A sea of students waved goodbye to middle school on the floor of the Carlin Lynch Activity Center on Friday, June 14. 

Dartmouth Middle School graduated 257 students in a packed ceremony full of audience cheers, fist bumps and students “dapping” each other up to celebrate.

The room quickly filled with a line of attendees that wrapped around the building of Dartmouth High School ahead of the ceremony. By the time graduation started, only standing room was left. 

During the ceremony, School Committee member Kathleen Amaral spoke to the crowd of students.

As a mother of one of the graduates, Amaral said that she was pretty sure she shared the same sentiment as other parents in the room wondering, “Where have the past three years gone?”

Amaral congratulated students on behalf of the Dartmouth School Committee before handing off diplomas to each one as they walked across the graduation floor. 

Students accepted their diplomas, showing off celebratory handshakes and dance moves as they made their way back to their seats. 

During the ceremony, students won a set of six awards to recognize their accomplishments, including the Presidential Academic Education Award, which was presented by state Rep. Chris Markey.

Markey congratulated awardees on behalf of President Joe Biden, who wrote that recipients showed “curiosity, persistence and determination to succeed.” 

Markey also gave parting advice to graduating students as they prepare to enter high school.

“Take care of each other with grace, support and love,” Markey said. “Because this is your family, class of 2024.”

Students will now progress to high school, where students will attend many different high schools in the Dartmouth area. Principal Peter Rossi said that the eighth grade graduation ceremony is a “great transition” for students as they go off to high school.

Graduate Giovanni Farias, 14, said that he feels “pretty good” about graduating from Dartmouth Middle School. He said that he made a lot of friends during his last three years and is excited to attend Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School in the fall, where he plans to enter the electrical program.