RHINEBECK - Rhinebeck High School seniors celebrated their graduation with a mini-rock concert - complete with a crowd-surfing senior - as four of their classmates let loose with a hard-hitting rendition of Alice Cooper's end-of-school anthem "School's Out" during Friday's commencement exercises.

And when senior Brendon Phelan belted out the song's last line - "School's out completely!" - the 102 cap-and-gown-clad seniors roared with approval.

It was one of many musical moments in a commencement exercise that was electric with the excitement and joy of the students, their families and friends.

Class of 2008 President John Pavlakis broke out in a dance and offered an off-key version of the chorus of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" in his welcoming remarks, and Valedictorian Rachel Baker performed "For Good," from the musical "Wicked," as her valedictory speech.

While the Cooper song may have captured the immediate feelings of the graduates, the truth is, they said, most will be out of school only for the summer - because then comes college.

Kayla Arsenault of Rhinebeck said she was thrilled to be graduating.

"I feel awesome, awesome," said the 18-year old daughter of Christine Major and Michael Arsenault.

Arsenault said she plans to study massage therapy at Columbia-Greene Community College in the fall.

Evan Finley, 18, the son of John and Susan Finley of Rhinebeck, said he, too, was excited to be graduating but plans to go back to school in the fall.

Likewise, Kye Shibata, 19, of Rhinebeck said he'll head off to college in the fall, studying physics at SUNY Geneseo.

"I am so proud of my son today," said his mother, Anne Shibata. "It's a wonderful school, and it's the end of a really wonderful time."