By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

It was a tough year for Niles High School students. It was a year marked by tragedy with the death of a freshman student and the murder of a couple with close ties to the school. It also is the end of the line for some of the students’ teachers due to budget cuts.

But on a clear and sunny Thursday evening as 193 students took part in the graduation commencement ceremony at the high school football field, the community of Niles honored the accomplishments of the Class of 2010 and looked to its future.

Bridgette Stone, one of the graduate speakers, encouraged her classmates to not forget the people who helped them get to this point.

“Think of all the times where a stranger lent a helping hand, and they became your best friend, or when a teacher spent a little extra time with you, and they became someone unforgettable,” she said.

“Moments like these are what have molded us into who we are today and who we shall be tomorrow,” Stone said.

Meg Hein, another of the speakers, implored her classmates to make a difference in the future.

“I challenge you to look at the world through new eyes, to see the impact you can have,” she said. “Use your power to build the world-to-be.”

Kylie Carpenter addressed her classmates with a message to go confidently into “an unfamiliar environment” after graduation.

“Graduation may seem like a milestone, but everyday we are graduating,” she said. “Everyday we are moving into a new unknown.”