Previous Dunkirk graduations have taken place in King Concert Hall.

A few miles from Dunkirk, something special happened Saturday at the SUNY Fredonia’s campus. The usual Blue Devil blue was blended with a mixture of Marauder maroon. The Class of 2017 from Dunkirk High School finalized their achievement. The packed seats inside King Concert Hall were filled awaiting their loved ones’ long awaited moment: receiving their high school diploma, finally.

After the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem was played, Master of Ceremonies Michael Burnett introduced DHS’s Superintendent Dr. James Tracy to his first commencement as superintendent and the school’s 159th.

“First of all, I’d like to start with the families and those individuals that are behind our 2017 (graduates),” Tracy began. “I’d like to congratulate those of you who are the first teachers of the class of 2017.”

Tracy referred to those seated behind the 2017 seniors who raised the soon to be graduates. He also then thanked the faculty, staff and the administration for their part in guiding the young faces in cap and gowns to their commencement. Tracy emphasized the importance of getting a high school diploma and recognized that there aren’t a lot of jobs out there if you don’t receive one or an equivalent certificate. Despite acknowledging the importance of graduating he also wanted to call to attention that this is only one part of a much larger process.

“It is a proud accomplishment that you should be proud of, extremely proud of,” Tracy said. “There’s not a lot you can do in this world without a high school diploma, at least, but it is only one step and we need to remember that it is only one step. You can’t stay here. You have to go to the next step in your life. You have to keep growing to be successful.”

Tracy hammered home the importance of his self-described “steps.” He emphasized that the graduating seniors have already taken many steps but that there are much more ahead.

Two graduating seniors who have taking that important step that Tracy spoke of was Salutatorian Adrianna Pencek and Valedictorian Joshua Saye. The pair of them took the stage, separately, just before the big moment, receiving of the diplomas.

After thanking her teachers and friends, Pencek thanked her family. She then reminisced on her four years at Dunkirk High School — the good and the bad — but was cognizant that her time at DHS was over.

“It is time to make new memories, fight new battles and experience new things,” Pencek said. “Open yourself up to all that life will offer you. Put yourself out there so that new opportunities, new friends and new memories will find you.”

She also gave warning to the Class of 2017 saying they need to live in the present and not get stuck reminiscing on their high school experience.

“The past 13 years we’ve sat at our desk and (have) been taught what we have to do,” Pencek said. “Now it’s our time to choose what we do with the rest of our lives.”

Saye took the stage and was admittedly nervous and uncomfortable, but just like the message of his speech, he tried and gave the speech anyways.

“Hello everyone. First of all, I’m just going to let you know I think I’m going to die up here,” Saye joked. “What I want to tell you all today is to try. It sounds pretty simple but it’s not as easy as you would think.”

Saye then recalled that he didn’t start “trying” in high school until about his junior year in high school. He then pointed out that it was common for students to take classes that they deemed as an “easy A.” But for Saye, he realized that wasn’t the point of an education.

“I learned that putting in effort is harder than it seems but it’s so rewarding in the end,” Saye said.

The DHS Class of 2017 took the stage in King Concert Hall, and senior by senior, they received their diploma. Whether the seniors were going to be future college students, entering the workforce or joining the armed forces, one thing they all had in common was that they had just graduated from Dunkirk High School.