Atascadero, Coast Union high schools celebrate Class of 2025. See the photos
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- Templeton honored 83 graduates from three alternative education programs.
- Graduates pursued college, trades, apprenticeships and cosmetology.
- Templeton Adult School recorded its largest graduating class with 37 students.
Hundreds of San Luis Obispo County students crossed the threshold into their futures after a flurry of high school graduation ceremonies Tuesday and Wednesday night.
The Coast Union and Atascadero school districts both celebrated their newest class of graduates while Templeton and Lucia Mar school districts held ceremonies for their alternative education schools.
The students are headed down diverse paths, ranging from community college to trade school to four-year universities. Many plan to stay right in their own backyard, heading to Cuesta College or Cal Poly.
Other students are headed straight into the workforce or into apprenticeships.
Tuesday and Wednesday marked some of the first major high school graduation ceremonies of the season. Others, including those for Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo schools, are scheduled in the coming days.
Coast Union High School
One of Coast Union High School’s largest class of seniors in years — 46 grads — got their diplomas Wednesday afternoon before heading off to futures as diverse as studies and careers in astrophysics, medicine, underwater welding and flight school.
Once again ahead of graduation, colorful congratulatory banners hung from flag posts along Cambria’s Main Street downtown, one for each graduate.
Wearing the usual school colors of red and gold in the high school multi-purpose room, the grads were greeted and saluted by school officials, valedictorian Uriel Vargas Leon and salutatorian Sean Schalk, among others.
Those two high-achievers and 11 other Coast grads will attend four-year colleges, according to counselor Samantha Brossette.
Vargas Leon will attend UC San Diego to study astrophysics while Schalk will study biology at Cal Poly before heading to med school, she said.
Other colleges on the list include Chapman, University of Denver and Tarleton State University in Texas, while the California universities on Coast grads’ itineraries include those in Northridge, Chico, Sacramento, Monterey Bay and Fullerton, Brossette said.
Two students will attend military colleges, she said, while Cuesta and other community colleges are ahead for 27 of the grads.
Atascadero High School
Another 306 students turned their tassels Wednesday night as they graduated from Atascadero High School.
The ceremony celebrated the school’s valedictorian, Kieran Dolan, and salutatorian, Nathan Robasciotti.
Across the graduating class, students earned a total of $265,900 in scholarships, according to administration.
Around 36 students from Atascadero’s graduating class will be attending four-year universities — including 10 students who will be attending Cal Poly, and one who is headed to the prestigious Harvard University.
Another 143 students will be attending community colleges, and the majority — 138 students — are headed to Cuesta College.
Four students will take their talents to trade schools and another two students have enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to the district.
Atascadero alternative schools
Meanwhile, Atascadero’s alternative schools also celebrated more than 90 graduates this week — 33 from Paloma Creek High School and another 61 from ACE Academy.
The graduates included one junior, Sam Ramirez, who graduated early, according to the district.
The students earned a total of 29 scholarships across both schools.
Graduates from Paloma Creek will spread out to trade schools, Cuesta College and the military, while several ACE graduates plan to attend four-year universities including West Texas A&M, Cal Poly, Montana State University, Arizona State University and San Francisco State University.
This year’s ACE valedictorian was Dakota Kennedy and the salutatorian was Fauna Baro.
ACE also graduated Asher Pauls, who will leave high school with not only a high school diploma, but also two associate degrees from Cuesta College, according to the district.
Templeton alternative schools
Over 80 students celebrated major milestones at Templeton’s alternative education graduation ceremony Tuesday night.
The graduates included 37 students from Templeton Independent Study High School, nine from Eagle Canyon High School and another 37 from the Templeton Adult School, according to Debby Garcia, the district’s principal of alternative education.
Some students from Templeton Independent Study High School are headed to Cuesta College, four-year universities or technical schools, Garcia said. Others are heading straight into the workforce with certificates earned during their high school careers, and some others are entering the military.
All nine students from Eagle Canyon have plans for after graduation, Garcia added.
Six will be enrolled at Cuesta College. One is headed to cosmetology school in Paso Robles, one is entering an ultrasound program in San Luis Obispo and the last has committed to an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Meanwhile, the 37 graduates from Templeton’s adult school marked the school’s largest graduating class, Garcia said.
Some of those adult graduates will take their new diplomas to Cuesta College, cosmetology school, the military or to jobs at Cal Fire and the Department of Corrections, Garcia said.
Lucia Mar alternative schools
Lucia Mar’s Lopez Continuation High School also celebrated a slew of graduates Wednesday night.
More than 70 students made up Lopez’ Class of 2025 — including 22 who earned scholarships totaling $25,000, according to information provided to The Tribune by the district.
The largest share of graduates — 29 students — will attend community college after graduation, spread between Cuesta, Allan Hancock and Santa Barbara City College. Another 17 students will pursue vocational trades after graduation, and five students are slated to enter the military.
Six juniors were among the graduating class, including salutatorian Breanna Nicholson, who was also awarded a scholarship from the Oceano Elks club. Nicholson will pursue a career in cosmetology, according to the district.
Alexi Hutchinson was the school’s valedictorian and earned the Melfred Borzall scholarship award, according to the district. Hutchinson is headed to Allan Hancock College.
Lucia Mar also celebrated 26 adults who graduated from the district’s adult education program Tuesday, and another 34 who graduated from Pacific View Academy.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 9:00 PM.
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