`Everybody's beautiful'
Carlos Alcantar, 31, and his brother Erick Capistran, 19, visited Sunburst’s open house in early October — one of only two days family members are allowed on campus — to get an academic progress report on their sister, Samantha Capistran, a petite and gentle-natured 16-year-old cadet. The brothers care for Samantha because their parents are not involved in their lives.
Alcantar extolled the benefits of the academy, saying it changed his family’s life for the better. Both Erick and his brother Saul Capistran, 20, recently graduated from Sunburst and continued on to California Job Challenge, a sequel residential program for graduates ages 17-21. It offers mentorships and pathways to livablewage jobs like welder, automotive technician and certified nursing assistant. They are both employed as urban woodworkers and doing well, Erick Capistran said recently. But Alcantar had an additional reason for being at the open house: He wanted to tell his sister he’d be heading to prison to serve a sentence for a past crime, just like their 29-year-old brother, Jesse. The family declined to talk about the details.
“My brothers grew up in an unfortunate environment,” Erick Capistran said. “They’re good people. I know if they had gone through the academy, they would be as successful as us.”
Families formed another line in mid-december. This time, it was outside the La Mirada Theatre as they waited to go inside for the cadets’ hard-earned graduation day. Unlike in July when they tearfully bid farewell to their children, parents were in a festive mood. They were hopeful their children were on a new and better path.
The Firehawks platoon stood together as Edwards again announced he was “in the area!”
Now, a smile accompanied his thundering voice: “Everybody’s beautiful!”
Songlike, the girls repeated, “Everybody’s beautiful, Master Sgt. Edwards!”
In a few minutes, they would leave the academy behind.
The commandant, Army Sgt. Major Peter Gutierrez, told them in his speech, “Think about your next move in the big world. … Today isn’t a ‘goodbye’ but more of an ‘until we meet again.’“
Rodriguez, who found his way to Sunburst through flyers on a restroom floor and a dean’s wall, was chosen to be a graduate speaker. He received academic excellence awards, athletic awards and was named the Chargers platoon’s “Most Inspirational Cadet.” He also received his high school equivalency diploma.
The 18-year-old addressed the audience of several hundred, including his two guests — his girlfriend and her mother.
“I was rejecting school because I saw it as part of the system,” he said. “And the system is what broke up my family.”
Because he tried to be a parent to his younger siblings, he said he sacrificed childhood traits like curiosity and adventurousness — “experiences that often teach us vulnerability, creativity and patience.
“SYA gave me an opportunity to regain some of these attributes and experiences I will never forget.”
The Rangels, who several months earlier felt like their daughter was standing on a precipice, were surprised to learn Jazmin earned top honors for perfect grades and discipline.
“I always knew she had it in her,” Junior Rangel said. “She has made us so proud.”
At the end of the ceremony, Edwards stood on stage in his uniform and Army commendation medals and gave the cadets their final orders: “Academy! Ten-hut!”
Then, in succession, each platoon shouted its name: “Wolfpack!” “Chargers!” “Bruins!” “Firehawks!” “Sunburst!”
The 156 graduates — of the 210 who started the session — were dismissed.
Staff writer Teri Sforza assisted with research for this report.