Greensburg ? Amid the ruins of their devastated town, residents celebrated an emotional high school commencement Saturday, with pride and promises to rebuild their lives mixed with tearful memories.

Beneath two large tents set up at the town’s golf course, 25 graduates from Greensburg High School claimed their diplomas as about 1,500 family members, friends and neighbors looked on. Across town, their school – like 95 percent of the community – lay in rubble left by a May 4 tornado.

“Today is your graduation; a proud moment indeed. But this commencement is not only touching your lives and that of your parents, your teachers, but is part of the rebirth and rebuilding of your community and has the respectful attention and admiration of millions of Americans,” U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts told graduates. “That is a pretty big deal. Heavy stuff.”

Roberts told the Class of 2007 that they represent the spirit of renewal and are the class of destiny and hope in a town recovering from the destruction and the death of 10 people in the tornado.

Valedictorian Slade Headrick told classmates how he got lost when he first came back to Greensburg after the tornado because all the landmarks were gone. He likened those physical landmarks to life’s landmarks that they need to guide them to their future.

“I am proud to be from Greensburg. Our town may not look like it used to be, but it will grow and be bigger and better than it was. … We will build new landmarks,” Headrick said.

Salutatorian ShaRae Wadel relived some high school memories made before the tornado struck.

“Now we can cherish memories even more – and have more respect for nature,” she said.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran told graduates that it is nearly impossible to tell someone how to live their lives.

“Everything you seniors need to know, we have learned in Greensburg in the last two weeks,” Moran said. That includes the importance of family, helping others, showing compassion and “life does matter.”

Moran urged seniors to commit themselves to excellence, to the service of others and to character.

Valedictorian Kelsey Heft struggled to get through her commencement speech without crying as she told her classmates she hoped the class can keep its camaraderie.

“We are all going through new beginnings – new houses, new vehicles, new clothes,” she said.

Senior class president Jeremiah Jantz told the audience that he was grateful all 25 of his friends and classmates were here to graduate: “Not even an F5 tornado can keep us seniors from finishing,” he said.

But the upbeat messages of the commencement were mixed with private doubts as graduates donned their gowns and prepared for the event in an outbuilding at the golf course.

The tornado brought the class together, said graduate Daniel Martin.

Martin said he still plans to go to Sterling College. But he acknowledged that after the tornado he was debating whether he wanted to go to school or get a job to replace things, like his truck, lost in the tornado. For some of his classmates, college is now more of a financial struggle until they can get more scholarships.

Graduate Chadd Senst was thankful that since the tornado he has received a full scholarship at Pratt Community College. He was away at a forensics tournament when the tornado hit, and he found his family’s home gone when he returned.

“I plan to have a normal graduation with a lot of family,” Senst said.