Nearly 500 proud and relieved Niles North graduates marched across the stage of the Welsh-Ryan Arena at Northwestern University on Thursday, May 31, eagerly grasping their fresh-minted high school diploma. The ceremony marked the culmination of four exciting, eventful years at Niles North and was marked with laughter, cheers, tears and maybe a few tinglings of anticipation for what the future might hold.

This was the 48th annual commencement for Niles North.

Speakers at the fast-paced ceremony included Jourj Baghdisar, who gave the welcome and led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Student Government representatives Emma White (president), Maytal Maor, Eva Dubovoy and Sonali Patel also made remarks.

Valedictorian Ariella Hoffman-Peterson and Salutatorian Elan Ness-Cohn gave animated and heartfelt speeches as they summed up the life and times of the Class of 2012.

Principal Dr. Ryan McTague noted that the graduating seniors were fine examples of the type of students Niles North works to foster. He also noted how relieved he was to see that the official Senior Class T-shirt was witty and school appropriate.

Following comments from District 219 Superintendent Dr. Nanciann Gatta, Board president Robert Silverman officially accepted the graduates. All that remained was for the homeroom teachers to read aloud the graduates’ names, followed by a few hundred grins, smiles and jigs of joy, a collective release of the purple and white caps into the fieldhouse stratosphere. (Check out the link below for a quick photo summary of the graduation happenings.)

Welcome to the real world, Class of 2012.

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