Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood said the only “tweeting” done at her high school graduation was by songbirds.

“A lot has changed since then,” Shaver-Hood told the 129 graduating seniors at Wareham High School’s commencement Friday night at Spillane Field.

The prominence of Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook and other social media was touched on by Shaver-Hood and Valedictorian Paige Fehskens during their remarks.

Fehskens, who said she overcame an anxiety disorder during her high school career, urged everyone take time and live in the present.

“Let your future be more than 240 characters or a 10-second video loop,” Fehskens said, referring to the amount of space and time afforded by social media platforms Twitter and Snapchat.

As a generation that grew up with the Internet always present, Shaver-Hood told the Class of 2016 that they would inherit a fast-paced world. She said they would be tasked with solving problems that didn’t exist yet.

High School Principal Scott Palladino praised the class, which he said set the bar high for underclassmen.

“You came in as a highly regarded class from Wareham Middle School,” he said. “And you did not disappoint.”

Palladino said their support of Trey Miranda, a high school student diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015, was inspiring.

He also noted that 80 percent of the graduates would go on to attend two- or four-year colleges, 5 percent will join the military, 10 percent will enter the workforce and the remaining 5 percent “will figure it out over the summer.”

Salutatorian Joe Nash opened his remarks with a list of inside jokes and shout outs to classmates and teachers. He ended by saying the class should continue to lead by example.

“Let’s continue to destroy the stereotype that haunts over Wareham’s head,” Nash said. “I know we can accomplish great things.”

While students had the future in their sights they paused to honor one resident’s past contributions.

In the beginning of the ceremony, World War II veteran and Wareham resident Wallace Cleminshaw was awarded an honorary degree. Standing slowly from his wheelchair, Cleminshaw accepted a diploma from Palladino.

Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps member Tyler Litchfield introduced Cleminshaw, who attended school until the sixth grade and left to work on his family’s farm.

In 1943, at the age of 21, he was drafted into the army. By 1944, Cleminshaw was stationed in Paris, working in a medical unit. He returned to Wareham and started a career in the cranberry industry.

While the Class of 2016’s diploma’s were handed out, many students added personal flourishes before accepting the award. Cartwheels, salutes and bear hugs were all part of the festivities.

“This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for – graduation,” said Nash. “Man, life is crazy.”