001[Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] oh okay [Music] you may be seated good afternoon parents family members staff students and dignified guests welcome to the 2022 gilbert high school and auhsd independent studies commencement ceremony my name is maria nelias mesa and i will be your master of ceremonies today is a special day and when we are excited to celebrate together today's ceremony is being live streaming will remain on the district's youtube channel to view at your convenience it is so great that we can all be here together to celebrate the class of 2022 and without further ado let us begin at this time i would like to introduce juan agras and andera raso who will lead us in the pledge of allegiance after the pledge of allegiance please remain standing for our
002national anthem will the audience please rise for the pledge of allegiance and please remain standing while we play our national anthem place your right hand over your heart ready begin i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all please remain standing while we play our national anthem [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Applause] thank you please be seated i would like to begin the ceremony by introducing george benitez as he will read the decorum statement [Music] [Applause] good afternoon families this ceremony is both a joyous and solemn occasion please let us remember to be courteous to those around us we need to be respectful to our seniors during the ceremony so no air horns
003or noise makers please remain seated while filming or taking photos and remember to keep the recording device at chest level to not impede the vision of others seated around you please keep the aisle or walkway open throughout the ceremony thank you thank you george and i would like to introduce our distinguished guest i would like to introduce and welcome mr al jabar president of the board of trustees [Applause] mr brian o'neill clerk of the board of trustees miss anne-marie randall trejo member of board of trustees dr jaron fried assistant superintendent educational services [Applause] dr nancy nien assistant superintendent business mr jose lara coordinator principal of alternative education and our amazing graduation student speakers we would also like to welcome and thank you dr egan's director subpoena student support services ms amy maya coordinator special youth
004services mr joe saldana program administrator attendance and safety scott rundle mbct coordinator 21st century career readiness sarah anderson title ix coordinator are teachers administrators counselors and all the other wonderful school staff who have supported the graduating class of now please welcome our first senior class speaker matthew lingle [Applause] good afternoon friends family and most importantly the class of 2022. i am matthew lingle and i'm a part of this very special graduating class i'd like to take this moment to thank everyone for being here as we prepare to move on from high school and into the next chapter of our lives this graduating class you see before you has endured many battles to be here both personal and shared through those battles we can finally say we've won we went through a lot together the ups
005and the downs from experiencing online schooling because of coven 19 to readjusting the school back on campus to being here today receiving our diplomas some of our struggles have also been personal like having to suffer through the loss of someone close to you or maybe that pesky class you just didn't want to show up to some of us are still fighting that fight but trust me keep going you're fighting that good fight gilbert high school is unlike any other campus i've seen or been a part of sure gilbert looks like any other school but you truly need to be a part of the environment to understand this begins with the biggest piece of the puzzle here the staff the staff here isn't like anywhere else there are places like our previous schools where you and
006i have felt essentially drowned out among the sea of voices but here teachers and staff listen and make sure that no matter what the issue is you'll be sent in the right direction to get the help you need there are many people who made getting here today possible like my english teachers from the past year for allowing me to find myself through my writing without them i wouldn't have the chance to be speaking here today so from the bottom of my heart thank you i'd like to thank my family and friends for being there through thick and thin to get me here to this spot my family has been there to see me go through the good times and the bad no matter how big the task was i'd also like to thank the amazing
007people on the esports team i'm a part of the comets the people i've met thanks to the comets have made a lasting impression on me that shows me that i matter you've offered me for what the past year has felt like another home these people have shown me nothing but trust respect and love i am proud and blessed to call these people my friends so andy matt stephen and william thank you all of us here have special people to thank please take this moment to hold them all close to your heart and gratitude i'd also like to take a moment to talk about what's next for us some of us here may plan on going straight into the workforce some are looking at college and some may not have a single idea on what you
