Vallejo graduates ‘ready to make an impact’ – Times Herald Online
Vallejo High School seniors Robert Guzman and Tayla Franklin shared a kiss after walking down an aisle at Corbus Field on Thursday.
No, it wasn’t a wedding, and it was a nice convenience the two were walking together at the same time, but it was still a big deal for two students who just seconds earlier joined 259 of their classmates as graduates of the school’s 156th graduating class.
The class of 2025 featured a freshman year that began as the COVID pandemic was winding down and ended with 30 Gold Merit students and nine California Scholarship Federation recipients.
This class also featured seniors set to move on to join the military ranks for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines, along with 28 other colleges such as Jackson State University, San Francisco State, San Jose State, University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of California San Diego.
Paige France-Ramiro was co-valedictorian along with Joselito Gregorio, who sparked laughter when he told the students to look at the crowd and cheer for the supporting families.
“Now look at me. A good boy,” Gregorio said in his speech. “I embarked on a journey with many AP and college courses. Each pushed me to think critically and retain new challenging concepts. Standing here I am reminded my journey was more than just tests, grades and achievements. It was about growth intellectually and emotionally to become future leaders of the community. We learned not only from text but from real-life experiences that challenged us, shaped our perspectives that no classroom could.
“As we step into the next chapter, whether it be higher education, certain careers or adventures unknown let us remember the lessons that we have lived through,” he continued. “Let us go through our ambitions fiercely. We are not just graduates, we are innovators, thinkers and change-makers. While today is the end of an era it is also the beginning of an impact we are destined to make.”
Jacqueline Morales, one of three salutatorians along with Yathtip Alice Souvandara and Ariam Jae Marientes Changcoco, told the large crowd at Corbus Field that the Class of 2025 had gone to school during unprecedented times.
“We have to remember that we are the future, we have to do our part to contribute to a society that reflects our values and our aspirations,” Morales said. “Opportunity rarely knocks politely. You have to seek it, work for it and sometimes create it yourself. Challenges don’t define us. It refines us.”
Vallejo City Unified School District Superintendent Ruben Aurelio challenged the seniors to “not just take your seat at the table but flip the script and redesign the room.”
“Do it with purpose, don’t live on autopilot,” Aurelio said. “Live wide awake. Vallejo believes in you. I believe in you. Your presence here in cap and gown proves that greatness lives in this community. Now it’s your turn to carry that greatness forward. Be bold, be kind and above all be the reason something changes.”