It was an evening of joy, of memories, and words about making choices in the quest to be true to oneself, and pride in hometown roots.

Cheers of an exuberant Billerica Memorial High School Class of 2006 reverberated in the Paul E. Tsongas Arena at the June 3 graduation ceremony, during which women stood front and center, including twin sisters Caitlin and Erin Stephens-North, respectively, the class salutatorian and valedictorian, and Class of 1956 member Molly Gleason Sheehy, a dean at Middlesex Community College.

"How many times have you heard the phrase, 'just be yourself?' We've all probably heard it a million times, from our parents as we head off to our first days of high school, then perhaps to job interviews, or college interviews, or as it will soon come to pass, our respective colleges," said Caitlin. While the command may sound deceptively simple, she said, "What is simple is not being ourselves, ignoring our inner cores of truth in exchange for easy answers, answers constantly bombarding us from every direction." Those answers, she said, "tempt us to do or say things to please others without stopping to ask ourselves what we truly desire. They tempt us to make homophobic jokes, because we think that's what our friends want to hear, or to conceal the fact that we love collecting rare species of caterpillars, because we'd be branded dorks for the rest of our days." Caitlin cited the struggles of comedian Margaret Cho and her journey from the star of a failed television comedy to a sought-after standup comic. "After being offered a role in a sitcom about her life, the network asked her to lose 30 pounds in two weeks...despite the fact that she complied, and her kidneys failed, the show was still taken off the air." Caitlin said she looks to Cho as a hero, because of her courage to be true to herself. "Today, she is an incendiary comic, with an unconventional style, and waistline, using her own identity, and not one fabricated to please, as her means of success."

Caitlin also talked about personal friends whose individuality inspired her, including a friend named Bonnie, who left college to take on multiple roles as a "social action organizer-street musician- whole foods caterer-message therapist," and her own dream of uniting her passion for music with social change.

Sister Erin, who with Caitlin was featured last year in a Billerica Minuteman article, encouraged her classmates to "live in active relationship with beauty, be moved by the wonders and horrors around you, and react with energy." She said, "Human kindness, a piece of transcendent work, or a succulent bite of food are all incarnations of beauty. Apathy, hate, intolerance, and superficiality are all found where beauty is not."

She also cited a pioneering woman - Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. She said Kahlo "endured great physical pain after an accident that crippled her, but chose to acknowledge her pain rather than run from it." She added, "Frida felt and felt deeply. She didn't daintily skip along the surface of life in hopes of avoiding great pain or joy. She took in beauty and she felt its absence, gave it form in her artwork, and consequently, lived a life of profound beauty that has made her an artistic icon."

She told her classmates, "I smiled from the deepest part of my being when I saw two women at my church finally become legally married after living together for 10 years and successfully raising two sons. I was last truly outraged when the atrocities committed by our government in the prisons of Abu Ghraib became public. As high school students, we have been moved by extraordinary teachers who have encouraged us to be passionate and to care. We've been moved by performances, plays on the field, or even conversation at lunch. This is the act of feeling, of being open.

"I could have told you many things that are important to me, pumped my speech full of factoids and propaganda, but I feel as if it is so much more worthwhile to share with you the importance of passion itself, rather than my personal passions, the importance of free-thinking and feeling, not the results of my experience. If what I have said has resonated with you, I know I've succeeded in my one objective this evening."

Class president Lindsay Duffin said her years at Billerica Memorial High School "can best be described as diverse - full of so many experiences and friendships. All of this is a result of the way I grew up in Billerica."

She added, "It's important to remember where you came from, to remember your roots. To get where you are going, you must remember where you came from. Many things have happened to us in the past four years and it would be crazy to think we haven't been shaped by it all. We've all gone through experiences, which have begun to mold us. Take a look around you. Our class is comprised of scholars, athletes, artists, musicians, weirdoes, lovers and cynics." She said, "We all have our own memories. Some hold dear to our hearts, some we might wish to forget, and many that we will fondly reflect on for years to come."

Keynote speaker Molly Gleason Sheehy, who graduated with the first class to graduate from the then-new high school building, talked of her service in the greater Lowell community but paid tribute to her Billerica roots. Recalling her high school years, in which she was a cheerleader, member of the girls' basketball team, and a member of the newspaper staff, she told of happy times, such as convincing faculty to allow students to play music during lunch so they could dance in the cafeteria. She also recalled teachers who supported her dream of going to college. As the oldest of four children in a single-parent home, Sheehy, who hails from the Pinehurst section of town, said her teacher helped her realize that with a part-time job and determination, she could achieve her dreams. She went on to earn a doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and now serves as dean of the Lowell campus of Middlesex Community College.

She called the next six months a crucial time for graduates, whether they pursue college, the work force, or the military. "You have worked hard, and tonight, you deserve to celebrate with your family and friends."

After the ceremony, graduates reflected on the friends and teachers they would miss, and their excitement about the future. "I'll miss all my friends and teachers. "I'll miss my English teacher, Dr. Lancaster, and my home room teacher, Mr. Bradford," said Tammie Walker, 17. Her next adventure: A job as a masseuse on a cruise line, a plan she said would enable her to earn money, and achieve one of her goals: "I want to travel around the world."

Wearing a tie decorated with Mr. Potato Head and a pin declaring love for the 1980s new wave band, Flock of Seagulls, Greg Isaacson, also 17, said, "I'm going to miss conversations at lunch, and Mr. Bradford, my English teacher." He plans to attend Salem State College and major in English, with a possible second major in art.

Kiet Le, also 17, said he would miss "The people, friends, and teachers," and in particular, "Mr. P," a nickname for his math teacher. "Mr. Piwowar knew math. He used to yell. He would make you love math." He plans to major in physical therapy at Quinnipiac University and eventually obtain his master's degree. "I've always liked to help people with injuries, and so I thought that this would be the best way."

Sarika Sherring, soon to turn 18, said, "I'm going to miss Miss McCarthy, the assistant principal, and Miss Rivard the secretary." She plans to major in pharmacy at Long Island University.

Her graduation represents an achievement not only for herself but her family. As her mother, Elena, stood close by smiling, Sarika said, "I'm just excited to graduate. I'm the first one in my family to graduate from high school."

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