By Mayor Cameron Smyth
As the proud parent of three kids, I know the anticipation and excitement of graduation ceremonies. I’m looking forward to the day when my children will be lining up to receive their high school and college diplomas as crowds of friends and family cheer them on.
Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, high school and university graduates have traded in their caps and gowns for masks and gloves, as graduation ceremonies have been postponed or cancelled all together.
As a result, students are missing the iconic graduation “walk” alongside their peers, while families must celebrate within the walls of their own homes.
Even though we as a community have all been affected during this tumultuous time, we stand united. In times of crisis, our community is filled with resilient individuals determined to overcome obstacles and support their neighbors.
In the same way our first responders have shown dedication and commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, our students in Santa Clarita have shown similar fortitude in completing their studies.
There is much to celebrate as we highlight the accomplishments of students who were forced to adjust their educational workflows from in-person classes to online distance learning.
We are fortunate to live in an era where technology is ubiquitous, making it easier than ever to access educational resources online.
We are thankful for local school
districts, including William S. Hart, Saugus, Newhall, Sulphur Springs and Castaic, for rising to the occasion collaborating to find efficient ways to ensure the uninterrupted flow of learning.
As we move into the final weeks of the school year, I encourage all of you to stay positive and be proud of all you have accomplished. Never has a senior class in our community faced such adversity during their graduating year.
I encourage you all to embrace the drive and fight you have shown as you launch into the next chapter of your lives.
Although there are many things we can’t currently do — your generation is the most prepared in history to tap into online opportunities. Use the unlimited resources online to connect with friends, continue to learn, create and invent.
Next Friday, you even have the opportunity to attend prom virtually. The Signal newspaper is hosting a virtual prom on Friday, May 29, complete with a live DJ, celebrity guests and even cash prizes.
Although your senior year did not turn out as planned, you should still take great pride in the success you have achieved. My fellow councilmembers and I are proud of your outstanding accomplishments and look forward to the future contributions that our graduates will make to enrich the lives of those around them and in the great City of Santa Clarita.
Mayor Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@
santa-clarita.com. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.
