Celebration

 

— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees

Jocelyn Satterfield celebrates with the rest of Yosemite High School’s Class of 2002 after graduation ceremonies last week.

 

Grad night 2002!

Yosemite High School celebrates its new graduates

 

— Sierra Star/Cathie Campbell

Making their grand entrance piggy-back style, seniors Nathan Ronan and Tera McCullough participate in the processional in their own unique way.

— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees

Krystal Montoya helps put the tassel on Brandon Siegers’ mortarboard.

Diane Bopp, art teacher, adjusts the hat of graduating student Benjamin Tackabery before taking his picture.

 

— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees

Class of 2002 graduate and class speaker Joy Barney shares her thoughts and feelings about accomplishments and the future.

Class speaker Hilary Lucas addresses her classmates and audience during graduation ceremonies.

 

— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees

Seniors line up for the processional into the YHS stadium during last Wednesday night’s graduation ceremonies.

 

— Sierra Star/Cathie Campbell

Noah DeMoss and Joe Smith know how to prepare for

graduation without a lot of last-minute fuss, and take a few moments to relax before graduation ceremonies began.

 

 

— Sierra Star/Lacey Rees

John Dooman, age 5, smiles with his sister, Christan Dooman, a graduating senior.

 

by Lacey Rees and Cathie Campbell

of the Sierra Star

 

It happens every year — another high school graduating class turns the tassels, throws the caps and starts on the path leading to the future. But it’s always a unique experience because every class, just as every individual, brings different perspectives and experiences to light.

 

Yosemite High School’s Class of 2002, and hundreds of well-wishers, gathered last Wednesday night at the school’s football field to celebrate commencement exercises.

 

To the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” played by the Yosemite High School (YHS) Concert Band, 244 seniors marched into the staging area set up on the football field in view of proud parents, friends and teachers.

 

After the National Anthem, sung by the YHS Chamber Singers, Principal Steve Raupp opened with a welcome to those attending. He gave special thanks to Linda Heinbach, who worked tirelessly on the Sober Grad event, and the Lori Ralston DaySpa, for the donation of a 2002 Kia Rio.

 

Graduate Brandon Matthews, the “Voice of the Badgers,” spoke to the class and audience, re­counting the highlights of memorable sports and academic achievements of the past school year.

 

‘Always remember’

He mentioned the accomplishments of Justen Peek, Eric Stolp, Travis Ressler and Saranya Srinivasan, as well as the unforgettable Mountain Bowl, where YHS beat Sierra on Sierra’s own turf, the Valley Small School Championship, the Central Sequoia League Wrestling Championship (four years in a row) and Senior Ditch Week.

 

“Always remember and always have pride,” said Brandon to his classmates. “We’re the Class of 2002!”

 

Bill McCabe, superintendent of the Yosemite Union High School District, introduced the YUHSD Board of Trustees, which includes Tom Allcock, president, Burt McSwain, Karen Hutchings, David Hartesveldt and Dennis Adams.

 

Joy Barney, one of the class valedictorians, gave a warning to those going out against the world, saying their lives up to then had always been school and familiar faces.

 

“Yosemite High School has been our shelter; no matter what else was going on, there was always school,” she said. “It is now our turn to guide ourselves. Be yourselves, learn not to care what others think. You know what you are on the inside.

 

“Now we go into a world that doesn’t know us,” she said, warning of the dangers of “going with the flow, where you can be swept away or be consumed.”

She remembered her class’ freshman orientation, adding, “We’re all different people than we were when we walked onto this campus. Thank you for being a part of who I am. God bless.”

 

Mr. Raupp presented the students being recognized as National Honor Society members, valedictorians and International Baccalaureate full diploma candidates before introducing valedictorian speaker Saranya Srinivasan.

 

Saranya told her classmates that their high school experience made them “briefly unified, but forever brought together,” especially at that moment when Mr. Raupp directs them to move the tassels on their graduation caps.

She compared graduation to a challenging and exciting amusement park ride. “You either go through it or get off the ride.

 

‘Unique for a moment’

“This experience [graduation] is unique for a moment. We can forget our past and the future. We are together,” she added. “Tonight we are united as we were at the beginning, when we were all freshmen. Only after the ceremony will we be able to understand the significance.”

 

Graduates Josef Lukan and Amanda Mitchell, in both Italian and English, sang an emotional rendition of “The Prayer,” an Oscar-nominated song from “Quest for Camelot,” written by Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster.

 “Let this be a prayer, just like every child,” the words were sung. “Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace, give us faith so we’ll be safe.”

Their professional deliverance of the song inspired a standing ovation from their classmates and a deafening round of applause by all. Those in the audience commented to each other on the effect the song had on them long after it was over.

 

Before the diplomas were handed out, Hilary Lucas, class speaker and Associated Student Body president, mentioned in her speech the various colleges and universities, both within and out of state, where the Class of 2002 would be attending.

“We often ridicule our school for its size and location,” she commented, “but these are the things that make it great. We have so much potential. I will miss you,” she added, with a catch in her voice.

 

The future

The final realization of the Class of 2002’s four years of challenging and rewarding careers as high school students occurred when the diplomas were awarded to each and every one.

 

Cheers, balloons, camera flashes and hugs dominated the scene as YHS saw another part of its family say “good-bye” at the end of this adventure and “hello” to the beginning of another: the future.