CHS graduation Sunday, May 19

CHS Class of 2013 Validictorian Jacob Ash.
CHS Class of 2013 Validictorian Jacob Ash.

California's 127th High School class graduated on Sunday, May 19, with 85 of the 86 seniors taking the walk across the stage to receive the diplomas marking them as the Class of 2013.

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1st Impressions plays music with a Cajun feel.

Each of the girls carried a rose, the class flower.

The afternoon graduation included performances by the California High School Concert Band, the Senior Choir, joined by the Chamber Choir. Salutatorian Audrey Imhoff spoke of this being the Class of 2013 and how "13" is often considered bad luck. While the superstitious might think there is a need for a rabbit's foot, four leaf clover or, according to some cultures, a good luck cricket, Imhoff quoted someone who once said "Luck has never gotten me anywhere."

"You make your own luck by working hard to achieve results," she said. She then gave a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson, "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

Imhoff went on to say, "Let's show them what we can do."

"Luck," she said, quoting part of an Irish saying, "will be a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you."

Imhoff plans to study occupational therapy.

Valedictorian Jacob Ash spoke about what advice he would give to the younger students, "Make every moment of high school count. But I could say the same of all stages of life."

The future will come, whether a person does things or not, so his advice is to, "Start living your life from this day forward."

Ash plans to study mechanical engineering.

Class President Courtland Gerhart, using familiar themes and quotes from Dr. Seuss, encouraged the Class of 2013 to excel and then gave the signal for caps to be tossed in the air to resounding applause.

School Board President Steven Burger, Superintendent Dwight Sanders and High School Principal Mike Hight also spoke to the graduating seniors.

Without the graduating seniors, the Concert Band performed the Processional of "Pomp and Circumstance," the Recessional of "Rondo" from "Premiere Suite." With the seniors, the band performed "Where the Black Hawk Soars," by Robert W. Smith. The combined Senior and Chamber Choir, directed by Michele Bilyeu, sang "Omnia Sol" by Z. Randall Stroop Sr. The class had 31 members in the National Honor Society.

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Alyce Zottoli and Brittany Banker