t achieve, in high school won’t matter in the real world. “It’s what you do out there that determines your future. It is hard work, will and perseverance that will get you far.”

Valedictorian Daniel Fortier talked about the character and courage shown in Lewiston during the recent fires. He asked first responders and those who helped fire victims to stand and be recognized. The day after one fire, students who lost everything came to school and took the SATs. One girl came without shoes.

“This is Lewiston strong,” Fortier said.

Salutatorian Zachary Labadie talked about how he and his classmates changed in high school. Since August 2009, he’s gotten his driver’s license, lost his driver’s license, had awkward first dates and voted in a presidential election. While teachers were testing and quizzing them, “we all managed to grow up,” he said.

The past four years “have been the best ones of my life,” he said. “All of you are responsible.”

Joshua Shea, a 1994 Lewiston High School graduate who is an Auburn city councilor, founder of Lewiston Auburn Magazine and the Lewiston Auburn Film Festival, was chosen by graduates to be the keynote speaker.

Shea said he’s far from perfect. He recently wrote an article saying he has bipolar disorder, and worked on his speech “from a poker table at Foxwoods.” He told graduates to be patient to those who give them advice. It means people like them.

It’s OK, Shea said, to doubt yourself. He often wonders if he’s a good boss, a good parent, a good son. He implored the graduates to be the generation “that returns us to civility. We absolutely need that in this country if we are to flourish.”

Shea offered two phrases that bear repeating often: “Thank you,” and “I love you.” He looked at rows of his former teachers in the audience. Calling several by name, he said he didn’t know if L-A Magazine or the film festival would be the same without what they taught him.

“From the bottom of my heart, in front of 3,000 people here, thank you and I love you,” Shea said.

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

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