Salutatorian Cecilia Pearson delivers her speech to her fellow Frewsburg graduates Friday.

FREWSBURG — Frewsburg Central School seniors took the stage one last time.

Friday night in the Harry J. Murray Auditorium family and friends scurried to their seats just before commencement began. Principal William Caldwell moderated the ceremony, but this commencement wasn’t like any others before. This year was the year his son, Caleb Caldwell, would be graduating, too.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the class of 2017’s journey for the last two years as their principal,” William Caldwell said. “However, for me, this journey has been more than a two-year journey …”

Caldwell was referring to the 18 years that he has raised his son, Caleb. Caldwell reminisced on how special and unique this makes the 2017 graduating class. According to him, his relationship with the class is stronger than principals normally experience because of his son.

“It has been the most enjoyable two years of my life,” Caldwell said referring to his experience being his son’s principal, while admitting this has been a little uncomfortable.

Caldwell took one last moment to take in all of the students because he probably wouldn’t see them all together in one place ever again.

Guest speaker and teacher at Frewsburg Lindsay Marzec challenged her students to be helpful to the world. Marzec began teaching just 13 years ago, the same year the graduating students started school.

“This year must be lucky number 13 for me,” Marzec said. “For today marks the end of my 13th year of teaching. Funny enough, as I was beginning my career as a teacher, you were attending your first day of school in kindergarten. My how time flies, right moms and dads?”

Marzec was awarded the teacher superlative for most helpful. Something she was honored by.

“As the saying goes, you have two hands, one to help yourself and one to help others,” Marzec said.

She then challenged the graduating students to use both hands, to help themselves and others around the world.

Salutatorian Cecilia Pearson offered words of wisdom and warning for her fellow graduates.

“A thousand moments I’ve taken for granted mostly because I’ve assumed there would be a thousand more,” Pearson said. “It’s easy to forget how fragile the dynamic this life is. Especially since many of us have been at the same school, hanging out with the same friends for 13 years but we’ve reached a turning point in our lives and we can never go back from here.”

Her counterpart and Valedictorian Caylee Lobb took the stage after the students were presented with their diplomas. Lobb thanked everyone who helped her over the years and then gave the graduates wisdom, as best she could. While she admitted that she’ll miss the years she had at FCS she said that she wouldn’t want to relive them.

She then quoted Dr. Seuss as she concluded her speech.

“You have brains in your head, you have feet your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own, you know what you know and you are the one who’ll decide where to go,” Lobb recited.