With an overflowing crowd of proud family and friends looking on, Lehighton Area High School held its 128th annual commencement Friday evening for the Class of 2013.

While the graduates received a variety of important advice to help navigate the seas of life, all of the speakers offered one unifying message.The graduates were asked to take this opportunity to reflect on all of those people in their lives who have helped them get to where they are now - parents, family, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. - and thank them for their inspiration and positive influence in their lives."You probably won't recognize for many years all you have learned from these people, but please take time to thank them because they really have had a profound impact," said LAHS Principal Craig Reichl. "They invested time in you because you matter, you are unique, and you have the potential to accomplish anything.""Life will be fun, exciting, and beautiful - but sometimes it won't be fair. Things will get tough," shared Reichl in his closing remarks. "These challenges will help define you. Remember that there are many people who believe in you."He then asked the graduates to look under their seats. There, they each found a hand-written letter from the staff of LAHS."Don't open it tonight. Keep the letter for the tough times when you need encouragement to remind you that you have what it takes to accomplish your goals," concluded Reichl. "This is a little reminder that people care and believe in you."In his remarks to his fellow graduates, Class Valedictorian Jacen Nalesnik likened life to "America's favorite pastime" - baseball."Every single baseball player makes errors throughout their careers. The fact is, humans are not perfect and everybody makes mistakes," said Nalesnik. "The key is learning from mistakes you've made and not doing it again."He went on to explain that another important aspect of baseball is coaching. "A person can be a naturally-talented ball player, but he or she still needs guidance and teachers in order to progress.""As a batter, you would love to always hit home runs. At the same time, you never want to strike out - but both things happen in baseball and both things happen in life," said Nalesnik. "You're going to hit some homeruns and you're going to strike out."He summed up his remarks with a quote from legendary baseball player Babe Ruth. "Never allow the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game!"Class Salutatorian Tia Rex advised her classmates, "The ideal way to make decisions in life is choosing what is best for you and not living up to other's expectations."In choosing her career path after high school, Rex feared disappointment from my family and teachers."One of the biggest challenges I faced during this process was to ignore what others would think of my decision. I learned that what is best for other people is not usually what is best for you," explained Rex. "The decisions you make - especially the important ones - should not be based on others' opinions or actions.""Always be prepared for bumps in the road, because they are inevitable. As long as you stay true to yourself and your values, any decision that you make will always be the correct choice for you," concluded Rex.In congratulating the graduates, Lehighton Area School District Superintendent Jonathan J. Cleaver remarked, "As I reflected on what I wanted my message to be, I actually realized that the reason I am able to stand in front of you this evening has a lot to do with individuals who have inspired me through examples.""They have taught me how to deal with challenges, how to work hard to achieve goals, how to have fun with friends and family, and how to remain optimistic even when things are not going your way," said Cleaver. "The short of this story is that they taught me how to live a meaningful and productive life.""By receiving your diploma here tonight, Lehighton Area School District feels that you are prepared and positioned to move forward with your future endeavors," said Cleaver. "The faculty and staff of the district have worked diligently to do their best to give you the tools you need to become successful."Special guests of honor were recognized during Friday evening's LAHS commencement exercises - the graduates of 50 years ago - the Class of 1963.