Rosemont promotes 720 eighth-graders
No balloons floated through the air and no air horns blasted through the amphitheatre at Rosemont Middle School during Thursday morning’s eighth grade promotional ceremony.
“I have never seen a nicer crowd and a nicer group of students at any graduation,” Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Michael Escalante said as he presented the more than 700 students to GUSD School Board President Greg Krikorian for promotion from Crescenta Valley’s only public middle school.
A National Blue Ribbon school, Rosemont has much to boast about, with 150 students granted the President’s Education Award, almost 30 recognized for straight A’s during their four semesters at Rosemont, and more than 60 recognized for perfect attendance and perfect citizenship during their time as Rosemont Spartans.
“We’ll always have the Spartan spirit,” said Lindsey Soderstrom in her farewell address to her classmates, as she reflected on her academic successes and on the friendships she has made.
Friendships were on the minds and lips of most the students who spoke at the ceremony.
“As we leave Rosemont ... we have no idea what to expect,” said Ariel Ross in her farewell address. “However, it will be easier knowing we have friends we can lean on.”
Most of the students receiving awards were recognized at a previous awards ceremony. The winner of the Marilyn Zimmer Fine Arts Award, Siobhan Hebron, however, was first announced during the 9 a.m. promotion.
Whether they were recognized separately for winning awards or quietly for overcoming doubts and struggling to make the grade, all students walked away from the promotion with one thing. “Rosemont was filled with so many memories I cannot forget,” said Susan Lee in her farewell address.
Marking those memories will be a mural on the amphitheater wall, the class gift to the school.
“This year has been a particularly unique one,” said Rosemont Principal Sally Buckley. “You’ll take [with you] the lessons that you learned here at Rosemont.”
Students from Rosemont’s graduating class move on, with some attending Crescenta Valley High School and others attending private institutions.