During the graduation ceremony at Hoover High School on Wednesday, graduate Caitlin Argueta stood before her class on Wednesday to say the Pledge of Allegiance, preparing to head off to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. She said she went into basic training, did push-ups in the mud and was pushed to her physical and mental limits.
There were times at Hoover, and in basic training, when the challenges presented to her seemed insurmountable.
“I just needed conditioning,” she told her class. “I tried to double the number of push-ups and sit-ups I could do in two minutes.”
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Graduates take selfies, cheer, and throw caps in the air at the conclusion of graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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ASB President Pauline Serrano, after taking selfies with her 2016 classmates behind her, takes a selfie with Hoover Principal Jennifer Earl at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Mikaela Mauricio, with her diploma in hand, celebrates with friends at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Nicole Morales moves her tassel to the right at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Larenz Garcia-Joseph stands on his chair to direct the graduates during the singing of the school fight song at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Lilit Danelyan high fives an instructors hand at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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ASB President Pauline Serrano points to her parents during her speech at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Hoover High School Principal Jennifer Earl greets the audience at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Thursday, June 1, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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The graduation cap worn by Nathalie Serrano at the Hoover High School graduation shows her grandparents who were helpful to her as she grew up.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Nicholas Hallman yells to the audience, standing on his chair, during the processional at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Family members take pictures of their graduate as they process into the staduim at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Larenz Garcia-Joseph shakes hands with Associate Principal Hagop Eulmessekian at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Albert Nazaryan lifts his hands in the air after graduating at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Mikaela Mauricio, with her diploma in hand, celebrates with friends at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Hoover Principal Jennifer Earl shakes hand with a graduate at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Hoover Principal Jennifer Earl claps her hands, happy for a graduate, at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate speaker Aslik Sarkisian a at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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ASB President Pauline Serrano shakes hands after graduating at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Nanor Sevajian waves to a family member at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Student speaker Caitlin Argueta at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates process into the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Ryan Christopher Dominguez walks the ramp to receives his diploma cover at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates Emily Ramos, Nicole Morales, and Ha Jin Son sing the school fight song at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Nicholas Hallman lifts his hands to celebrate graduating at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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The Hoover Chamber Singers sing the National Anthem at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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An expressive graduation cap at the graduation of Hoover High School in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Argueta said she is living her dream, to be the first person in her family to go to college.
“If I get shot and have to pick myself up, I’ll find the strength to pick myself up,” she said. “Find what you’re passionate about. Don’t lose sight of it. Don’t bail out.”
Principal Jennifer Earl said she took pride in her outgoing class.
Graduate Mikaela Mauricio, with her diploma in hand, celebrates with friends at the Hoover High School graduation ceremony in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
“You can steer yourself in any direction your choose … because you got a world-class education at Hoover,” she said, adding that over the class of 2016’s four years at the school, the students raised $50,000 for cancer research.
“When you go out into the world, be kind and mean good,” she said. “Ohana means family, and no one gets left behind or forgotten.”
Satik Valijari said her son Arvin Marjouei received a great education at Hoover.
“My son is very happy here,” she said.
Greta Bazgosha was excited to see her daughter graduate.
“She is going to FIDM,” she said, referring to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles. “I’m very proud and excited.”
As the sun beamed down near the start of Wednesday’s ceremony, juniors Emily Wang and Loris Denton stood with a massive cooler, handing out bottled waters. Wang said it was their first year at Hoover to volunteer handing out water at graduation.
“They’re role models for us,” Wang said of the seniors. “We’re really proud of them, and we’ll really miss them.”
“Can I tell Lily [Zierhut] good luck in your future? You’ll make a great teacher,” Denton said.
