BY KEVIN SHALVEY

With a Rubik’s cube, a first-grade T-shirt and 465 oversized bouncing balls, the Manchester West graduation for the Class of 2007 turned out to be a childish, but very well-behaved, event for Hooksett, Bedford and Manchester students.

With a Rubik’s cube, a first-grade T-shirt and 465 oversized bouncing balls, the Manchester West graduation for the Class of 2007 turned out to be a childish, but very well-behaved, event for Hooksett, Bedford and Manchester students.

The 465 graduates at the Wednesday, June 13, graduation didn’t make too much noise -- and none of the graduates inflated beach balls -- during the ceremony, probably because they had been promised a surprise ending.

As Class President Paul Renolis told students they could move their tassels to the left of their mortar boards, the Verizon Wireless Center broke into pandemonium with the hundreds of colored balls filling the air.

That part was designed by Assistant Principal Mary Ellen McGorry.

“It was basically a caveat to have the kids behave themselves during the ceremony, and it worked well. Everyone was well behaved,” said McGorry afterwards.

During her speech, valedictorian Julianne Quinn brought out a T-shirt she designed in first grade. When she had drawn on it, it was unbelievable that she would be graduating in 2007, she said.

She said she’s grown into the shirt, which once drooped to her knees.

“If I can grow into this T-shirt, I know we can grow into the big shoes we have to fill,” she said.

While giving his speech, salutatorian R.J. Walsh toyed with a Rubik’s cube that Principal Jan Thompson mixed up for him.

“To me, high school was harder than a jigsaw puzzle and it’s harder than a game. With many more possibilities,” Walsh said, likening his classmates to the billions of positions the cube could take on.

By the time he finished his speech, he had all the colors on the right sides.

The graduates, too, found a time to make a bit of noise during the ceremony. After Quinn’s speech they took the opportunity to chant, just once.

“It’s all over,” they sang.