Portland High School held its 194th graduation ceremony Thursday as family and friends crowded into Merrill Auditorium to celebrate the 234 members of the Class of 2015.

Dressed in blue and white gowns and each holding a single rose, the students processed in to the sound of the organ playing “Pomp and Circumstance” by Elgar.

“Milestones along the road are constructed as points of reference,” Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk told the seniors. “Graduation from high school is a very significant milestone on the path of life.”

Class President Aren Kiladjian, Salutatorian Francesca Butterfield and Valedictorian Miranda Richman also spoke. Richman, who plans to attend Harvard College next year, spoke on the subject “A New Legacy.” She celebrated global progress over the last 18 years, pointed to the diversity and dynamism of the graduating class, exhorted everyone to stand together to face geopolitical crises, and finally thanked everyone “for an inspiring four years.”

Music was very much a feature of the ceremony: The entire class joined together in a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and various student bands played John Mayer’s “Gravity,” Caroline Cotter’s “This Place” and Billy Joel’s “Vienna.”

Principal Deborah Migneault presented various awards and then the diplomas as each of the 234 students came up to shake her hand, receive their diploma and get applauded offstage. When this came to its conclusion, the entire class sang the school song, “The Blue and White,” and finally exited the stage to scenes of rapturous celebration.

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