008want to do next no matter what the next step is for you make it count this is your life now you call the shots this graduation day is also important to the community around us for a couple of reasons this is a new group of people who are going to be your college classmates your co-workers your next anything and everything the possibilities for this class are endless if we can get through the kova 19 pandemic in our own personal battles to be here then just think about what we can do now that the sky's the limit there's a quote that i'd like to share with everyone today steve jobs once said you can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards so you have to trust that the dots will somehow
009connect in your future you have to trust in something your gut destiny life karma whatever so you just have to trust in something this approach has never let me down and it has made all the difference in my life today i hope you connect your dots there's also another quote i'd like to share with you today throughout the year at gilbert we continuously heard that this is the way these quotes speak to me i believe that there is no way to ever know what the future holds for you likewise there is no way to force what you want to happen life is always going to be changing you just have to take on the battles and go with the flow of life finally i would like to congratulate the class of 2022 one more time
010on making it to the finish line we spent countless hours inside those classrooms pushing through our classes day by day week by week to finally say we've done it looking back at all we've gone through and done to get to this point we can all agree that this was no small task some of us have sacrificed more than others for today and that's okay the road laid out for us isn't for everyone and that is okay in the end we can all say we did it thank you and now please welcome elvie viegas our next class speaker [Applause] good afternoon everyone my name is elvi villegas and i am a part of independent studies i'd like all the class of 2022 to give themselves a big round of applause and including their family and staff
011because you guys have been through so much after everything we've been through we're still sitting here today we've made it and are still going through a pandemic we've had to go through a lot these past two years many of us had to work from home or even lost jobs because of covid school work had to be done at home where we couldn't find a quiet place to study and some of us fell behind a lot we had to learn how to adapt and that's what you have to learn how to do everywhere we have to learn how to adapt at a new job a new school and new locations and we've had much practice from this experience many of us are still recovering from staying home for so long maybe being hot today here today
012is hard for you because there are too many people here your anxiety may be going through the roof but the fact that we're all here today is because we push hard to get here no matter the circumstance you may be dealing with mental health issues or financial troubles at the moment and have been for years but your endurance and determination has gotten to to get to you where you are today you can do anything you set your mind to you wanted straight a's you got you got it because you worked hard you got your first job and you got over anxiety when you want something bad enough you'll get it done no one can stop you keep that mindset that no one can stop you from what you want to achieve everyone has different goals
013what might be small to you might be big to somebody else but once you start believing that you're good enough to do whatever you want the sooner your results will shine and you'll feel proud of yourself not only will your progress shine but you yourself will shine as well i hope we can all succeed in achieving what we want in our lives it's been hard but it'll only make your stress path stronger many of us are undecided in what path we should take or what we want to pursue but as soon as we get that passion for something we can achieve it and we can make our dreams and goals come to life do what makes you happy in the end you will be more successful in what brings you joy whether it's in a
014job relationships or anything you can have control of and in saying that take control of your life don't let anyone tell you even yourself that you can't get something done once you put that thought in your mind that you can't do something you most likely won't but if you have the mindset to do it and be the best that you can be that's what will happen i'm not saying that you will be the best at everyone because no one really can but strive to be the best that you can at whatever you're doing be pleased with who you are as long as you're happy with yourself no one can tell you otherwise now ladies and gentlemen that's my school life but my home life is filled with warmth and love my parents aunts uncles my
015brothers sisters nephews nieces cousins and many friends have made me be the successful person i am today they've encouraged me not only to take care of myself but others as well and a special thank you to my strong pillars my parents that are with me through thick and thin not only have they fulfilled me with gifts but with love empathy and support and i couldn't have done anything with them without them every experience in my life so far i have been able to share with them and i hope to keep on doing so and i can't wait for the day for us to all realize and look behind and say wow i really did that look how far i've come so keep pushing forward and make yourself proud congratulations class of 2022 i'm so proud
