‘Now, no one can doubt us after this’: Daily High celebrates the class of 2017
More than 80 students who attended Allan F. Daily High School graduated Thursday with their high school diplomas, along with about 20 students who attended Verdugo Academy, an independent learning program.
Gorgore Yeghiazaryan and Eduard Ghazaryan said they were both grateful for their time at Daily, Glendale Unified’s continuation high school that provides students with a second chance to earn their high school diploma after they’ve fallen behind on earning credits.
“Graduating, what it means to me, it’s the end of four long years,” Gorgore said. “My freshman year, I remember it like it was yesterday. It also took a lot of time, took a lot of work,”
His friend, Ghazaryan, added: “It passed by, but it was with a lot of struggles. If there was no Daily, I wouldn’t be graduating. Here, the teachers really care.”
The school also made a difference in Natalie Vega’s life by setting her on the path to become a painter.
“Before Daily, I didn’t know I wanted to be an artist,” she said.
She first took classes with art teacher Emily Goff two years ago.
“First, I was the newbie. In the end, I was a pro, and people were asking me for help,” she said.
She plans to attend Pasadena City College and earn an art certificate.
Dione Davoodi volunteered to speak during the ceremony on behalf of all Daily students.
“As we all know, high school isn’t very easy. We all made mistakes, but it was the good decisions that got us here today, walking on stage, getting our diplomas and proudly achieving our goals. Now, no one can doubt us after this,” she said.
Fellow graduate Victor White spoke on behalf of the Verdugo Academy students.
“Verdugo Academy has helped me to become a knowledgeable person and understand many things about life and how to fulfill my dreams,” he said.
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
