La Jolla High grads mark commencement
Stefan R. Garcia-Valentin
ContributorLa Jolla High School’s graduating class of 2010 celebrated their commencement ceremony at Gene Edwards Stadium on a typical La Jolla with the sun shining on them, their families and friends.
Four musical performances by the Viking Concert Band and La Jolla High Madrigals added to the spirit of pride and joy hovering over the audience.
Class President Tali Gires led the Pledge of Allegiance and class Vice President Stephen Wing introduced commencement speakers Lorraine Chu and Jessica Wood. Tiffany Fan was the valedictorian an Katharine Cary the salutatorian.
After the recited the “Alma Mater” with the audience, school Principal Dana Shelburne gave a short speech on the future challenges and opportunities facing the graduating students in a “world that is changing at a very fast pace.”
He then presented the Class of 2010 to San Diego School Board member John De Beck, this year’s guest speaker, who thanked the parents and teachers for their dedication and commitment to education.
As La Jolla High School’s counselors Beth Behnke, Kathleen Marron, Ty Eveleth and Kristen Saheli awarded the graduating senior class with their diplomas, Shelburne and De Beck congratulated every one of them with a handshake.
Out of the 346 seniors who received their diplomas, 69 percent will continue to attend four-year universities, 21 percent plan to attend community colleges and the remaining will go on to vocational schools.
LJHS Principal Shelburne gave a “big thanks to the parents, the La Jolla community, and volunteers for their selfless support” and for helping maintain the same educational opportunities in spite of the fiscal challenges that the school faced due to the California budget crisis.
“The community has been very helpful,” Shelburne said. “And with the assistance of the school foundation, we hope to maintain the calm, business-as-usual environment for the benefit of all our students.”
The class included 196 being recognized for academic distinction for their GPAs of 3.5 or higher. Fifteen of them in the top 10 percent of their class received gold tassels.