Free State High School graduate Justine Ahle embraces a friend Sunday after their commencement ceremony at Allen Fieldhouse. They were among 372 students to graduate in the FSHS class of 2008.

An enthusiastic crowd sent off 372 Free State High School graduates Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.

“The memories we have made will be a compass to guide us in our destined paths,” said Mariya Javed in an address to her fellow graduates.

The hot and humid temperatures outside made it steamy inside the fieldhouse, which does not have air conditioning. Friends and family members fanned themselves with programs and drank from water bottles, but they were mostly in good spirits, cheering on graduates and the speeches.

As has been custom during his time at Free State, Principal Joe Snyder kept the focus on the graduates. He is retiring after leading the school for 12 years as its first principal.

“(The graduates) embody our hopes for the future of Free State, the Lawrence community and myself because they’ve done great things and appear ready to move forward,” Snyder said.

The Lawrence High School ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in the fieldhouse.