Laguna Beach graduates navigate challenges, ride waves into their futures
The Laguna Beach High School commencement ceremony occurred under the lights on Thursday evening inside Guyer Field, as the sun set on the outgoing Breakers’ time at the school.
The senior class had 246 graduates, many of whom participated in a parade in downtown Laguna Beach Wednesday afternoon. Students had traveled from City Hall to Main Beach to celebrate the life milestone.
Laguna Beach principal Jason Allemann congratulated the graduates for overcoming the challenges they faced in their four years at the school. The Laguna Beach school community, like others, dealt with distance learning for a time due to the coronavirus pandemic and more recently was stricken by grief with the loss of teachers and mentors — including baseball coach Jeff Sears and longtime El Morro Elementary principal Chris Duddy.
“While the last part of your school experience may not have been ideal or even close to what you have envisioned, it has given you a taste of what life can offer you,” Allemann said. “Challenges, shifts, and, at times, cruelty, but every time, you have proven these obstacles to be impenetrable to your sense of caring, kindness and being above it all for the sake of optimism, potential and always leaving something better than you had found it.”
Among school staff, chemistry teacher Steve Sogo also gave a graduate address. He was named the Laguna Beach school district’s teacher of the year in 2019.
Senior class president George Saba led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. Camille Deckey authored the valedictorian address, and fellow graduating senior Vic Neni also gave a speech.
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