1 of 10

If one central message could be found in the speeches made by students at Thursday’s Niles High School commencement ceremony, it is that mistakes will not define the 190 members of the Class of 2016.

Morgan Altergott, a team captain for the school’s varsity softball and co-op swim teams, told her graduating class and the hundreds in attendance that they have all made mistakes and would likely make many more in the future.

The important thing, she said, is to learn from those mistakes and overcome them.

“When we make mistakes, we work harder,” she said. “We will go to that next step, challenging ourselves to become better than we were before. It may not seem like it now, but I promise you all that hard work will pay off in the end.”

Hannah Hill, who served as both president and vice president of the student council, had similar advice in her speech. The Key Club and National Honor Society member said bad days are necessary if we are to appreciate the great ones.

“I want to embarrass myself, to make mistakes and blunders, to push myself into things and situations where I have no idea what I’m doing,” she said. “If I do all of that then it means I’m living — I’m alive. I recommend that to all of you.”

The members of the graduating class have been striving for great things, according to high school principal Robin Hadrick.

She said 82 of the graduates have taken one or more college courses while in high school, 120 played sports, 98 participated in clubs and 77 were involved in the arts.

Hadrick also said that of the 190 graduates, 62 plan to attend a four-year university, 84 will attend a community college or trade school, 38 will begin an apprenticeship or enter the workforce and six will enter the U.S. Armed Forces.

“Our students are indeed prepared for the future,” she said.

Chloe File, who was active in several organizations, including Students Against Destructive Decisions and the National Honor Society, said in her speech that the four years of high school flew by in “the blink of an eye.”

“It feels like yesterday I walked into school on my first day of freshman year having so much anxiety I thought I would faint,” she said. “However, I can stand here today and tell all of you the last four years have held some of the most fantastic times of my life.”

The Class of 2016 selected the following quote from Dr. Seuss to represent their class, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

More Berrien County

MDHHS warns Michigan residents about increase in whooping cough cases

Driver arraigned in Saylor’s Pizza crash

Police chase ends in fiery crash into Saylor’s Pizza Port

Berrien County Commissioners award bid for for 500 Circle building renovation project