‘The kids were pumped up.’ The heat didn’t spoil high school graduations in Merced County
The scorching weather didn’t temper the excitement as many high schools in Merced County celebrated the Class of 2024 with graduation ceremonies.
Armed with umbrellas, sunglasses, hats and fans to battle the triple-digit heat, families, teachers, friends and staff celebrated their loved ones and students as they made their way across stage to accept their diplomas.
Merced Union High School District schools Merced, Golden Valley, El Capitan, Buhach Colony, Atwater and Livingston all held graduation ceremonies on Thursday night as they celebrated the large portion of the 2,662 graduates from the district.
El Capitan moved its ceremony back 30 minutes because of the heat, and principal Megan Cope said the hot weather didn’t detract from the excitement.
“Not at all,” Cope said. “The kids were pumped up, they had a lot of fun. The audience was ecstatic and happy to be there. We had a packed house, standing room only.”
Golden Valley had a long line of guests waiting about a half an hour before the doors were open for the graduation ceremony. There was refreshments available for guests, including plenty of water.
During the ceremony at GV, valedictorians Siya Lakireddy and Joshua Perez-Mendoza both talked about how the class of 2024 had overcome adversity like the pandemic and the mass flooding in Merced County that caused schools to close and homes to be evacuated in 2023.
“Despite these struggles we managed to make so many beautiful memories along the way,” said Perez-Mendoza.
“Although this may seem like the end of an era, this graduation is a new beginning,” he added. “We’re standing at the brink of adulthood with both feet ready to step off our stool.”
Lakireddy implored her fellow graduates that they have exciting journeys ahead of them.
“It’s a goodbye to familiar faces and the comforting routine of high school life,” Lakireddy said. “But you know what they say, ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’ Which means we have a lot to smile about. We’re not just graduating, we’re launching ourselves on unique journeys, each one as exciting as the next.”
Merced principal Marcus Knott says this year’s graduating class was impressive in many ways.
“They have done an outstanding job of representing us as a home of scholars and champions,” Knott said. “I look forward to watching their next evolution and watch them become positive contributing members of our community.”
Cope says she can’t wait to see what El Capitan’s graduating class of 460 does next.
“My message to them is to continue to be a lifelong learner and find ways to leave their legacy throughout their life,” Cope said.
