As the 90 graduating seniors from San Andreas Continuation High
School walked across the stage and grabbed a hold of their diplomas
last Thursday afternoon, many realized their dreams had finally
come true.
As the 90 graduating seniors from San Andreas Continuation High School walked across the stage and grabbed a hold of their diplomas last Thursday afternoon, many realized their dreams had finally come true.
“Everyone was telling me I couldn’t make it,” Vanessa Solorio said.
Just a week and a half before her due date, the expecting mother proudly walked across the stage and accepted her degree.
“No one thought I could do it because I was pregnant and I feel like telling them ‘look at me now,'” she said. “I had to do this and my motivation was my baby because she can’t have a mother without an education. This is for her.”
Solorio and her classmates have been through a rough year. Throughout the school year, the class was struck with the not only the sad news of the death of a staff member, but also the loss of a classmate. Principal Mike Sanchez said this class is amazing because of its resilience.
“They have overcome tragedy and through it all they keep on going,” he said. “We are in one of the most financial crises ever and our nation is at war, but these students keep on going.”
San Andreas lead teacher and senior advisor Barbara Murray agrees.
“This class is extremely resilient,” she said. “When we look at the challenges in the world today, especially in the family, to see these students rise up and accomplish all that they have is just remarkable.”
One student, James Jimenez is a prime example of that resilience. On his own since the age of 14, Jimenez has jumped from home to home, worked until late at night, and still has managed to graduate and earn a scholarship for college.
“I did this for myself because I don’t want to be working two jobs the rest of my life,” Jimenez said.
Another scholarship winner, Daniel Castro, said his family and teachers inspired him to go onto college and he’s very honored to be receiving the award.
“There are a lot of careers I want to do and the scholarship will help me with that,” he said.
One of the student speakers at the graduation ceremony, Anna Borup, spoke about the accomplishments of her class and thanked teachers and the community for their success. But when it came to her own personal success, she singled out her mom in the crowd.
“I just really wanted to thank her for all her support,” she said.
Regardless of how they arrive at San Andreas, or where they’ll go next, teacher Charles Oles said there are a lot of leaders in the class of 2004 and it’s wonderful to see the community effort that got them so far.
“Our graduation is very powerful because it may not be just mom and dad that supported them,” he said. “It may have been grandma, or aunt and uncle or cousin that helped get these students out of bed in the morning and to class. So, it’s a community effort.”
