These upstate high school graduates made the commencement day extra special for their autistic classmate — by staying absolutely silent as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma, a heartwarming video of the event shows.

Jack Higgins — who had attended Carmel High School in the town of Carmel along the southern border of Putnam County for eight years — was about to graduate when Principal Lou Riolo made a special announcement to the entire Class of 2019.

“Unlike many of us, Jack is super sensitive to loud noises,” Riolo said before Jack was introduced during the June ceremony, captured in a YouTube video posted last week. “I’m going to ask a big favor of everybody today. I would like everyone to not clap, and not cheer. That’s correct. Not clap and not cheer, because it may overstimulate Jack as he comes to the podium to receive his diploma.”

Expecting a raucous applause, Higgins plugged his ears as he walked across the stage with his two brothers and one of his teachers, the video shows.

But not a sound could be heard in the auditorium as some students stood completely still, and others lightly tapped their hands together. A few could be seen waving their hands in the air rather than clapping at all.

“[Jack] is a wonderful member of our student community,” Riolo said in a statement accompanying the video of the touching moment. “Jack has autism and with that comes sensory issues. At graduation the student body and several thousand individuals were asked to not clap or cheer so Jack could participate. What followed was nothing short of a miracle. We shot for the moon but instead reached the stars.”