Photos: Shorewood Class of 2012 Walks the Stage

Shorewood Superintendent Blane McCann joined the Thursday night in saying goodbye to the district where he spent nine years at the helm. As McCann to become the superintendent of a school district in Omaha, the Shorewood seniors will disperse across the world to chase their own futures.

"You will always be my kids, and if I can ever be of any help, you only need ask and I will be there," McCann told the students Thursday.

McCann said while he usually bases his speech on something he read, he wanted his last to come directly from his experience in Shorewood.

"Tonight, I want to share some things that I felt, from my heart," he said. "So as I prepared this speech, I asked myself, what does it mean to graduate from this institution?

"This is where our students first find their voice, and begin to understand that they can and do make a difference by being a leader," McCann continued. "It all begins right here at Shorewood High School. You are now becoming the next generation of leaders, and you are finding your voice in a world full of complexities and problems that seem unsolvable ... And for me I cannot be more confident in the future of our village, our state and our nation, because I know you're going to help us find answers to those pressing questions. I have a tremendous amount of faith in each and every one of you."

Principal Matt Joynt listed some of the accomplishments of the senior class, including the following:

• The senior class posted an average ACT score of 24.7, the third highest in the North Shore, and second highest in the Woodland Conference
• Several teams were conference champions, including girls cross country, girls tennis and boys volleyball
• The in 30 years
• The in 15 years
• The girls soccer team won the WIAA regional championship
• The Shorewood Chamber Choir received the top rating at the state competition for the 15th consecutive year
• Student Council raised more than $1,000 for the Greyhound Pets of America
• The for the ninth year in a row, and finished second in state
• Members of the Gay Straight Alliance organized the week of change and the day of silence
• The Shorewood Symphony Orchestra performed in Italy
• Art students in the national Scholastic Art Awards