On Saturday 198 students from Northwestern Lehigh High School became former students as commencement was held at Stabler Arena.

During the procession it was easy to see where a student's family was seated as their cheers showed them as personal fan clubs.Black and gold rosettes decorated the end chair in each row. Black and gold were the class colors and on stage was the orange of Tiger Lilies, the class flower.High school Principal Aileen Yadush welcomed parents, family, friends, administrators, the school board and especially the Class of 2012 to the 55th commencement. As seniors you walked in the senior hallway, got the closest parking spots and the best seats in the cafeteria, she told them.On Sept. 6, you met us, Aileen Yadush and Don Allen, newly arrived from Slatington. It was our transition as well as yours."I was referred to as the head office gal," said Yadush. Mr. Allen would talk to Thomas Wetzel about farming. There was a water battle with senior girls that I lost."We became proud to call you our students," she said. "Travel outside your comfort zone. May all of your fondest wishes come true."Nicole Lach, class president, said "The next chapter" is coming. Everyone has a unique story to tell but the class had Northwestern Lehigh in common from the first day to the last final exam. Memories will connect us through distance and time. It took four years to reach this high point, which is an introduction to the rest of our lives. I urge you, the Class of 2012 to give this story a happy ending.""Stepping Up" was the theme of Victoria DePaulo's talk."Four years ago we walked timidly into the door of Northwestern wondering about such 'important' things as whether we wore the right jeans," she said."Three years ago we strolled in, no longer lowly freshmen. Mrs. Anna Gilgoff was a special teacher for me."In our senior year we pulled our hair out deciding on a college. We could park in the front row, but the prom and graduation seemed far away."For a short time we lived our high school years together," DePaulo said.Jake Hoover wrote an original poem titled "We went to Northwestern."It recalls that "We went to Northwestern, a place liken no other … Tiger nuggets tasted like chicken … Freshmen are always freshmen no matter what class they are in … In any class you can find someone to fix your car even if it is a tractor … But the thing we learned most about was ourselves. We toiled and tried, laughed and wept. We went to Northwestern and now we don't."Rachel Kester said the Class of 2012 is "A Class to Remember." She said 20 years from now no one will remember who did what, but you will never forget our class, Homecoming weekend, the day Steve drove his tractor to school."We'll tell how we clearly deserved to win our senior football game. Teams in wrestling, cross country, swimming and emerging health went to states. We formed one of the biggest sections in the Colonial League. Though we complained, we called Northwestern "home. Thanks, all of you, for being in high school with me."President Noah Breininger of the National Honor Society asked members to stand as he told where they planned to continue school and in what courses.Caitlin Keim sang "100 Years" by Five for Fighting. It contained the words "You only get 100 years to live."Superintendent Mary Anne Wright turned to Leo Tolstoy for inspiration for her talk. Nikolai wanted to be the best person he could and looked for the answer to three questions: What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important? And what is the right thing to do? He went to Leo the wise, old turtle for help. He was working in the garden and Nikolai helped.They heard a cry and Nikolai helped an injured panda into the house during a storm. She cried for her child and he went back and found her - cold and wet. Nikolai said he still did not have his questions answered and Leo said they had been. The best thing to do was help and he was there because he had helped in the garden. The important time was "now." What he did was the right thing.Live for today. Maximize your opportunities. You will make a difference.School Board President Darryl Schafer held up the Grad Tab of the latest edition of the Northwestern Press and said, "It's all about you. People trust and support you. They want the best for you. It means a lot to your family."Michelle Green and Kristianna Kelson-Gallagher sang "For Good" from "Wicked."The diplomas were handed out by Schafer and each student received a hand shake or hug from Wright. Class advisors Heidi Taylor and Shay Wagner led the turning of the tassels.The Alma Mater was sung, concluding with "Though our carefree days of youth, All too quickly flee, Still Northwestern will remain, In our memory."