• Lodi Academy graduation ceremony
With bursts of confetti and tinsel raining down in the Lodi Academy gym, the school ensured that its seniors would go out with a bang and not a whimper at the class of 2017’s graduation ceremony.
About 600 family members and friends arrived on Sunday to the private Christian school on Central Avenue to witness the culmination of the seniors’ four years of growth — through exams, prayer, studying, fun runs, service projects, field trips and musical performances.
Former English teacher Monica Greene returned to send off the students who spent three years in her classroom before her departure their final year.
She marveled at their progress from what she lovingly called her “sad and pitiful children.”
“You have morphed into amazing seniors, ready to take on the rigors of collegiate life. Miracles do happen,” she said.
She gifted each of her students a copy of a book titled, “1001 Things Each Graduate Should Know,” and offered each unique advice to take forward with them into adulthood. Greene called on the wisdom of great writers including Tennessee Williams, Charles Dickens and Earnest Hemingway as well as literary works from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” to John Knowles’ “A Separate Peace” and the Bible. She asked that seniors choose God’s strength, as well as His defense, His service, His path, His plan and to be His instrument.
“Now I give you perfect advice, not for college but for life. Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.’ And guys, have fun,” Greene told the graduates.
Close to $1 million in scholarships were awarded that morning to the graduating seniors. All the seniors will be moving on to continue their education at 11 different colleges,
including Columbia University, Penn State University, Pacific Union College, and San Francisco State University.
Groundskeeper Lester Jensen was honored twice, first for his upcoming retirement and second for being named Staff Member of the Year, for which he was the recipient
of $1,000.
“I can’t take this, I cut grass,” he said. He offered to split the prize money with the teacher who came in second for the award.
Lodi Academy’s Class of 2017 also made sure to keep in memory a former classmate who would have graduated with them this year. Sydney Pullen of Galt and her parents died in a plane crash on March 22, 2009. She had attended the school as an elementary school student until her life was cut short. They placed a gold star in her memory on their class flag — a blue flag with white stars for every graduating student, as well as the gold star.
Graduate Faith Ajayi also played a solo violin performance of Bach’s Sonata No. 1 in G minor.
Once graduates walked the stage to receive their diplomas and have tassels turned, the audience readied their confetti canons and let loose an explosion of paper confetti and silver tinsel that covered the entire gym.
Now heading off into adulthood and out of high school many graduates felt their old worries wash away.
“It’s a relief getting out of high school, but soon the stress of college will come,” said Jesse Paculba.
William Dos Reis felt blessed to have his family there to witness this moment while Abbey Beck reflected on the good times had at Lodi Academy.
“It’s been a great three years and I can’t wait to see what we all turn into,” Beck said.
Others put the feeling a bit more simply.
“We out,” said Chandler Scheffer.