Photos by Oscar Walsh
Photo Editor
The Class of 2019 celebrated the culmination of their four years at SPHS during the graduation ceremony Wednesday, June 5. The seniors united on the field for the last time before heading into their post-high school lives.
Seniors Amalia Navarro and Andrew Escajeda opened the evening with a flute rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” before senior class president Henry Barbera welcomed friends and family sitting in the bleachers.
Valedictorian Natalie Deng compared her high school experience to a puzzle in her speech “Puzzles & Cheez-Its,” encouraging her classmates to continue pursuing their passion and moving forward. Associated Student Body Coordinator Rachel Lu spoke on how the graduating class marked the end of an era.
“From this point on, we have the opportunity to do what we’ve been told we’ve been preparing to do since kindergarten: pursue our passions and quote unquote change the world,” Lu said. “I hope we will all continue to celebrate the era we’ve shared as this class.”
Fellow valedictorian Lauren Kafkaloff recounted her four years at SPHS with her speech ‘Counting Up the Days.’
Senior class treasurer Melia Amezquita presented the class gift: the continuation and the funding of the butterfly garden behind the auditorium. The seniors tossed their caps into the air before walking off the Roosevelt Field to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.”
