Wyoming Area graduates 179 students on June 12 at Anthony ‘Jake’ Sobeski Stadium in West Pittston

Cassidy Jones performs her song ‘Looking in the Mirror’ for the Wyoming Area 2015 graduating class during commencement ceremony Friday night.

Matt Minnelli pumps his fist in the air after receiving his diploma.

Molly Askew poses with her boyfriend Shawn Leitzel of West Pittston after the ceremony.

Gabrielle Randazzo holds up a photo of her graduating cousin Carman Randazzo during Friday night’s commencement ceremony.

Abigail Gibbs reads a poem she wrote to her 2015 Wyoming Area graduating class called ‘Cherish These Moments.’

Jeremy Scott Stach smiles while waiting with his classmates to be called up for his diploma during Wyoming Area’s commencement ceremony on Friday.

Wyoming Area students chant together before throwing their caps in the air to mark the end of their commencement ceremony.

Griffin Robert Cason gets a hug from Wyoming Area School Board president Estelle Campenni after receiving his diploma.

Abby Elizabeth Orth smiles for a photo with Wyoming Area School Board President Estelle Campenni after being presented with her diploma.

Nick Shedlock performs a song he wrote called ‘Wish You Well’ at Wyoming Area’s graduation program Friday night.

One Wyoming Area graduate wears his U.S. Marines mark on his cap during his comencement ceremony.

Haley Amanda Stackhouse walks back to her seat after receiving her diploma.

WEST PITTSTON — They would enter Anthony “Jake” Sobeski stadium as high school seniors, but would exit as alumni.

On Friday, June 12, 179 senior students of Wyoming Area High School took their seats on the stadium football field with boys sporting green caps and gowns and girls wearing gold, each gender sitting in between two of the opposite to make a green and gold pattern.

While the seniors were anticipating their future, class Valedictorian Julia Banas reminded everyone that it was their past that led them this moment.

“Today is the beginning of our future,” she said. “But, without the past we would not be here right now. We have gotten through the difficult years of high school of stress, cramming for tests and facing the dreaded question ‘So, what are your plans for after high school?’”

She reminded everyone that it was a ride they all took together from learning how to open their lockers, to attending their first semi-formal and formal dances.

It was Wyoming Area that helped them become the people they were.

“We have all had a countless number of good experiences at Wyoming Area,” said Banas. “Throughout our years at Wyoming Area we have grown and changed; we have discovered our passions and learned exactly who we are. We have learned about ourselves, and these traits are what define us. We define ourselves.”

It was class president Melissa Mazzitelli who perhaps best summed up the students’ tenures, not only at Wyoming Area High School, but growing up in the school district itself, as chapters of a book.

The book began in 2002, when the students entered kindergarten and it was reaching its conclusion on that Friday evening.

However, one book may be ending, but the students still had the sequel to look forward to.

“When you read that last sentence on that last chapter, it’s not over,” said Mazzitelli. “One of the best things about finishing a book is once it’s finished you may take with you whatever parts you liked, and, well, the parts you didn’t you can leave those behind. The other good thing about finishing a book is the fact that you get to start a new one right after. It can be a sequel to your previous book with a brand new thought, brand new people and brand new experiences.”

Mazzitelli said the only catch to starting this new book, was that it was a book called reality, reminding her fellow classmates there is a bigger world beyond the Wyoming Valley.

“The future, for us, is known as the real world,” said Mazzitelli. “There will be chapters of heart break, failures and mistakes; but also chapters of success, friends and family. All of these chapters will come together and create an adult, an adult we are all terrified to be because of the responsibilities that come with it, and maybe because of the gray hair and wrinkles that come with it. But, between the last chapter you are experiencing now, and the last chapter you will be apart of in your next book, is a journey unlike any others. A journey that begins, once we get our diplomas.”

From there, the students and faculty wasted little time in awarding all 179 students their diplomas, making them officially high school graduates.

Before the evening ended, high school principal Vito Quaglia shared his top 10 thoughts with the tstudets, which were actually quotes from television shows, songs and movies.

Some quotes included, “I’m a goofy goober, yeah. You’re a goofy goober, yeah,” from “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie,” or “Remember kid, heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you’ll never go wrong.” But, the quote that probably stuck with the students the most, was Quaglia’s last quote.

“When you look in the mirror you will like what you see,” said Quaglia. “Your 5-year-old self would be very proud of you.”

The students were then introduced as the graduating class of 2015 and then made their way to goal post closest to the scoreboard to sing their own rendition of “We are the Titans” from the movie “Remember the Titans,” except they replaced Titans with Warriors.

They then threw their caps into the air, signaling the end of an era for their day at Wyoming Area High School, ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead in their bright futures.