SLO, Paso Robles, Nipomo high schools celebrate graduating students: ’For a better future’
Several more San Luis Obispo County high schools celebrated their graduating classes of 2022 on Friday — in, let’s say, “hot” fashion.
As a heatwave brought temperatures in the triple digits to the North County region, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Nipomo high schools each saw their stadiums filled with a sea of color as seniors collected their diplomas.
Other high schools around the county also celebrated their graduations: Independence and Liberty high schools in the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District waved goodbye to their seniors on ceremonies held Thursday, while Central Coast New Tech High School in the Lucia Mar Unified School District gave away diplomas in a ceremony on Saturday morning.
Paso Robles High School had 435 graduates walk across the stage Friday evening at its War Memorial Stadium, according to Principal Anthony Overton. That was the largest 2022 graduating class of any high school in San Luis Obispo County.
“It won’t be long until we have to fill the roles of the generation before us; it won’t be long until we are the ones modeling behaviors and relationships to the children of tomorrow,” said Paso Robles High School Associated Student Body President Malia Gaviola during the school’s commencement ceremony. “If we stand, no, rise together, we can promote a world where coming together despite differences is the norm.”
“We are the Bearcats that can stand ... for a better future,” she concluded, after asking all of the high school’s graduating class to stand and raise their hands together.
Earning the valedictorian spot was Tyler Woodard with a 4.83 grade-point average and who plans to attend the University of California at San Diego in the fall. Salutatorian Rayvin Wulfing earned a 4.79 grade-point average and plans to attend Belmont University.
Another 229 Bearcats plan to attend Cuesta College in the fall. Eleven will attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, while another 51 will go to other California State University campuses and 30 to a University of California school.
A total of 52 grads will attend private universities, 22 another community college and 22 will go to trade or technical schools.
A total of 108 plan to go right into the workforce, according to Overton.
Ten graduating seniors will enlist in the U.S. Army, while seven will go into the U.S. Navy, two in the U.S. Air Force, five in the U.S. Marines, one to the U.S.Coast Guard and three in the National or State Guard.
Paso Robles High grads earned a total of $272,000 in scholarhsips from more than 50 organizations, families and organizations, according to Overton.
Liberty, Independence high school grads earn diplomas
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District’s alternative education high schools, Independence and Liberty, both held ceremonies Thursday evening to celebrate their graduating classes.
A total of 117 students earned diplomas from Liberty High School, and another 47 earned diplomas from Independence High School, according to Sharon, who’s the principal of both schools.
“Congratulations to the Liberty and Independence high school graduating class of 2022!” said Principal Dan Sharon. “May the kindness, compassion and resilience you demonstrated throughout the year carry into the future and bring with it true fulfillment and success.”
About 50 students total across the schools enrolled in Cuesta College for the fall, and three have enlisted in the Army, Sharon said.
Liberty High School’s valedictorian was America Chavez Almanza and the salutatorian was Crystal Vega.
At Independence High School, Camila Canizales Lopez was valedictorian and Anastasia Delmastro earned salutatorian honors.
The schools presented $10,000 in local scholarships from the Anthony Brucia Success Award, Kayla Peach Memorial Foundation, Paso Robles Optimist Club, Rotary Club of Paso Robles and others during the Thursday evening ceremony.
San Luis Obispo High School graduating class
Further south, San Luis Obispo High School had 350 graduates earn their diplomas in a ceremony Friday evening at the school’s brand-new stadium.
Colin Guan earned the valedictorian honors and plans to attend Columbia University and the Julliard School to play cello. Jacob Zakaria earned salutatorian honors and will attend UC Berkeley.
More than half of San Luis Obispo High’s graduating class enrolled in four-year universities, with 50 attending Cal Poly.
Another 11% will attend University of California schools, and 140 will attend Cuesta College.
More than $300,000 in scholarships were awarded to the class of 2022 from local entities.
Nipomo, Central Coast New Tech high school celebrate class of 2022
And Nipomo High School celebrated its 206 graduating students in a ceremony held Friday evening at its stadium.
The school had eight valedictorians: Louis DiModica, Toireasa-Marie O’Rourke, Rilee Morrison, Julia Pedri, Leonardo Loyola Sanchez, Allyson Cramer, Paloma Leal Perez and Kacie Slover.
A total of 35 of the Nipomo High School grads enrolled in a four-year university for the fall, another 70 will go to Allan Hancock College and 31 to Cuesta College and other will attend trade or technical schools.
Three Nipomo High School grads enlisted in the U.S. Army.
More than $110,211 in scholarships was earned across 34 students at the school.
Another Lucia Mar Unified School District high school, Central Coast New Tech, celebrated its graduating class on Saturday morning at its Nipomo campus.
A total of 73 students graduated, with three valedictorians.
There, 24 students enrolled in a four-year university, 11 at Cuesta College, 15 at Allan Hancock College and others at trade or technical schools. Another six students plan to take a gap year.
A total of $39,550 in scholarships was earned by 19 seniors at the school.
This story was originally published June 11, 2022 at 10:00 AM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong location for Central Coast New Tech High School’s graduation ceremony in Nipomo on Saturday, June 11. The error has been corrected.
