The 125th Annual Commencement of the Weatherly Area High School was held in the Middle School gymnasium Friday evening.

After the graduating Class of 2013 entered to the fanfare and processional, the evening started with the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner" by Rebekah McFadden.Remarks were offered by high school principal Stuart Tripler and Thomas McLaughlin, superintendent of the Weatherly Area School District.McLaughlin recognized the members of the Weatherly Area High School Class of 1963 who graduated 50 years ago.Salutatorian Laura Marie Palmer told her fellow classmates, "Tonight many of us will be celebrating one of the most unforgettable moments of our lives. After this night, we will be moving towards our futures; futures that we alone control."She added, "As we all travel into our new lives, we must remember everything that our parents, teachers, administrators, and fellow classmates have taught us in order to truly succeed."She ended her address by saying, "Our 13 years in school together have created a strong friendship that I hope will last a lifetime."Valedictorian Michael Embick stated, "This graduation is like the transition between acts in the play; first we have to to finish the first act.""What our class is finishing is years and years worth of character development," he said. "We have an intermission this ceremony to take a bow and acknowledge everyone's important roles."He then noted, "Tomorrow we begin act two and it will be different for every one of us."Charlotte (Hoffman) Moser, a 1988 graduate of Weatherly Area High School delivered the Commencement Address.Among her comments, she told the gathering "I thought I would spend my time today talking about defining moments. A defining moment is the point at which a situation is clearly seen to start to change.""You too will experience defining moments throughout your lives," she told the graduates. "Some will be anticipated and happy, like the completion of high school or the start of college, but others will not."She added, "The truth is, those are the moments that often shape us the most.""You're defining moments may not make international, national, or even local headlines, but they will be just as important for you," she added. "Remember this, it is not the events themselves that will define you, but rather your response to these events."Diplomas were presented by John Toft, Jr., president of the Weatherly School Board and McLaughlin.At the conclusion of the commencement ceremony, the Class of 2013, the audience, and the Weatherly High School Band and Chorus sang the school's Alma Mater followed by the recessional music played by the Weatherly High School Band.