016of you thank you and now i would like to introduce fabian espinosa [Applause] good afternoon everyone i would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the entire class of 2022. the admiration i have for you and your perseverance and triumph over your adversity is beyond anything i've ever witnessed from my fellow classmates i'd like to shine a spotlight on the faculty and staff here at gilbert high school which ranges from the security staff on our campus to our very own social workers and counselors i want to especially thank every single one of the teachers on this campus whether i had your class or if you gave me a welcoming smile on hello as i walked by you are very much appreciated when people found out i went to gilbert they were in disbelief and to
017be quite honest with everyone i felt the same way i myself always talk down on gilbert and believe that if you went there then there was something wrong with you i vividly remember putting my own brother down until i came here firsthand and realized gilbert is not what people say it is it is more than just a continuation school it's a community i'd like to give a special thank you to my family more specifically my older brother carlos espinoza who also attended gilbert high school and who encouraged me to wake up every morning and continue to strive for greatness my opinion of gilbert had been solely based on others words and opinions imagine how many times we have humans made assumptions without knowing the beauty or potential another person holds within them rather we judge
018them by their appearance by what others have said about them i am sure many of you have struggled with your own battles i too have struggled with mine every single person here has a story and today i'd like to share mine with you i call this the beauty of life you come into this world without asking you don't choose the circumstances you're born into as a child i didn't understand this growing up was challenging i constantly heard my parents talk about being short on rent or not having enough money for food i remember having to sneak food from school back home and sometimes i would get bullied because of it i remember being put down for the clothes or the shoes on my feet something no child should ever have to go through a core
019memory of my childhood is spending christmas without food or lights on in my home like all of you i had something to hold on to i found solace in music and football even though i wasn't consistent i was i was consistently reminded that i was too small to play football and i would like to add that i won mvp and was even called up to play varsity football boy for all the naysayers wrong this motivated me to keep waking up for school even after a rough night sleep on the couch or not having a meal to look forward to maneuvering through life with a positive attitude became my greatest asset i learned that no matter how terrible things may get there are better days i also understand that everyone has their own story whether they
020build them up or break them down is on that individual having empathy for another story helped me to truly comprehend my own when i sadly lost my grandpa due to kovid and my hero my brother lost his baby due to a miscarriage i faced adversity and took the pain headstrong despite the tool this took on my mental health and this taught me how to truly empathize with others now i understand my parents struggle which was difficult for all of us but not a day goes by that i don't appreciate that lady and that old man that i call my mother and father i am honored to be standing up here speaking to all of you i thank each and every one of you and i acknowledge each of your stories i greatly applaud you and
021know that we are all grateful to our teachers for helping us get here i'd like to close by saying no one is perfect and everyone has a story i'm a young man learning and growing from his past and i'll strive and continue to be open-minded as i graduate and share my knowledge with those who are still learning the meaning of life as we walk down the path to be greeted with our diplomas i encourage everyone to look forward and never back as we continue our journey after high school thank you once again and a big round of applause to the class of 22. now please welcome denise vu [Applause] good afternoon my name is denise fu i'm an independent studies student from kennedy high school i would like to take the time to congratulate the
022class of 2022. we made it the challenging work that we've all put in the stress that we've endured the personal struggles of everyday life to finally get to this point today is the day we push all that aside and celebrate our achievements as alternative ed students many of us experience different obstacles and life challenges that we had to overcome at one point or another for many the challenges and obstacles we faced included but were not limited to the ever-changing covet-19 rules and regulations the anxieties and stress caused by demands of schools extracurricular activities your peers work and just life in general in the end we come out of it getting more knowledge and experience than what we had before we learned to appreciate our efforts as well as those who have helped us come this
