He reminded the graduates, families and friends in attendance not to take life so seriously.

“This is a large stepping stone in each of our lives,” Haberman said. “We’re all in the same delusional tugboat, tugging along in this river of life.”

The moral of the speech, Haberman said, is to remind people, who get so caught up in life that they become too stressed, angry and serious. It’s better not stress over minor details.

“Life is too short to let it slip by,” Haberman said. “I want to encourage everyone here to live life to its fullest and enjoy every minute of it, and don’t take it so darn seriously. As my friends and I say, ‘Keep it real.’”

Several other students also spoke, but when Kerri Hunter played “The Last Wardrobe” on the guitar, she received a standing ovation. She and her brother wrote the original song.

Featured speaker Mike Geesaman continued the theme as he fumbled with his papers, changed glasses, lit a candle and placed a box of Kleenex on the podium.

“These young people will step forward today with determination, integrity and the ability to learn how to learn,” Geesaman said.

He told the story of Jimmy, who had to leave school to work to help earn a living.

“This was a true pathfinder fueled by determination,” Geesaman said. “Leaving school to go to work was one of the worst and one of the best decisions he ever made. This teenager soon found success in the beginnings of a parcel delivery service, now called UPS.”

Jim Casey went back to school and graduated, “much as the folks (who have) graduated (from this school).”

The determination can be seen in the graduating seniors, whether it takes them six months or six years.

“This school will accommodate you,” Geesaman said. “This world hungers for this kind of shared culture and this kind of personal integrity.”

The school has taught them the ability to learn and what they need with technology changing so quickly, he said.

“Very soon, all the knowledge learned at this school will be replaced by other facts, figures and skills,” Geesaman said. “Now, you’ve embraced this lesson of lifelong learning, you’ll be able to keep pace with technology in a more demanding word.”

In his closing remarks, he quoted Dr. Seuss.

“Congratulations, today is your day. You’re off to great places, and you’re off and away. ... You can steer any results in any way you choose. And you’re on your own ... and you are the ones who’ll decide where you’ll go.”

In math teacher Pierre Gamache’s closing remarks, he gave three guidelines from his life.

“Nothing is as ever as bad as it seems,” Gamache said. “I try to keep everything in perspective.”

When he makes a mistakes, he asks himself if it will matter five years from now. Usually the answer is no.

“Secondly, you can attract more flies with honey than you can with vinegar,” Gamache said. “There’s no reason you can’t be polite to everyone regardless whether or not they’re polite to you.”

He encouraged students to take the high road because they may end up being important in their life down the road.

Finally, live for the present as long as it’s not at the expense of the future, he said.

“If there’s something you want to do with your life, then by all means do it, but make sure you’re being mindful of what the future holds and who’ll be affected by this decision you’ll make to get what you want,” Gamache said.

He encouraged them to either apply the guidelines to their own life or to make up their own.

“Make sure you guys are living happy,” Gamache said. “You’re the only one who knows what will make you happy.”

The alternative school graduated 15 students Friday at Royal Peak Academy auditorium. The students graduating are Ashley Alarcon, Kaitlyn Brownfield, Shawn Burgess, Justin Cameron, Shantel Caughman, Heather Cheesman, Christa Crossno, Sheldon Eacker, Justin Haberman, Rebecca Holland, Kerri Hunter, Paije Koza, Victoria Miller, Rachel Paine and Sean Striegel.