At 6-foot-8, senior Bobby Tabeling measured as the tallest student in the Class of 2016 at Trinity Lutheran High School.

His classmate, Abby Currao, stands 4-foot-11 and is the shortest.

But no matter their height, weight, hair or eye color or which college they plan to attend, all 36 graduates have been “blessed beyond measure,” said pastors the Rev. Jimmy Rodriguez of Immanuel Lutheran Church and the Rev. Andrew Currao of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

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The two pastors were chosen by the class to deliver the commencement address. Currao is the father of Abby Currao, and Rodriguez is the father of graduate Andrew Rodriguez.

The class gathered together for the final time Saturday morning in the school’s gymnasium to receive their diplomas and say goodbye to their teachers, friends and the high school that has allowed them to grow in their Christian faith.

Salutatorian Maddie Lucas thanked parents and grandparents, donors to the school and teachers and staff for their support in allowing and encouraging their growth at Trinity.

This year’s class had not one, not two, but four valedictorians — Hayley Carter, Jacob Schult, Ethan Neawedde and Luke Onken.

The students divided their addresses equally so each one spoke about a different “season” of their lives at Trinity.

Carter said freshman year was like spring, a season of new beginnings and the root of new experiences.

“As I look at my life and all of the trials and triumphs I’ve encountered, my fondest memories are all of my firsts,” she said. “Little did we all know that walking into Trinity for our first day of high school would lead to countless new, lifelong friends and memories.”

Now, they are on to their next firsts, which for most includes going to college.

“When we first stepped foot into Trinity as freshmen, we only dreamt of this day,” she said. “Now, we’ve grown like Easter lilies do in the spring. Trinity has planted our roots of faith firmly in God’s word, and as we journey on to college, we’re about to have numerous more firsts.”

Schult compared sophomore year to summer and said it is a year of contrasts.

“Sophomore year was both a year for weeping and mourning and a year for laughing and dancing,” he said. “We laughed and danced because of our newfound freedoms. It was the perfect mix of responsibility and freedom.”

But they wept and mourned at the loss of teacher David Sandhage, who died after suffering a head injury from falling off a ladder in 2014, the end of their sophomore year.

“We also mourned as the summertime of our high school years was coming to a close and the harder, more difficult fall or junior year was coming,” he said.

Becoming juniors was similar to fall, a season of change, Neawedde said.

“We also were given more responsibilities and leadership positions,” he said. “Underclassmen started to look up to us for help.”

It was during junior year that students began to prepare for the end of high school.

“Junior year is a time for change. We lost our free time and the relaxed nature of the years before, but we found much more,” he said. “We found responsibility, leadership and skills for the future. Those changes prepared us for our next season of life.”

For Onken, senior year has been like winter.

“We knew that the year was going to be bittersweet, as it was our final year together as a class,” he said. “Nevertheless, we made the most of it. As a class, we have been offered nearly $3.2 million in scholarship money to attend 14 different colleges.”

But winter — or graduation — has come, he said.

“Our winter is bringing to an end everything we have known these last four years,” he said. “However, there is always hope at the end of winter as we cycle back to spring and summer, which bring joy and happiness.”

Onken said although the class will disperse and go their separate ways, they are still held together by Christ.