HIGH SCHOOLERS INSPIRE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
MARINA >> It was a big day for Monterey Peninsula students as schools celebrated graduating seniors and sixth graders transitioning to middle school.
Marina high schoolers visited J.C. Crumpton Elementary School, Marina Vista Elementary Arts Academy, Olson Elementary School and Los Arboles Middle School in their caps and gowns Wednesday to highfive the elementary students and inspire them to continue on in their education.
“It's really awesome that we're able to be role models for them because now they have something to look up to,” said Madison Tyson, a Marina High senior.
“When you're a kid, they just tell you to , but when you actually see someone doing it, you get more motivated and you can see that you can do it too,” explained senior Danica Dancel Carlos.
Marina High senior Londyn Martinez remembers watching the graduating high schoolers walk by her when she was student at Marina Vista Elementary Arts Academy. Today it was her turn.
“It's just cool to see how far we've come since then,” she admitted. More than 700 seniors will graduate from schools within the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Friday at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. This year's ceremonies will mark the first time schools fully open the graduation ceremonies to families without requiring any COVID-19 precautions.
Marina High senior Ella Brigati said she felt a little surprised to be graduating this year, considering the past two years of the pandemic's effect on schools.
“COVID had a lot of issues for everyone. There were a lot of roadblocks, so I'm very proud to be where we are,” she said.
Marina Vista Elementary Arts Academy and Crumpton Elementary School held sixth grade promotion ceremonies Wednesday as well. Families, teachers and students gathered to celebrate the students' transition from elementary to middle school.
Alisal Union School District also held in-person promotion ceremonies Wednesday and an estimated 1,123 sixth graders from the district's 12 schools will be transitioning to middle school. The ceremonies marked the return to in-person celebrations.
Middle schools on the Peninsula will celebrate eighth graders advancing to high school Thursday at Los Arboles Middle School, Dual Language Academy, Seaside Middle School and Walter Colton Middle School.
For Marina High senior Jesús Garcia Loyola, the week's celebrations leading up to Friday's graduation is no small accomplishment.
Loyola is a first-generation high school graduate and will soon be a first-generation college student. He will be studying computer science at CSU Monterey Bay and plans to become a software engineer.
Loyola understands that while the elementary and middle school students are young, his accomplishments could inspire many other students like him to continue in their education.
“If they see older, more experienced people, they will think, `OK, since he can do it, I can do it too.' “