CAMDEN — Here they come! The shout went up just as the Camden Hills Regional High School Class of 2025, lead by bagpiper Catherine  Pearce and a Camden Police cruiser flashing a blue light, appeared at the top of Main Street in downtown Camden, near the public library.

Traffic was halted along the road — the evening busy Route 1 — to make way for the proud high school almost-graduates, who were marching with pride and beaming smiles left and right at families, friends and well-wishers who had lined to sidewalks to cheer them on with whoops and hollers.

The Baccalaureate march is widely anticipated as June approaches, and marks the beginning of Graduation Week for seniors at CHRHS, the public high school for Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport students.

Filled with pageantry, high spirits and good will, the processional is among the top favorite, if not the top favorite, traditions that the five towns share as they celebrate their graduates.

This week, the seniors edge toward making their mark on the world. They are the next generation of adults, and the world is ready for strong and thoughtful thinkers and doers.

As they marched down Main Street at 5:30 p.m., the evening sun poured through the trees and between buildings. Temperatures were ideal for a march, warm enough for sandals and sneakers, cool enough to stride along under black gowns and tassled mortar boards.

With Class Marshals Tessa Byrnes and Zeke Dietter at the lead, the Class of 2025 made their way from the Camden-Rockport Middle School to Cross Street, down Mountain Street for a brief stretch, and then along Route 1 to the First Congregational Church on Elm Street for the Baccalaureate service.

There, the seniors and family settled into pews for for interdenominational prayer and thanks. The baccalaureate is an academic and spiritual tradition with roots in the Middle Ages, and honors education and learning. 

For Camden Hills, the tradition has continued for decades, with clergy representing the Chestnut Street Baptist, St. Thomas' Episcopal, John Street United Methodist churches, the First Congregational Church of Camden UCC, Adas Yoshuron Synagogue and St. Brendan the Navigator Parish.

Rev. Fox, of the Congregational Church, delivered the welcome, followed by a Call for Prayer, a Senior Welcome by the marshals, and the singing of "Be Thou My Vision," an Irish hymn that dates back to the Sixth century poem by Irish Poet Dallan Forgaill. The melody, called Slane, is a folk tune with a connection to St. Patrick, the Baccalaureate program said.

That was followed by a Congregational Dedication, lead by Lea Zwecker; the singing of "Travelers Hymn" by the Chamber Singers, a Scripture reading by Abigail Kohlstrom, an Offering to Habitat for Humanity, a choral bell selection performed by Choral Bells with Ami Wolovitz playing a violin; and Words for the Seniors, delivered by Rev. Adam Kohlstrom, Pastor of the Chestnut Street Baptist Church, and Rabbi Lorin Troderman, of the Adas Yoshuron Synagogue.

"The Parting Glass," arranged by the Wailin Jennys was performed by the Treble Choir; Rev. Fox gave the benediction; and Organist Matthew Mainster played the postlude of Rondo in G.

Graduation is to take place June 6, at 5:59 p.m., at the high school.