AUGUSTA -- If, as Shakespeare suggests, brevity the soul of wit, it also makes for good graduation speeches.

At least, that is what Messalonskee High School senior Matthew Ouellette learned while searching the Internet for advice on the salutatorian address he offered during Thursday's graduation at the Augusta Civic Center.

"Of all the things I found on line the best advice was to keep my comments brief," Ouellette said. "That's advice I will be definitely be taking."

Family and friends packed into the Civic Center to watch more than 200 Messalonskee students cross the stage and accept their diplomas.

The class of 2009 is the final class to graduate from School Administrative District 47, Messalonskee Co-Principal Gwen Bacon noted in her opening remarks. Future classes, unless the state-mandated consolidation effort is overturned by voters later this year, will graduate from Regional School Unit 18.

"Class of 2009, you are the end of an era," Bacon said.

Valedictorian Kenzie McGowan marked the ending by recalling the beginning, specifically her first day of high school freshman year. She recalled trying to hide in a sea of humanity that crowded the halls and her fruitless search for a friendly face.

"This is a story of fear," McGowan said.

With a vice-like grip on her backpack McGowan joined in the stream of students and found her room. Settling into her chair McGowan let herself show a small smile for facing her fear.

There will be moments of fear in the future, McGowan predicted, but the graduates are better prepared to handle them.

"My experience at Messalonskee turned out to be great," McGowan said. "There have many moments of wisdom and many moments of success."

Much of that success and wisdom is due to the teachers and family members who helped the graduates throughout their years of schooling, Ouellette said.

"Friends, family, faculty and fellow classmates...we are here to celebrate our accomplishments and thank those who helped us," Ouellette said.

Ouellette quoted pithy sayings from the Robert Fulghum's book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten", and offered lessons Ouellette learned at Messalonskee.

"True friends are those you can spend the entire weekend with and not want to strangle on Sunday night," Ouellette said.

He then offered quotes from favorite movies but attributed perhaps the best to his dad.

"The biggest barrier to being great is settling for being good enough," Ouellette said.

"Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. For the class of 2009, adulthood is just beginning."

Craig Crosby--623-3811, ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com