Milford Graduates its Class of 2012

The Class of 2012 celebrated its graduation Sunday at Milford High School, before an audience of several hundred jubilant parents and family members.

The graduation, the first on the new athletic field, played out under sunny skies, just a day after the area was drenched in rain.

the first student to speak, addressed the crowd in Portuguese and English, acknowledging that she sometimes as a student looked at high school as a "speed bump on my way to becoming an adult."

"We take our time in school for granted," she said. "We focus too solely on the future that we forget the family, friends, teachers that give us nothing but support. And today, is not just a celebration of our milestone in education; it is also a celebration of those who have allowed us to begin our journey as adults."

In his address, class laughed often and said he wasn't sure he was any smarter than his classmates. "Enjoy your life," he said. "Be happy. Eat that Hershey’s bar. Buy those shoes you just can’t live without. Walk around with a big smile on your face and say hi to completely random strangers. Just do what makes you happy. ... You have to figure out what works best for you, and go for it."