SLO High celebrates the ‘newfound vision’ of 367 grads from Class of 2020
San Luis Obispo High School held an end-of-the-year celebration for its 367 graduating seniors on Friday, June 5, after putting off its formal ceremony until Aug. 8.
In lieu of the normal June graduation festivities, the students turned out for a two-hour, afternoon drive-through full of cheers, decorated cars and many smiling faces.
Students and their families rolled through the event, emceed by teacher Greg Ross, who offered personal congratulations and memories of each student or group of students in a vehicle.
“They never were afraid to tell me when I was wrong,” Ross said.
“How did you let your sister drive?” Ross said of twins Syndey and Bailey Frost.
Senior Trevor Marks earned Ross’ comment of “best mustache” in the class of 2020 as Marks rolled through the ceremony line in his family’s 1931 Buick.
Marks’ father, Trevor Marks, said the celebration was the best way to honor the graduates given the new normal of COVID-19 times.
“High school is four years of tough academics, drama, politics,” Marks said. “These seniors have weathered the storm and everyone is doing the best they can given an eventful time to celebrate this achievement.”
Riding in a red convertible with her family, Minea Olsson said graduation has left her feeling “relief.”.
“It’s time to start a new journey,” Olsson said.
A parent of another student standing nearby said this was the best graduation she’d seen yet, adding the caravan and vibe was simply “fun” and liked the social nature of the event, as some got out of their cars to mingle from a distance and snap photos and offer congratulations.
Principal remembers class of 2020
Principal Leslie O’Connor said the class will be remembered as one that endured a campus overhaul amid reconstruction and “dealt best with change, overcame stressful times and endured during a worldwide pandemic.”
“They transitioned into a brand-new math building, gymnasium and fitness center, a new student support services building, albeit for two short weeks,” O’Connor said. “Just when the thought of swimming in a new pool and performing in a brand-new theater was within their grasp, the coronavirus pandemic ripped those pleasures from their fingertips.”
O’Connor added the group will also be “remembered for their smiles, walks along the nature trail, and desire to build a culture of acceptance and inclusivity at our school.”
“Thank you to the Class of 2020, it is clear that you have a newfound vision of where you came from and where you are going,” he said.
High-achieving Class of 2020
Nearly half of SLO High’s grads, 182, will go on to attend four-year universities, with 57 of them heading to Cal Poly.
Another 140 will attend Cuesta College, taking advantage of the Promise scholarship program for all local graduates who come straight to Cuesta following their graduation. The scholarship offers two years of attendance free of fees (including two consecutive fall and spring semesters).
SLO High’s valedictorian for the Class of 2020 is Lulu Gu Dai, who earned a 4.536 grade point average and plans to attend UC Berkeley.
The salutatorians are Jake Robertson Browning, who is headed to UCLA; Julian Misha Ahlstrom who will Cal Poly ; and Addie Dora New-Schmidt who’s enrolling at Wellesley College. Each earned a 4.492 GPA.
Other SLO High grads will move on to Hancock College (two); Santa Barbara City College (two); and U.S. military branches including the Marines (two), Navy (one), Army (one), West Point (one) and full-ride ROTC (one). Six will join the workforce, and four will take gap years.
The total of $186,000 in scholarships was awarded to 48 students.
Pacific Beach High School
Pacific Beach High School graduated 23 students. No further information was provided by the school.
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 5:37 PM.
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