It was a simple pun, but it was fitting.

When Octorara senior Val Wakeman took the stage at the school's graduation ceremony on June 5, she opened her remarks with a fun play on her name.

"Good evening, fellow graduates and distinguished guests, my name is Val Wakeman, and I'm honored to be here with you as the class Val-edictorian," she said.

Standing by the Octorara Brave statue in front of Octorara Junior/Senior High School, the district celebrated its 70th class of graduates on a very warm early summer evening.

Multiple speakers harkened back to experiences prior to the school year, giving perspective on what the year brought for this Octorara senior class.

"It all began last summer when we held our first annual student leadership summit," said high school principal Jonathan Propper. "During that summit, I asked (students) a simple question: 'What can we do to make Octorara High School a better place?' What followed was one of the most productive conversations I've had with students in my career. I remember leaving that room thinking that if these students were representative of the future, then our future is in very good hands."

Likewise, district superintendent Shawn Dutkiewicz asked students to recall an event in the fall where kindergarten students from Octorara Primary Learning Center met with high school seniors at the football stadium.

At that event, Dutkiewicz asked the kindergartners what advice they would give to seniors when they graduate. Some focused on practical life skills, like remembering to pay your water bill, while others reminded seniors to spend time with their families before heading into their adult life.

"During that time, you could tell immediately that the (kindergartners) looked up to our seniors," Dutkiewicz said. "To them, the senior class represented what it meant to grow up in Octorara."

For graduate Lazo Christou, growing up in Octorara meant feeling the support of a tight-knit community.

"The connection between home and school has always been the foundation of both my comfort and my accountability," he said. "In a bigger place, it's easy to blend in and become just another face in the hallways. Here, at Octorara, that was never really an option. Our intimate community pushed us to support each other, to know each other and to grow with each other."

Christou, an athlete, spoke of the school's dedicated fanbase, student section and unique atmosphere. He also praised the district's involvement in community service and how it has provided opportunities for students in nontraditional programs, such as the culinary arts program.

"Octorara wasn't just the place where we went to school," he said. "It was where we learned how to belong."

Propper shared that 46 graduates finished with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of over 4.00. Molly French was named as salutatorian; she will be headed to Dickinson College to study environmental science. Wakeman is pledged to Saint Joseph's University to major in physics.

"Remember that starry-eyed kid with a heart full of gold who dreamed to make the world a better place," Wakeman said. "Because that kid is still you, and now you have the tools to make your dreams come true."