Graduation Photos

It's the heart of graduation season and we've got grad photos.
Slide shows »

Richard Quinn / Special to the Star Nordhoff High Principal Dan Musick gives high fives to members of the senior class as they march into the stadium for the school's graduation ceremony Thursday.

Richard Quinn / Special to the Star Hollie Stanley smiles and waves at family members in the audience as she marches into the Nordhoff High School stadium for the school's graduation ceremony.

Beach balls, soap bubbles, cheers and diverse dreams flew through the night air Thursday as about 235 students graduated from Nordhoff High School in Ojai.

As the seniors thought about what they've accomplished and what lies ahead, some peered far into the future and envisioned careers as engineers or emergency room nurses. As one student spoke of one day owning a home and a green Lotus sports car, another dreamed of maybe working outdoors as a ranger.

Katherine Cresto, with a GPA of 4.238, is headed for USC and focused on a career in photography. She wants to travel around the world and work toward an even bigger goal: an appointment as an ambassador where she can help change the way her country is perceived.

"A lot of people don't think that highly of America," she said. "I want people to know it's not all Britney Spears. I'm proud of our country. And I'm proud of this class."

That pride was flying, too, at a ceremony that filled the school's sports stadium with onlookers bearing bouquets, balloons and teddy bears dressed as graduates.

Pat Rogers was there to cheer on her son, Shane Rogers. She wore a noisemaker looped around her neck, as did her husband and their daughter. And they planned to use them.

"Because this is a celebration," she explained.

Students spoke from a podium backed by a large video screen. They talked of dreams, responsibilities and accomplishments ranging from record-long field goals to the school career of Diego Silva. He immigrated to Ojai four years ago, not knowing a word of English. On Thursday, he gave the commencement address and is headed to UC Davis, where he'll study engineering.

"Thank you, Nordhoff High School," he said in a speech that like all others was greeted by applause and a hailstorm of beach balls.

There was a quote from the Bible, songs like "Forever Young" as well as insider references to Play-Doh brains and a skateboarder wearing a tuxedo as he rode to prom. Stories of the past were balanced by exhortations regarding the path ahead.

"You all have something to give," salutatorian Alexandria Anderson told her classmates, "something that will give color to our future and be uniquely ours."

And exactly what that is may still be unclear, said valedictorian Jessica Stern. It may be a career in science. It may be making magic in a kitchen with a spatula.

"The only advice I can give confidently is this: Find what drives you and don't quit," she said, a few moments later ending her speech with a line from a favorite teacher. "Well folks, our time together has come to an end. It's been grand."