Schools
Tears, Pride, Words to Uplift – 2012 El Cerrito High Graduation
We'd like to thank student Emily Groves for this inside account and photos from the resplendently green and white El Cerrito High School graduation of 2012.
The most bittersweet time of the year: graduation. From the time that El Cerrito High School’s Class of 2012 arrived at the Richmond Civic Center Auditorium, filled with anticipation, to the tearful goodbyes, the ceremony was a success.
As the graduates lined up in alphabetical order, the teachers organizing them were almost as excited. Charles Park, a history teacher at ECHS said, “I had a lot of these kids in seventh and eighth grade, when I taught at Adams, and now they’re graduating. No one could be prouder than I am.”
Principal David Luongo gave him a run for his money, speaking on how proud he was of the first class to graduate under . This sentiment was echoed by class valedictorian Lydia Breksa, who gave her speech, “Integrity”, on the importance of integrity, service, and learning. Following Lydia was the El Cerrito Jazz Ensemble, led by , playing "Surge" (Chuck Owens).
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Julia Martien, a senior who gave an inspiring speech, “Finish Lines,” came after the jazz piece. To the distress of the teachers present, Julia told the class, “You can forget your Latin roots. You can forget your trig formulas. Forget the date of Bacon’s Rebellion if you want.” More acceptably for the teachers, she continued, “but never forget who it is each and every person in this room has helped you to become: yourselves.”
Class President Adriana Valdez also gave a speech, a personal recount of her experience at El Cerrito High. “2012 – The World’s Not Ending” epitomized the success that’s possible through hard work. Though Adriana stressed the strain of AP classes, she also told the Patch how excited she was to be going to UC Berkeley next year.
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Parents of two students who passed away this year received their children’s diplomas in their memory. ’s father and ’s mother walked across the stage to the audience’s applause to be presented with a diploma and a warm hug from football Coach Kenny Kahn.
Emily Groves just completed her junior year at El Cerrito High, where she was eidtor of the yearbook and a member of the speech and debate team.