023far personally one of the challenges that i faced was the devastating loss of my percy my absolute everything as i struggled to overcome this personal loss i began losing energy and motivation i once had due to this empty feeling in my heart it left me struggling to stay afloat emotionally and physically luckily i was able to grab at a small light at the end of the tunnel and reach out to my families teachers and counselors for help they were the ones that gave me love and support and the strength i needed in any way they could i'm truly thankful for them this made my transition to getting my life back a little bit easier and tackling school when i attempted to go back to a traditional school environment i thought to myself how could school
024be so important when i was dealing with the aftermath of what seemed to be an earth-shattering matter eventually i had to attend school i dreaded this task i would have to focus and use every ounce of brain matter to do assignments be sociable and pretend to function every action every emotion was a circle in the past i used to enjoy learning being around people and socializing i was fond of company and friendship i received when i was around my peers overall going to school used to be a pleasant experience on my first day back i did not even last two periods into the school day all the stress that came with school completely took over i went to go see my counselor and together we went over the challenges that i was facing with at
025school and at home we came up with a solution that would best benefit me we decided to try out independent studies a unique program designed and catered to each individual student's needs so i enrolled in that program and found it was a great fit for me if anyone asked if i recommend this program i would say yes a thousand percent i had the emotional support care and felt the passion from every faculty member involved i am touched by how dedicated they are and doing what they love to do this unparalleled dedication from everyone in the is program is what gave me the courage to find the strength to carry on as for how the program was it blew away all my expectations i was able to schedule my work to fit my needs my teacher
026gave me his help and support the entire program including after hours evenings and on weekends i've never heard of this before finally i would like to give a special thanks to a few people although they specifically did not ask me to say this i want to start off with the one and only mr okula he made my high school experience as wonderful as it was by giving me the support i needed whether that was academically or emotionally which helped me power through dark times he always believed in me which gave me what i needed to make it this far i see the way i as teachers interact with their students and families of their students if more time were allotted for additional speakers i'm certain everyone here can say the same or similar about their
027teachers to that end i would like to extend my appreciation to all the teachers and faculty members who have given me guidance and shared kindness with me lastly and definitely not least a big thank you to the to my family for giving me unconditional love that they've shown me with everyone's support i'm able to stand here today and deliver this speech and celebrate our accomplishments so thank you fellow students remember to thank who have helped you come overcome challenges because you will not be here without them again congratulations everyone to the graduating class of 2022. and last but not least welcome juan at grass to recite his graduation poem [Applause] good afternoon everybody in attendance my name is juana grace before i recite my poem i would like to thank the people who have helped
028me throughout my time in gilbert high school so thank you ms gomez chef jasmine miss rossett ms gaitan mr sandoval rodriguez miss cecelia mrs mauson mr cowan and last but not least miss reese thank you all for everything you have done for me and now without further ado i would like to present my poem for the class of 2022. juan and now the english version for the class of we deserve to be here as i think of the wild journey i've been on and all the miles i had to walk i look at my shoes and see how much they worn off i look at the people that surround me and i can't imagine what they went through four years went by and look how much we grew as students as friends as human beings
029all mixed feelings sadness and having no passion to happiness and satisfaction we fought countless battles from battling kobe 19 to seeing the closest people leave as kids we had ridiculous dreams and as teenagers this was one of the wildest dreams people said we couldn't some said we shouldn't but we thought we could and we did because we said we would and look at us now in our caps and gowns now look at your shoes they got you here helped you conquer fear help us get through and say i deserve to be here thank you thank you juan that was beautiful and now please welcome our principal to the podium mr jose lara welcome good afternoon parents caregivers and staff welcome to the gilbert and independent studies high school commencement ceremony for the class of 2022.
