Aronson served as Maple Grove’s commencement speaker, asking the graduating seniors to consider their “life jar” and what to do with their limited time.

The commencement ceremony also featured addresses from Julie Verdonik, principal, and John Novotny, board of education president.

Aronson, having children graduate from Maple Grove, has been active in the Bemus Point Central School District community.

Aronson is the owner of Cindy Aronson Workplace Training and is a member to the National Speaker’s Association.

Cindy Aronson, Maple Grove commencement speaker, told students during graduation to examine their “life jar” and make the most of their limited time.

Citing another commencement speaker, Aronson told a story of a graduation speech that addressed each individual student’s life span. Using an empty jar, the speaker filled it with rocks, pebbles, sand and liquid until the jar was completely filled. Each object or liquid represented different choices and priorities in an individual’s life.

Aronson asked the Class of 2019 members to think about their lives as being an empty jar and what it can be filled with.

“Our life jar, like a commencement speech, is limited,” she said. “We get 24 hours a day. That’s it, and they go fast. Oh, they go really fast.”

She told the audience that 18 years, symbolizing the lives of the students on stage, consists of 6,570 24-hour days. Aronson, addressing the parents, declared how fast those days go by. Describing time as a “great equalizer,” she said it makes everyone equal despite any differences.

Going forward, she told the class members they would define what big rocks, pebbles and sand actually represent in their own lives.

Salutatorian Kristin Kelemen addresses her fellow classmates one last time as Maple Grove students.

“Go forth. Act Decent. And call your mother from time to time,” Aronson said.

Prior to Aronson asking them to consider their “life jar,” valedictorian Madigan Howard and salutatorian Kristin Kelemen addressed their fellow classmates one last time as Maple Grove students.

Quoting Troy Bolton, a high school musical character, Kelemen said the Class of 2019 “broke the status quo” during its time in the district. Using the release of movie “High School Musical” as a time stamp for when she and her classmates entered, she drew parallels to Maple Grove.

Kelemen praised the individuality of each student on stage, but equally admired how one student “built up” the other. Highlighting different moments through out here educational career, she admired the way her class handled itself, and asked they continued their momentum.

“Therefore fellow graduates, I encourage you all to keep defining yourself as you choose while embracing your individuality as you continue the journey ahead of you,” Kelemen said.

During valedictorian address, Howard acknowledged the moment she and her fellow classmates were experiencing was “bittersweet.”

“I remember Pre-K to Kindergarten talking to the same people on the stage right now,” she said.

Howard focused on the idea that the Class of 2019 experienced the journey of graduating from high school together.

“Our journey though high school has always been together,” she reiterated.

As they move forward, Howard asked the now-graduates to break societal standards. She described her classmates as everything “good” that makes up Maple Grove. She was confident the “brilliant” Class of 2019 would do “something amazing” after they exited the stage as alumni of their alma matter.

Quoting the author John Green, she said “‘You’re both the fire and the water that extinguishes it. You’re the narrator , the protagonist and the sidekick. You’re the storyteller and the story told. You are somebody’s something, but you are also your you.’

“The Class of 2019 has our own choices of where we want to be,” she said. “Don’t let anyone ruin your own story.”

While the graduates leaving Maple Grove High School Friday night will embark on their own paths, Howard embraced the journey the students had just completed “together.”