Northampton Area High School senior speakers urged their fellow graduates to embrace new opportunities and be the “main character in their own story” at commencement ceremonies May 29. Thousands packed into Al Erdosy Stadium to celebrate the Class of 2026 as they received their diplomas and crossed the stage at the school’s 125th annual commencement exercises.

A self-proclaimed “movie nerd,” Juliana Joseph urged her fellow graduates to treat their lives like a movie, referring to several of her favorite movies like “La La Land,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

“They invite you not to live like a single character,” Joseph said. “You will make your own sacrifices, follow your own dreams and journey down your own path. You are the main character of your own story, and you are in control of what you achieve in this lifetime.”

Meanwhile, fellow senior honors speaker Saige Korpics said high school is not just about education but about figuring out who you are and who you want to be.

“Passions can change,” Korpics said. “Chapters can end, and the roles we had in high school will not always follow us. What stays with us are the things we built along the way — our resilience, our work ethic and our way to keep going even when things can get hard for us.”

Class officers also spoke to their fellow 2026 graduates.

Gabrielle Rothrock, class president, commended graduates for their perseverance and success.

“Some days your challenges felt insurmountable, but no matter what, you woke up the next day and did it again. Good job,” Rothrock said. “No matter what path you are taking, know that you have the capacity to succeed.”

Meanwhile, the hardest part about growing up is that nothing stays the same, said Hayden Bilheimer, Class of 2026 vice president.

“Four years that felt so drawn out at the beginning somehow turned into just a few short moments,” Bilheimer said. “The weird thing about high school is the moments that seem so small while happening end up meaning the most later.”

Berlina Exantus, class treasurer, said high school gave the class a chance to build themselves piece by piece.

“I find it funny how I thought graduation was a finish line,” Exantus said. “I now see it as a bookmark to my growth. Growth that was made from trial and error, moments that pushed me out of my comfort zone and genuine doubt.”

Caitlin Follweiler, class secretary, said she knows this goodbye will be hard, but they are prepared to take what they have learned out into the world.

“As we look at each other, at the teachers, coaches, advisers and others who helped shape us, we should realize how lucky we are,” Follweiler said. “As Winnie the Pooh so perfectly put it, ‘How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.’”

Luke Shafnisky, Northampton Area High School principal, congratulated the Class of 2026 on a job well done. He also recognized the honor graduates, the graduates who were members of various honor societies and the graduates entering the military.

Joseph Kovalchik, Northampton Area School District superintendent, said he sees a graduating class that has excelled both in and out of the classroom.

“The number one statement or question I get is ‘How do you do your job with these kids and they way they are today?’” Kovalchik said, noting people express concerns about screen time and work ethic. “I really, really disagree with that. When I look at the Class of 2026 and what they’re doing, I am in awe of how they handle things.”

Members of the NAHS Class of 1976 were also recognized during the ceremony, marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation.

The NAHS chamber orchestra performed the national anthem and alma mater. Joining them in the alma mater were singers Matthew Armstrong and Johanna Snyder.

During the ceremony, the Class of 2026 took time to remember Naimlynne Kirk, who passed away in 2024.