Written by: Vivek Sharma, Edited by: Sophia Zhang
Pomp and Circumstance rang through the air as Evergreen Valley High School’s (EVHS) graduates walked into the auditorium and sat in their assigned seats. The day they had been dreaming of throughout their high school careers was finally here. The class of 2023 spent over one and a half years of high school online and had to transition to in-person learning right after that. Nevertheless, they successfully pushed through and succeeded, earning many awards and distinctions, performing well academically, and making many friends and memories throughout.
This year, the graduation ceremony was held in San Jose State University’s (SJSU) Event Center, a large indoor venue with the capacity to accommodate up to 7,000 guests. The graduation was also streamed live on YouTube. Parents, guardians, friends, and family lined the seats, eagerly waiting to spot their graduate and waiting for the name of their graduate to be called.
Unfortunately, due to the SJSU Event Center’s limited capacity, tickets quickly sold out, leaving some families without tickets. Some students desperately asked their classmates if they had any extra tickets, and if they were lucky enough, some students were able to find some. Graduate Akash Agrawal was one of those students, when we asked about his struggles, he stated, ‘I heard that they sold all the tickets, so I asked around for people who had extra grad tickets. I did find them at the last minute.’ Fortunately, EVHS gave each graduating senior two tickets, allowing them to bring two guests for free.
As the ceremony began, the SJSU Event Center’s stands were filled, and a lengthy line ran out of the entrances. While it was warm outside, the AC system inside the event center kept everyone relatively comfortable. This was a stark contrast to last year’s graduation which was held during the summer in PayPal Park, an open-air stadium.
The graduates stand in their assigned spots, with school and district staff on the stage. [EVHS Graduation 2023 Live Stream/SJSU Event Center]
The graduation was largely a success as everything went smoothly, at least from the audience’s end. The graduates walked in and sat in their assigned seats with their leis and sashes denoting various honors and student organizations they are a part of. While the graduates were walking in, Pomp and Circumstance was being performed by the EVHS conservatory, wind ensembles, and symphonic band directed by Maritza Spieller.
The EVHS conservatory, wind ensembles, and symphonic band, all directed by Maritza Spieller. [Vivek Sharma/EVHS Newspaper]
Then, principal Kyle Kleckner gave the welcome address, formally introducing himself, East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) superintendent Glenn Vander Zee, and ESUHSD board trustee Brian Do, all of whom were also on stage. Shortly after, the national anthem was performed by the EVHS bands.
After the national anthem was played, principal Kyle Kleckner gave the commencement address, where he congratulated the class of 2023 on coming so far and overcoming obstacles such as the COVID-19 lockdown and distance learning.
Principal Kyle Kleckner gives the commencement address. [EVHS Graduation 2023 Live Stream/SJSU Event Center]
After the commencement address, Kleckner introduced the associated student body (ASB) president and graduate Lauren Mendoza, who gave a speech discussing the experiences they had and how they made the best of what they had. Then class president Kate Tseng gave a speech reflecting on the experiences they built and all that they had accomplished.
Finally, associate principal Shelby Edwards announced the valedictorians who would be speaking, Joanna Le, who asked the graduates to reflect on this moment and reminded them that they have a bright future ahead of them, Saad Asad, who asked everyone to look back and recognize where we’ve come from and those who have helped us, and Rithika Ramesh, who reminded us that graduating high school is just one of many changes in our lives, and we still have a lot ahead of us. Last but not least, the names of the graduates were read aloud by teachers Mr. Lubbs, Mr. Hernandez, and Mr. Buliach. The graduates came up on stage to pick up their diploma holders and posed with a handshake with either Mr. Kleckner or Ms. Edwards.
Graduates line up and receive their diploma holders on-stage. [Anonymous source]
After all the graduates had gone up on stage, Mr. Kleckner went up and declared them graduates, and they moved their tassels to the left side of their caps. Caps were thrown up above as smoke and confetti were launched up in the air. The seniors had now finally graduated high school.
A teacher poses with a graduate after the graduation ceremony. [Anonymous source]
During their time at EVHS, these graduates have developed many experiences, connections, and relationships. Graduation marks a pivotal moment of transition for the next stage in their lives, be it college, trade school, the military, or a job. While many graduates will have to say goodbye to their peers, classmates, and high school years, they can still rest assured, knowing that those memories and the skills they learned will always be with them.
To commemorate this momentous occasion for our seniors, we interviewed some seniors and asked them to both briefly reflect on their high school career, and provide one piece of advice to their underclassman self. ‘Just take it easy, don’t stress too much, and have fun, high school is something you will only experience once in your life. Step out of your comfort zone, do things that will make you more confident, and cherish your friends because some can last a lifetime.’ - Minh Vuong ‘In terms of school, you get what you put into it. The more work you put into yourself, the more you will get out of it. Put a lot more effort in school and my hobbies, so that you get a lot more long-term development.’ - Akash Agrawal
‘Take more community college classes rather than APs.’ - Joshua Ng
‘Do and plan more. There was much I missed in high school, and I wish I had done it sooner.’ - Jason Lin
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