When Pelham High School’s Class of 2008 donned their caps and gowns and received their diplomas, they honored the memory of a student who should have been with them – Michelle Lemieux.

Fifteen months after Lemieux died as the result of a car accident, she was fondly remembered at the school’s Friday, June 13, graduation ceremony.

Flowers sat on an empty chair in the front row. Green tassels and ribbons were worn in her memory. Lemieux was born on St. Patrick’s Day and green was her favorite color.

“In her life, Michelle taught us to laugh and to smile often,” Dorothy Mohr, the school’s principal, told the audience. “In her death, she taught us to watch out for each other, to cherish the comfort of friends, and to value the ability to reach out to others.”

Throughout the evening, Mohr and other speakers offered words of encouragement and praise to the 155 graduates.

They were recognized for donating 15,035 hours of community service. Some graduates each donated more than 250 hours – far greater than the 40 hours each student was required to perform in order to graduate.

Class essayist David Pereira, the third-highest-ranking student, told his fellow graduates that “the tassel was worth the hassle.”

“Each one of us has put the time and effort to make it here tonight,” said Pereira. “Our determination and willpower has been present in each of our experiences here. It’s what links us as a class.”

Jennifer Gray, the valedictorian, told her classmates that they shouldn’t be afraid to fail. Failures will bring you closer to success, she said.

“Learn from those failures and push forward,” Gray urged. “Leave the faint of heart behind and take those leaps of faith into the unknown, for the reward may be larger than the risk.”

William Semrau, a retired U.S. Coast Guard captain, came to the ceremony to officially present Daniel Trainor with an appointment to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Superintendent Frank Bass recognized graduates who plan to serve in public service, health careers and in the military.

Bass told the graduates that they should never let anyone discourage them from achieving their dreams.

“I ask that you shoot for the stars, and don’t be surprised if you make it,” he said. “There are no boundaries, no limitations that you can’t overcome.”