Last night the 86 girls and 97 boys who make up the 127th graduating class at Lehighton marched to "Pomp and Circumstance" in the high school gymnasium.

Today, they begin a new march in their lives.Superintendent James Kraky told graduates that their life was changing. He encouraged them to take some time to be with friends, but that they should quickly get back to work and make long range plans.In providing the welcome, James Sverchek, senior class president, told his classmates, "Your time is limited. Don't waste it. Don't live someone else's life, but have the courage to follow your own intuition."Michael Warkala, salutatorian, also reflected on the class."Not only is our class one of the bigger classes to go through Lehighton, it is also without a doubt one of the more academically competitive," he said. "This drive is what made our class so competitive and gave us absolutely no chance to slack off, no matter how bad that "senioritis" was kicking in."Warkala added, " Not only did we have this drive for ourselves, but we also wanted to see everyone succeed and do well in school and in life."He said that when someone didn't understand something, someone who did understand would help explain or do their best to help the person in need."Our class as a whole has something special about it that I feel many other classes do not have - respect and care for one another," said Warkala. "Our care for one another is not just limited to academics and school work, but in our personal lives as well."Whenever someone was having a problem in their life there was always someone else there to listen to the problem and try to help. This compassion we have for one another is an important characteristic of our class that is going to help us do well and succeed in life and that needs to be held on to and shared with others who enter our lives."Warkala, the son of Greg and Lynn Warkala, was involved in the Juggling Club, Drama Club, National Honor Society, Debate Team and stage crew. He will be attending Wilkes University to study biology/pre-med.Nickolas Mantz, valedictorian, shared about the important decisions his fellow classmates are now making.The son of David and Judy Mantz, he was involved in tennis, golf, Science Olympiad and National Honor Society. He will be attending the United States Naval Academy to major in engineering."Here we are at the end of our high school careers," said Mantz. "This is a bittersweet moment because although we are excited to move on with our lives, the comfort of high school has ended. We are moving out into the world to college, a job, or the military and will be forced to make important and responsible decisions"Mantz said that the decisions now being made will have an impact on their lives until the day that they die.Mantz shared his thoughts about Alton Maiden, a Notre Dame football player who had pondered this same question in his poem, entitled "The Dash" which he wrote after looking at many tombstones. He said that Maiden realized that the names, dates, and sayings are not the most important part since they can easily be forgotten, except by close friends and family."The important thing is that dash between the date of birth and death," said Mantz. "More than anything else, this dash represents a person's life and will not be forgotten. So the message that we should all take from this is "live the dash."He reminded his classmates to take time to enjoy life and live to the fullest."I'm not saying to only have fun and not work, but just not to be so focused on an end goal that you miss the journey," he said.Mantz also noted that a poor attitude is something that will make living for the journey - or living the dash - next to impossible to accomplish."Having a good attitude will lead to success in school, at work, at home, and overall in life," he said. "On the other hand, a poor attitude will drag yourself and others around you straight into the ground. So, don't have a poor attitude."Also recognized by Kraky were members of Lehighton Area High School class of 1962 attending the graduation.Tkack recommended the students for graduation and they were accepted by Kraky.The diplomas were presented to the students by Rocky Ahner, president of the Lehighton Area School Board, and Kraky.