Galt High seniors look forward to sparkling future
Firework cinders glimmered, cowbells rang and proud parents cheered in true Warrior fashion as Galt High School seniors, their families and staff celebrated the graduating class of 2017 on Friday evening.
Draped in red caps and gowns, dollar and flower leis and gold sashes, the 215 graduating seniors proudly entered Warrior Stadium for the final time as high schoolers.
Seniors Alexis Shindy and Lilianna Ordaz welcomed guests in English and Spanish thanking school staff and teachers as well as their parents and fellow students for helping them make it to where they are. They spoke of the sadness of goodbyes, for friends who stayed with them through struggles and good times and for their childhoods which they leave to embark on new and separate journeys.
“We welcome this farewell and in turn we welcome the boundless futures ahead of us,” Shindy and Ordaz said in both English and Spanish.
Selected as salutatorian in this class was Joseph Bryce Ipson, who was praised for his leadership, ambition and diligence in taking part in extracurricular activities on and off campus from competing with the GTech robotics team at the state championships and tutoring his classmates to regularly attending seminary at his church before school.
Ipson reflected on his high school experience expressing gratitude for all those who have helped and said he has learned that the graduates of 2017 have endless potential in their lives.
“Here among us sits inventors who will invent time travel or colonize another planet, doctors who will cure cancer, diplomats who will find a solution to world peace, judges who will make sure that justice will always prevail, congressman who will one day make groundbreaking policy changes and probably a lot of money, and possibly another president of the United States is in front of you now, ladies and gentleman,” Ipson said.
A similar current of looking back and then forward continued during the senior highlights presented by Eliseo Diaz and Silvia Bastida who recalled their days as freshman to their time as seniors for the audience in both Spanish and English. Each memory of time shared together will be remembered including those simple times when the only words exchanged were asking if a classmate had some gum, Diaz said.
“Our time at the helm is over, and it is up to the next class to step into our shoes and take over,” they both said.
The ceremony took a more somber tone as graduates took the time to remember a former classmate Kyle Geunther who died in 2014. Gabriel Abarca, Geunther’s cousin, along with Zachary Orman and Miguel Pantoja, each took pause in their speeches as their voices shook and sniffles were heard in the microphone recounting their memories of Geunther.
Abarca thanked the Galt community for their support of the family through tragedy and gave a parting message to his cousin.
“I wish you were here right now, but for now, watch over us in heaven,” he said.
A tree and a plaque will be placed in his honor.
Following a musical performance by Jennifer Hill and Priscilla Gonzalez who sang an acoustic version of “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, the valedictorian Marielle Luhdorff was introduced.
Described as initially shy, Luhdorff showed great promise early on in math and has grown into a witty and confident student who has excelled in the biomedical pathway and worked countless hours of community service, according to teacher Gayle Alvarado.
Luhdorff showed some of that humor in her speech.
“If you’re sitting here gown and all, you’ve made it, otherwise you’re great at sneaking in,” she said.
She opted not to speak on her own struggles through high school stating that many more have had greater struggles than herself. She did recognize the many people who helped contribute to her growth in achieving this honor including herself.
“After all, no one else can claim to have been there through the late nights, tears, obsessions and just about everything under the sun,” she said.
The long-awaited moment arrived and each graduate stepped forward to receive their diplomas followed by the booms of fireworks and hugs and pictures with relatives. They move on to colleges, new adventures and the challenges of adulthood.
“Wherever we go and whatever we do, may we always be friends when me meet again,” Diaz said.