Class President Arielle Lee exults at the conclusion of her speech during commencement exercises at Lincoln High School Friday. Behind Lee are, from left, Student Council President Max Henault, Valedictorian Alexandra Sexton and Salutatorian Nikolay Korotkov.  Times photo/Butch Adams

By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  ---  Perhaps Chris Alberto summed up his classmates’ thoughts best.

Seconds after receiving his diploma at Lincoln High School’s commencement, he revealed, “These four years have been a chore, a lot of fun and a dream. We’ve all been there, having to go through the portfolio and exhibition. To tell you the truth, I didn’t finish mine until the very end. It wasn’t easy, but boy, am I glad I’ve got this in my hand!”
On Friday night, 245 seniors accepted applause from family members, friends and a vast array of dignitaries at the celebration, conducted under the sun-soaked blue skies on the school’s “front porch.”
Following the procession to “Pomp and Circumstance” and welcoming speeches by Schools Superintendent Georgia Fortunato, School Committee president Mary Anne Roll, Town Administrator T. Joseph Almond and Student Council president Max Henault, interim principal Betty Marquis expressed thanks to this special Class of 2008.
“(You have) much to be proud of, as you have worked diligently to become the first graduating class to master the (proficiency-based graduation requirements) of portfolio and exhibition,” she said.
“I commend each of you for fulfilling these most dubious requirements … Trust your instincts and dream big! Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.”
In his message, vice principal Kevin McNamara, who will take Marquis’ place this summer, thanked Fortunato and Marquis for their foresight, compassion and stability.
He also asked seniors to “be open to new experiences, beliefs and ideas. Judge them against the universal truths, and your heart will guide you to your vocation.
“Soon-to-be graduates, it’s our sincerest hope that you will know the good and do the good as you cross the bridge into the world,” he added. “Remember — plant your own gardens, paint your own paintings, write your own stories, fund your own calling. After all, you are the Class of 2008 and you can do anything!”
Salutatorian Nikolay Korotkov asked his classmates to treasure life.
“You only have one, so make it count,” he offered. “Be yourself, and do what you feel is right. Next there is love: Find it. Without love, even life itself can seem dark and bland … And to support the first two, there are friends. Friends are forever. Even if your world comes crashing down, they will stand by your side.”
In her thoughtful, humorous valedictorian address, Alexandra Sexton proposed that her friends set goals and be ambitious, courageous, decisive, imaginative and open-minded.
“Find your passion,” she said. “Do what you love, and do it wholeheartedly. If you exemplify these qualities, there’s no way you will not be an accomplished member of our society.”
Sharon Brady, graduate Jonathon Sexton’s mom, wielded a camera in the background and professed elation at her son’s accomplishment.
“It’s an incredible feeling; I’ve watched him grow from a little boy into a young man,” she said. “The kids say the time has flown by, and I feel the same way.”
Members of Lincoln High School’s graduating  Class of 2008 are as follows:

Christine Cawley Affleck, Michael J. Agresta, Jennifer Susan Albanese, Christopher J. Alberto, Diane Marie Alessandrini, Nicholas C. Almond, Kayla Elizabeth Anatone, Andrea E. Asquith, Robert J. Bager, Marina T. Balletta, Michael P. Baptista, Maria Isabel Batista, James Michael Beach, Danielle Marie Beauchene, Jaclyn Ursula Beauregard, Robert O. Bello, Caroline Graham Belshe, Ariel Esther Bender, Andrew Tyler Bessette, Roxanne Elizabeth Biagetti, Mitchell Hank Blanchet, Marrissa Leah Bolduc, Avery Chapman Bone, Taylor Lynne Booth, Jessica Lynn Borrelli, Cory G. Bosko, Kyle R. Botelho, Rebecca Lyn Bourgeault and Lisa Katelyn Bouthillier.
Also, Zachary A. Braga, Danielle Ann-Marie Brennan, Jonathan Donald Brierley, Kristel Lin Brierly, Samantha J. Briggs, Alicia Renee Brunelle, Colby Michael Brunette, Michelle Katherine Burke, Amanda L. Cabral, Thomas Manuel Cabral Jr., Joshua P. Cameron, Amanda Rachael Capasso, Nathan C. Carr, Andrea Leigh Cavicchio, Adrian C. Chan, Christopher Patrick Chapian, Lauren Elizabeth Chappell, Benjamin A. Chaput, Nicholas G. Chisholm, Nicholas Kevin Church, Lauren Mary Clauson, Stephanie Marie Cole, Katherine Alice Costello, Roraigh B. Cullen,         Jace Angel D’Ambra, Kyle James Dagesse, Kimberly Lynn Dakake and Giana Ariel DeGiulio.
Graduates also include Christopher Deshaies, Derek Robert Desjardin, Raviteja Naga Devalla, Louis Mathew DiDonato, Mikayla Jayne DiQuattro, Catalina Diaz, Olivia Janel Dolphin, Kaylyn Marie Domenici, Cheyna Beth Donahue, Alexander Ryan Donoyan, Sarah Paige Doucette, Kristina Drocic, Cassandra Duarte, Sarah Ann Dumais, Patrick F. Dyer, Brianna Marie Erbe, Michael John Ericson, Simone Alice Ethier, Willie Charles Fay, Jesse David Ferland, Melanie Marie Ferreira, Nicole Ashley Ferreira, Jessica Lynn Fiore, Kevin E. Forkin, Matthew Raymond Fournier, Nicole Elizabeth Galle, Justine Elizabeth Giguere, Mika Danielle Gipson, Ethan R. Griffin and Rachael Mae Guadagni. 
Also, Jason D. Hall, Erik Lawrence Hanson, James M. Harrington, Samantha Jean Harris, Ryan Chase Hartley, Max J. Henault, Monica J. Hernandez, Robin James Hewson, Lynnsey Ashley Leslie Hodovan, Nicholas Carl Iannuzzi, Chad Lewis Jackvony, Kaitlyn J. Jeffrey, Brett Stephen Johnson, Matthew K. Jones, Jeremy William Joubert, Shahzeb Kazi, Wilson C. Keeler, Paul Anthony Kiernan, Sara Ganim Kinslow, Louis Anthony Kishfy, Louis John Kishfy, Nikolay Korotkov, David R. Krajewski, Kegan P. Labonte, Elizabeth Noelle Lagace, Ryan Steven Lariviere, Kayla Lynn Laston, Bianca Marie Lauro, Nicole V. LeBoeuf, Arielle W. Lee and Arista W. Lee.
Graduates also include Alexa Lauren Levesque, Jennifer Rose L’Heureux, William H. Lima IV, Robert Lin, Devorah Rose Long, Matthew G. Loon, Brianna Marie Lorea, Anitra T. Lourie, Llian Mabardi, Thomas Carson MacKenty, Kevin Madieros, Amanda Jeanne Malachowski, Lorrance Marie Malko, Jesse R. Mancini, Isabelle Marie Margenot, Katrina Inacio Marques, Stephanie Camille Martinez, Cory R. Martone, Callen J. Maxwell, Taylor R. Maxwell, Marissa Danielle Mayer, Catherine Suzanne McCaughey, Patrick E. McClain, Lauren Elizabeth McGill, John Michael McGowan, Kaitlyn Elizabeth McKay, Jordan Scott McShane, Mark Joseph Mennucci and Valarie Faith Miller.
Also, Mariangela Antonieta Mitchell, Sameeta Mohanty, Michele Lynn Mongelli, Christopher J. Moran, Victoria Lynne Morris, Gavin S. Mott, Amanda Elizabeth Murphy, Kasey Ann Murray, Megan Elizabeth Myers, Patrick Michael Nadeau, Michelle Lee Napolitano, Ashley A. Naughton, Mark Boyd Neill, Joseph Albert Nero, Matthew S. Ouellette, Thomas A. Ouellette, Rachel Danielle Cabral Pacheco, Nicholas M. Palumbo, Matthew Stephen Parenteau, Michael James Payne, Adam Robert Perry, Oliver H.J. Perry, Nicholas Allard Petrarca, Nicole Anna Petrin, Alexander W. Philhower, Andrew K. Pichette, Sarah Ann Piluri, Katelyn R. Pina and Elizabeth Anatoliyevna Plugovoy.
Graduates also include Jennifer Lynn Pytel, Ashley Lynn Rainville, Kathryn Ramos, Kristen E. Raymond, Kyle H. Reetz, Kevin M. Rennick Jr., Joshua N. Ribeiro, Thomas Celona Ricci, Thomas Joseph Ricci, Bryan Edward Richard, Daniel Peter Riley, David Michael Ring, Courtney Lee Rivera, Jodi Ann Robert, Jaclyn Marie Rocha, Ricardo J. Rodriguez, Victoria L. Roe, Hannah Susan Rounds, Kaitlin Marie Rudis, Brittany Ruggiero, Aaron Michael Sabatino, Jennifer Lynn Sadowski, Alyssa Robyn Santos, Marissa Maree Saracina, Jerry L. Savard, Alexandra Elizabeth Sexton, Jonathon Michael Sexton, Ami A. Shah, Dhara Amitkumar Shah and Olivia Rae Sharkey.
Also, Allyson Lynn Sherman, Giuseppe Shevchenko, Lauren Elizabeth Silva, Ryan Adam Silva, Samantha G. Smith, Hailee Pamela Souliere, Joseph R. Souliere, Melissa Ann Sousa, Benjamin C. Stanfield, Jonathan Thomas Stott, Hope Elizabeth Sullivan, Seamus William Sullivan, Mohammad Syed, Megan C. Sylvestre, Aditi Tandon, Paul J. Tangherlini, Joyce C. Taylor, Michael S. Tedesco, Justine Nichole Theroux, Steven J. Thomas, Eric Daniel Tirrell, Gemma Maria Travis, Christopher James Truslow, Rico A. Valentin, Jonathan Afonso Vasquez, Meghan Ann Viens, Evan W. Voght, Ryan William Walsh, Brittany Samantha Waycott, Colleen Marie Weber, Sara Ann Williams, Heather Anne Willis, Brian J. Wilson, Jordan Coderre Wilson, Brett M. Yanku, Christopher Lee Yates, Kay Ann Zagrodny, Ker Zheng, Kirstyn Rose Zicuis and Phoebe Ana Zuromski.