NORTH ANDOVER — The 232 members of North Andover High School's class of 2008 celebrated their graduation last night, but it was the one who didn't make it who got the most applause.

From the golden ribbons students pinned on their robes, to a reference in every speech, students remembered their classmate Alex Farese, who died April 21 after having a sudden cardiac arrest during a track meet and collapsing on the field.

When Farese's father, Richard, walked on stage to receive his son's diploma, those in the high school gymnasium gave him a standing ovation. He held up the diploma and walked back to join the rest of his family.

Many students mentioned the remembrance of Alex Farese as the most important thing that will stay with them from the ceremony.

"It was awesome the Farese family was here," said graduate Ryan Tepperman, 18.

Students said they were still dealing with the fact that Alex Farese couldn't finish high school with the rest of his class and wouldn't be heading for college next year.

Ian Reddick, 18, said just last week, as he was driving home from the prom, that he realized Alex Farese should have been driving home from the prom, too.

"I was proud of the outpouring of support for the Farese family," Reddick said.

Students said dealing with the death of their classmate brought them closer together as a school and a community. Salutatorian Catherine Chamberlin said the class lost a friend who will always stay with them.

"Live life to the fullest because as we have learned this year, you never know how much time you have left," she told the students.

Class President Stephanie Willis also encouraged classmates to make the most of their futures.

"It is up to each of us to pursue our passion and become the people we would like to be," she said.

Principal Carla Scuzzarella said even though students have grown in their high school years, they learned many of life's basics back in kindergarten. She referred to Robert Fulghum's book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," as she told students to remember the important lessons as they move from high school, such as sharing, playing fair, putting things back where they found them, napping in the afternoon and looking both ways and holding hands when they go into traffic.

"No matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, hold hands and stick together," she told the class.