POPLAR RIDGE - Before they head off into their future, Southern Cayuga's 2009 high school graduates took a stroll down memory lane through the years that brought them to this time.

“Right from the start this school has given us many opportunities,” Alex Schmitt told his fellow graduates during the graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon at the high school auditorium. “It allowed us to grow in self-confidence and discover talents we never knew we had. Thank you to the teachers and those in the community who helped us make that possible.”

Schmitt shared stories of Halloween parades in elementary school, school dances in middle school when they first had the opportunity to dance with someone of the opposite sex, and finally having the opportunity to choose some of their own classes in high school.

“We had the opportunity to dance for the first time with a girl,” he shared of middle school dances. “Or, as I would like to call them, the-too-scared-to-dance-with-the-girls-so-the-guys-went-into-the-gym-and-played-basketball nights.”

Starting out his school years with the need of a speech teacher, Schmitt credit's the school environment for helping him to overcome that obstacle. He will now be pursuing a degree in English at Niagara University.

“This school has helped me right from the start,” he said. “From elementary school my speech therapy teacher worked as hard as she could to make me able to communicate better with my teachers, fellow students, and my family. Thank you so much.”

For Caitlin Rejman it was the memory of swinging on the monkey bars, and learning the alphabet that she remembered fondly.

“There have been numerous memories that one will never forget and will always cherish,” she said. “Over these 13 years we have all made many friendships, some that will last a lifetime. You will always be able to look back and reminisce on who you played with at recess, or which friend you were partnered with to dissect the frog in science.”

As the graduating class moves on to the next journey, whether it be furthering their education at college, becoming part of the U.S. military, or staying close to home and working, it is with bitter sweetness that they remember their high school years.

“We will always have these memories,” Rejman said. “With the help of teachers, friends and family, we have made it to the next stage in our lives, but we will always share today's accomplishment. Always take with you the knowledge and memories we have had in high school.”