San Andreas grads share a laugh during their ceremony and Tenille Ramirez sings the National Anthem to the crowd at the San Andreas graduation at the Veterans Memorial Building.
For more pictures of the event, check out our photo gallery.
The graduating seniors of San Andreas High School closed a chapter of their lives on Thursday. But as far Principal Angel Rivera is concerned - the book has only begun.
"You are now free to roam about the world," Rivera told the crowd of 95 graduates and 500 spectators at the Veterans Building during the commencement ceremony for San Andreas High School.
The seniors filed in the building in a long line, each face showing different emotions. They were dressed in dazzling white caps and gowns and after some heartfelt words from their teachers and classmates, they flipped their yellow tassels from right to left and became high school graduates.
"Class of 2008, we did it!" said senior Kevin Burgess, addressing the crowd during his farewell speech.
Before the ceremony, Rivera, with a broad smile beaming across his face, said he was "ecstatic" to see his first class at San Andreas finish their studies.
"For all the obstacles they've been through and all the times they never gave up, now they can finally say, 'I did it.'"
Isaias Sanchez said he graduated along with three of his cousins and was planning to head to trade school, get a good job and raise a family here in San Benito County.
As Sanchez was posing for pictures after the ceremony, friends and relatives were eager to stand next to the graduate.
"I always knew I could make it," he said. "I'm just glad to finally be done."
Corp. Juan Reyes of the United States Army and a San Andreas alumn stopped by the graduation to see some friends graduate. Just back from his first tour in Iraq, and off for a second in two weeks, Reyes said his time at SAH had a positive effect on his life.
"San Andreas gave me the fundamentals of life," he said. "It helped me get into the army and that will help me get into college. It's nice to come back see my friends graduate, too."
Ben Green, Burgess' father, was all smiles after the ceremony. Standing among a group of congratulating relatives and friends, Green said he hopes to send his son to Gavilan College in the fall.
"I've been very impressed by San Andreas and what it's done for Kevin," Green said. "I'm really proud of him and ready to watch him succeed."
Scholarships, awards
Principal Scholarship: Jake Miller
San Andreas High School Scholarships: Nancy Delgado, Marie Parker
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San Andreas: 'We did it!'