030my name is jose lara and i'm the coordinator of alternative education i would like to take a moment to thank mr matuta superintendent of the anaheim union high school district board of trustees and cabinet for the opportunity to recognize our graduating seniors i would also like to take a moment to recognize the parents and caregivers of a graduating class who have supported their students over the course of the past four years and especially during the last leg of their journey as have as we have returned to in-person instruction thank you parents muchas gracias familias these past four years you have demonstrated grit and perseverance you have overcome the effects of a global pandemic and continued your education you have demonstrated students as cesar chavez once said yes we can the lessons you have learned over
031the past few years will serve you well into the future congratulations class of 2020-22 congratulations as you continue on to your journey to reach your unlimited you now i would like to recognize the following student groups graduates when your group is called please rise and remain standing until all groups have been made so all students who have their a through g requirements met please stand all students who have academic honor candidates please stand stay standing please please remain standing we want all students to who have stood to please remain standing our student ambassador please stand asb please stand students who have completed the career and technical education pathway please stand students that completed the dual language academy please stand students who have completed the goal certificates recipients please stand students who have received the golden
032state steal of merit please stand if you are one of our scholarship recipients please stand if you have received the syllabi literacy and try literacy please stand if you have received a seal of civic engagement please stand congratulations students for all your accomplishments please join me in honoring all the graduation seniors who have made many great contributions to the community in schools please have a seat gradually congratulations class of 2022 you did it graduates we have arrived to the moment you have been waiting for i would like to once again introduce our dignitaries who are presenting our diplomas to our graduates students please prepare to receive your diplomas i want to recognize board of trustee president mr al-jabbar proto-trustees clerk mr brian o'neill o'neil i'm sorry about that board of trustee member anne marie randell
033trejo announcing the graduates will be teacher miss maribel and teacher mr rob nakayama please respect our graduates and hold your applause until all names have been read jorge benitez juan agras matthew lingle andrea denise [Music] fabian espinoza [Music] cesar sanchez [Music] [Applause] mendez mia baka [Music] jordan moss beside flores jonathan carrillo brian palmer pete garcia noemi alcantara verdeen [Music] johanna dominguez tia sharma chloe plummer [Music] danitzia torres [Music] jose rose [Music] martinez savannah molemaster camila peta yvette flores [Music] michaela valentine [Music] jaylene albir [Music] olivares emmanuel hernandez garcia angel manzo ashton nieves [Music] maria pineda [Music] brenda calderon juan torres [Applause] nathan aldapa julian bravo [Applause] [Music] [Applause] raynette martinez vanessa romero melissa de jesus nalida pineda [Music] lucas duram [Music] pelagio pilford gabriel tovar david barnett [Music] damien mustafa [Music] anthony salazar justin lopez
034joseph vega christopher gomez aaron mendoza [Applause] diego martinez richard luna romeo price victor hernandez celine vanessa martinez [Music] juan macias michelle cordova lopez giselle grajales ethan galvan [Music] dominguez darin gonzalez [Music] nathan mercado christopher flores isabel dominguez [Music] [Applause] [Music] barajas alvarado bishop marchang blanca gamboa [Music] ivan munoz [Music] jonathan gonzalez ruben poncey [Music] kevin jacinto [Music] deborah [Music] daniel dorado [Music] angelina felice alvarez jacob taylor tania [Music] [Applause] [Music] carlos mendoza [Applause] luciana encinas [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] my yoga rodriguez felix martinez [Music] diaz [Music] gabriel martinez anthony guardado omar garcia santiago guerrero [Music] jose baez junior alvarez sirisi cervantes phil [Music] patricia hernandez mariah chavez [Music] class of 2022 please rise it gives me great honor to present the class of 2022 to the board of trustees for certification please welcome
035to the podium president the board of trustees mr al jabbar who will now certify the class all right class of 2022 please rise which you already have done perfect it gives me great honor to well that's not mine there you go all right certification as a trustee for the anaheim union high school district it is my honor and privilege to officially certify that the students present here today from the class of have all duly met the requirements of the state of california and have completed the prescribed courses of the study established by anaheim union high school district students you may now move your tassel from right to left congratulations [Applause] [Music] [Applause] thank you board of trustees president al-jabbar graduates please be seated [Music] thank you for attending the 2022 commencement ceremony for gilbert high
036school and auhsd independent studies families and friends please remain seated until all the graduates have recessed out of the stadium graduates please follow our distinguished guests as they exit the station stadium parents family members and friends our graduates were notified earlier to meet you at your vehicles after the ceremony remember to take all your belongings with you as you exit the stadium and enjoy the rest of your day congratulations class of 2022. we did it [Applause] [Music] now [Music] foreign [Music] so [Music] you