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Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff Highlands graduate Ruth Mendoza-Hernandez turns the tassel of fellow classmate, Liam Kennedy.
The Highlands School Class of 2022 walked across the stage, grabbed their diplomas, turned their tassels and finished a chapter of their lives last Saturday.
For valedictorian Jeffrey Olvera, community and family legacy were two things that remained important to him on graduation day addressing his classmates.
“Twenty five years ago, my father walked across this stage as the first Mexican American family to graduate from Highlands School,” Olvera said. “He and his siblings did not speak English when they first started school, yet with the support of their teachers and this community, they graduated with honors. For him, he was the first person in his family to graduate from high school and attend college. For some of us, this graduation is a continuation of our families’ legacies and for others, it is a monumental first, like it was for my father, 25 years ago. This speaks to the testament of our school and our small community and the will power that our class has shown over the last four years.”
Salutatorian, Hayley Borino, recapped her and her classmates’ time at Highlands School from wearing masks while playing sports to taking classes virtually.
“Each of us has had our own unique experiences at Highlands,” Borino said. “A combination of good and bad, laughter and joy, times of school spirit and times of studying five minutes before the bell rings for that test we forgot we had. I look back to when I was a freshman and thought about how long four years sounded and how nervous I was to not only start high school, but to transfer to a new school. Highlands School welcomed us ‘Summit Crew,’ with open arms and I am forever grateful for that. Sophomore year came around and we started to get the hang of it and then COVID hit and forced us to go virtual. Let’s face it, that was hard. We took on the challenge and persevered and that shows an incredible amount of strength and character. COVID changed our lives in so many ways. As Juniors, we were excited to return to in-class learning, but it was still different. Wearing masks every day, sitting six feet apart and getting hit with pool noodles if we got too close. It took its toll. Do you know how hard it was to run up and down a basketball court with a mask on? With that being said, we started to see the finish line of our high school journey. Now, as seniors, senioritis started to kick in, but it has been such an incredible year. One thing that I will reflect upon as I throw my cap in the air is how Highlands has become a family for me. I have made bonds that will last forever, and I am so very grateful.”
Keynote speaker Gina Billingsley gave a word of advice to the 37 graduating seniors; change is coming.
“For the past 13 years, your life has been somewhat predictable,” Billingsley said. “You go to school from August to may. Summers are for fun. You have a summer job, and you go on family vacations, but you always knew that when August rolled around, you would be coming back to Highlands School, ready for that predictable first day of school with all of the teachers that you know and, of course, love. That all changes this year. By August, many of you will be leaving Highlands. Each of you will move forward, away from this little school, fulfilling your own dreams. What an exciting time. So many opportunities in front of you and so many dreams to pursue. My one word of advice is to be an active participant in life. Life is too short to not enjoy every moment. So, live your life. Go on adventures. Step out of your comfort zone and never stop living for each moment.”
HS Principal Brian Jetter left the Class of 2022 with a quote from his favorite guitar player BB King, “Education is the most powerful thing you can use to change the world. Now go and begin to change yours.”
- By Christopher Lugo