MANCHESTER — West High School valedictorian Christopher Cormier had a very modern summary of what he and his classmates accomplished over the last four years.

Cormier compared high school to the video game "Tetris" as he spoke during West's graduation ceremony Saturday, noting the challenge of multiple studies was much like trying to keep up the constant barrage of digital images dropping down the screen as the player scrambles to stop them. Keep up, you move on to the next level. Fall too far behind, you lose.

“Today, all of us have won the game,” Cormier said to cheers from his fellow members of West's Class of 2012.

Principal MaryEllen McGorry said between speeches Saturday afternoon at Verizon Wireless Arena that the school's first graduating class had 23 members, in 1925. On Saturday, 232 made the transition from student to graduate as parents and friends cheered them on from the stands.

Class President Cecilia Martins encouraged her fellow soon-to-be graduates to celebrate achieving the milestone while keeping in mind so many more lie ahead for those willing to continue working in their studies and life, which is about to change significantly.

“Today will be filled with celebrations and festivities,” Martins said. “Be sure and celebrate not only what you have accomplished, but even more what it is you will grow to be. Because after all the congratulations are done and spoken, life will go on.”

Later in the ceremony, Martins and Alex LaRochelle, another graduate, joined on stage for a song they wrote — “Forever Shared, The Times We Had” — as an ode to their senior year. Some of the lyrics were obviously inside jokes among the students, but other parts seemed to be a sincere goodbye.

“Forever shared, the times we had. It might be over, but don't be sad,” Martins sung as LaRochelle played an acoustic guitar.

Salutatorian Amanda Grebloski thanked all the teachers and coaches she had at West and included a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: “Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”

“In other words, you have total control in life,” Grebloski said. “When you succeed, it's the results of your own efforts.”

West's graduating class was less than half the size of Central High School's, which held its commencement earlier Saturday in the same arena. As in the Central ceremony, graduates who have committed to serve in the U.S. military were asked to stand as members of the audience gave a standing ovation. For those graduates, there is an immediate plan.

Cormier, who will attend Southern Utah University this fall, spoke to other members of the class who may not yet come up with a plan for their future.

“Life is like a book — an actual book, not Facebook. Make your book a best-seller,” Cormier said. “Finding your passion is important and working hard at it is even more important. Having a passion requires work so you don't lose it. Not worrying what others think of you takes fortitude. Always, always follow your heart because it knows best. And go after your dreams, or someone else will.”

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Doug Alden may be reached at dalden@unionleader.com.