To Nancy Merrill, the stacks before her represented “310 tickets of hope.”

And those tickets – better known as Enumclaw High School diplomas – were about to be awarded, she said, “with great hope for the future of our nation and the world.”

The occasion was the commencement ceremony honoring the EHS graduating class of 2011; the setting was a sun-splashed White River Amphitheatre; and it all came together Monday evening.

The assembled about-to-be-graduates, along with family and friends, heard from Associated Student Body President Terenn Houk; classmates Carson Johnson and Amy Carpenter, who performed “On My Way”; class speakers Molly Roe and Abby French, who reminded all to “Dream Big”; and Alex Unguez, who performed “You Raise Me Up.”

Class speaker Jillian Welsh recounted “13 years of field trips, heavy backpacks and late nights.”

“Nothing has slowed us down in our quest for greatness,” she said. “All the world’s a stage and we were born to be stars.”

The Enumclaw High graduating class of 2011 was led by President Molly Hughes, Vice President Aubrey Flintoff, Secretary David Brazier, Treasurer Christopher Hanrahan.