Fear is natural.

It's what you do when faced with fear that determines the path you'll take in life.That was the message 165 Lehighton High School seniors heard from two classmates before officially becoming graduates during Friday night's commencement ceremony."The thing about fear is everything you've always wanted lies on the other side of it," valedictorian Brianna Karpowicz said."When we first arrived here as freshmen, we were unsure of where to go and how to fit in, but we kept moving forward. Even as seniors, daunting applications and standardized tests were intimidating. But soon enough, those applications turned into acceptance letters and job offers. The fear became an enormous sense of pride, accomplishment and relief."Karpowicz listed the fear of the unknown, fear of taking risks and fear of failure as things she has had to overcome during her high school career.Of those, it's the fear of failure which hits her the hardest."In talking to all of you the past few weeks, I know I'm not alone," she said."The things we want to do, the people who we want to become and the goals we want to achieve all require different paths. We need to remind ourselves that everything is within our reach if we are determined to work hard enough. Failure is never the last straw, nor is it the final opportunity. There is always a second chance."Graduating senior Holly Hinkle told her classmates there will come a point when they will be scared to take the next step."It's normal to hesitate when making a life-changing decision," she said."Sometimes, we're even going to walk down the wrong path. We shouldn't keep going when it's obvious we've taken the wrong path. We may not see a clear destination now, but as our journeys continue, the right path will appear."Hinkle credited her friends, family, teachers, coaches and faculty for supporting her and her classmates."You've all accompanied us this far, but now it's time to say goodbye," she added. "From this point on, we're on our own and hopefully we'll make you proud."Leah Hoover was honored as the Class of 2015 salutatorian.Lehighton High School Principal Craig Reichl said 42 percent of the graduates are attending a four-year college, 35 percent are attending a two-year college, 10 percent are attending a trade school, 4 percent are entering the military and 9 percent are starting jobs."You have set high standards for the Lehighton classes that will follow behind you," Reichl told the graduates. "There is no doubt you can be successful at whatever path you have chosen. This year we had teams and individuals compete at the local, regional, state and national level in sports, academics and music. When you take a step back and see what you as a class have accomplished, be proud."Class President Alana Andersen read the names of each graduate before school board President Gloria Bowman handed out their diploma."I know this class will go on to do great things," Andersen said. "Always remember to push harder and believe in yourself."The district invited members from the Class of 1965 to attend the ceremony as guests, marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Lehighton.The anniversary class was the first to graduate from what is now Lehighton Middle School, along Beaver Run Road."Our hope is that you will capture the spirit of knowing and believing that life is a gift," said Lyn Langkamer, Class of 1965 member."Take advantage of every moment and opportunity. Before you know it, you'll be sitting where my class is, behind a group of younger graduates."