The sun peeked through clouds, beach balls flew, Silly String sprayed, and air horns sounded on Saturday evening as members of the Wareham High School class of 2013 made their final voyage as Vikings.

"Don't be afraid to make choices or take risks," Valedictorian Elizabeth St. Germaine told her classmates during commencement, explaining that mistakes help us learn.

There was much talk of the unforgettable memories the young adults have experienced together throughout their four years at Wareham High.

"As cliche as this may sound," St. Germaine said, "these memories will last a lifetime."

That certainly was evident.

"I remember rained out basketball and volleyball games..." said Salutatorian Wyatt Harunk, referring to the school's troublesome gymnasium roof.

And he wasn't the only one to bring that up.

"Who will forget the pool on the third floor?" asked Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino. "Or in the gym?"

Palladino listed the ways students have made more traditional high school memories — through athletics and the school's clubs and many organizations — before adding, with a shrug and a smile, something must be near and dear to some graduates' hearts... "Chicken and rice bowls at lunch?"

On a more serious note, Palladino pointed out that 78% of the class members are choosing to continue their education and 5% will join the military. He also noted that the graduating class received more than $230,000 in scholarship funds from the Wareham community.

He urged the graduates to stick with their plans "and to enjoy life."

Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch, speaking in his last commencement before his July retirement, told the graduates: "Please remember that this is the beginning of the rest of y our life. … Each and every one of you can make this world a better place."

The ceremony had been rescheduled after rain pummeled the region on Friday. On Saturday evening, however, Mother Nature apparently tipped her hat to the graduates. As the ceremony went on with no measurable amount of rainfall, a faint rainbow could be seen over Spillane Field.