St. Helena High School's 109 graduates of 2006 will be remembered by their teachers as the class that cared about each other.

Other classes may have been more academically bent, others more fun-loving, but vocal music teacher Craig Bond said the class of 2006 stood out as a group of caring individuals.

"Kind, supportive of each other, ego-less, if that makes sense, and hardworking," he said. "This is one of the more exceptional classes in the way they treated each other."

As students approached the campus football field Friday, they hugged their teachers in a line -- a gauntlet of well-wishing -- before taking their seats and preparing for the ceremony that would end their high school career and start them on a new path.

For some like Anne Michul, the future held study at prestigious universities and a chance to experience the thrill of travel again.

Before graduation, Michul -- winner of numerous scholarships -- had journeyed to England with her advanced placement English class.

"I learned a lot about English history. ... It was just an incredible experience," she said. Michul plans to pursue that love of history at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

For other students, including Aldo Hernandez, hard work and long hours in the real world will be the next step.

"I'm going to find two jobs to work and earn some money to go to college," he said. The 17-year-old who said he was known among family and friends for his computer skills, plans on working construction jobs to earn money to study computers one day.

Other students will have more of a rough ride.

Jacob Boydston plans to continue his love of rodeo at a junior college near Coalinga, said family friend Kevin Smith from Middletown.

Smith said Boydston has been riding rodeo bulls, broncos and doing team roping for at least seven years, practicing the skills on his ranch in Pope Valley, where relatives said the Boydston clan has horses, steers and bulls.

With others, life outside of high school means the prospect of letting go of something they love.

Johnathon Adams plans to transform his passion for playing point guard on the school basketball team to a means of study that will eventually score him a paycheck.

"He's talking about going to one of the local junior colleges and taking exercise physiology," his father, Chuck Adams, said. "He could become a recreation director or go into sports medicine."