The school district superintendent said that, of all the graduation ceremonies he attends, the Sequoia School event on Wednesday stood out as especially meaningful because it had a small group of graduates and allowed teachers to share personal stories about each individual.
Six students from Sequoia School in Canyon Country graduated Wednesday afternoon at La Mesa Junior High School in Canyon Country. Sequoia is the smallest school in the William S. Hart Union High School District, offering a non-traditional education setting as an alternative to the traditional junior and high school environments for students with individual educational plans.
District Superintendent Michael Vierra commented on the presentation he witnessed before recommending the awarding of the diplomas.
“I’d just like to say that I get to attend all the graduations, and a lot of the classes are 500-plus,” he said to those in attendance. “We don’t get to hear all the stories of the students. This has been special to hear all the accomplishments the students have had and what they’ve overcome.”
Vierra commended the graduates for all their hard work. And he commended the staff for all they did to help students reach the finish line.
Graduating students included Billie Armstrong, Jonathan Calderon, Alex Duran, Melina Pilato, Cameron “Brooke” Hill and Kaden Zimmer.
Sequoia School Coordinator James Mackey offered opening remarks at the commencement. He introduced Ann Soo Hoo to speak about ERICS, which is the Educationally Related Intensive Counseling Services program at the school.
“The goal of ERICS therapists is to help Sequoia students achieve their social, emotional and behavioral goals through individual, family and group counseling,” she said. “In addition to providing counseling sessions, ERICS therapists will often provide support to students during instruction, participate in IEP meetings, attend field trips and link students to additional services. We also support our graduating seniors in planning for the future, exploring options for post-graduation and assisting them in creating a plan for their future that will meet their specific emotional and academic needs.”
She then thanked parents for participating in the ERICS program with their children, and she expressed how proud she and others were of each and every student to have overcome so many obstacles.
She shared a message of hope with graduating seniors.
“Each of you has a light and a passion for something incredible, and all of these interests are worth exploring to see where they take you,” she said. “I am confident that as long as you follow your passions, you will find your next steps as you enter your life after graduation, embrace your passions and use them in the future.”
Sequoia counselor Kristi Wardle presented class valedictorian Kaden Zimmer.
Student speaker Melina Pilato spoke for graduating seniors about how she and her fellow graduates faced ups and downs, but through it all, they grew and relished their accomplishments. She thanked teachers and staff at Sequoia, adding that their support made a lasting impact on graduating seniors who would not be standing there otherwise.
“To my fellow classmates, you were the memories and laughter and lessons we have shared as we each head off to a new beginning chapter,” Pilato said. “I wish every one of you the very best. Go out there, follow your dreams and don’t be afraid to start new ones.”
Several staff members offered personal thoughts and reflections about individual graduates. They talked about how far each student had come during their time at Sequoia, about some of the individual hurdles they’d come across, and about how each student worked in their own unique way to overcome challenges.
As the ceremony came to a close, it was clear from the words of Sequoia staff that the six graduates on Wednesday weren’t just marking a milestone, rather they were celebrating hard-earned resilience, personal growth, and the strong bonds formed within a supportive community. Though each student’s journey had been unique, staff members emphasized that the pride in their accomplishments was deeply felt and universally shared.
