As 138 students graduated from Westbrook High School Wednesday, speakers reminded their classmates to recognize that they’re part of a larger, interconnected world, and, by making bold moves, each of them has the ability to change it.

The graduation ceremony was held Wednesday evening at Merrill Auditorium.

“Seek to build bridges,” valedictorian Hilary Perrey told her classmates. “With the support of others, it is remarkable what good can be accomplished to benefit others.”

Perrey, who will study biology at Colby College next year, said the story of Greg Mortenson, a mountaineer whose travels led him to a new mission – educating Pakistani and Afghani girls – as told in the book, “Three Cups of Tea,” inspired the message she wanted to send to the graduates.

“We should dare to dream big and have the courage to pursue our passions and accomplish our goals,” Perrey said. “As we venture upon our life journeys, we will all encounter mountains – obstacles which seem difficult to surmount – but our ability to persevere will allow us to overcome adversity.”

While Perrey spoke of the roles her classmates would play in the world they were entering, salutatorian Olivia Hebert thanked everyone at the auditorium for the support they gave to the graduates to help them get to the stage at Merrill.

“Chances are, if you are here today, you have played some major role in helping one of us to achieve our goals,” she said. “Chauffuers, chefs, personal cheerleaders, homework police – the job titles can go on and on.”

Adam LaViolet, honors essayist, talked about the slices of history the class saw through its school years, from September 11 to the election of Barack Obama.

“The world is always reshaping, and we have witnessed a tiny amount of those changes firsthand. It is now time for us to go and bring our own positive alterations out into the world. In order for this to happen, we have to be more than that face in the crowd,” he said. “Have confidence in yourself. If you don’t, who will?”

Confidence to take chances and try to change things is what Perrey tried to drive home in her speech, as she left her classmates with a quote from Mark Twain.

“‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do,'” she said.