ORANGEVALE, CA (MPG) – For the first time since 2019, Casa Roble Fundamental High School held an in-person graduation ceremony on Friday, June 3 at the school’s football stadium.

Graduates were expected to arrive on campus no later than 7 a.m. The ceremony was held Friday morning bright and early and started promptly at 8:35 a.m. As students began to line up in their navy-blue cap and gowns outside the gates surround the Rams’ football field, record messages from various seniors played over the speakers. Faculty wore all gray gowns with white sashes.

The ceremonial graduation music began and the seniors began entering the stadium in groups of four. The graduates walked across the 50-yard-line of the football field to get to their seats. Casa Roble art teacher Mike Jones was the MC for the ceremony and later made a speech after the first two student speakers.

Senior Alex Rojo gave the opening address.

“As we hold this celebration, let us recognize the people, the qualities and values that brought us here today,” Rojo said. “Our friends and family as well as our teachers were there for us every step of the way. In fact, one of the most memorable aspects of this lovely school is how friendly and supportive our teachers are. Teachers who go above and beyond to help their students succeed, even if it means sacrificing personal time and working after school hours.

“We assume we have finished learning but we do not realize the lifelong process,” Rojo continued. “Our lives of independence and humility have only just now begun. Henry Ford once said, ‘Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.’”

The next student speaker was Ashton Vance.

“As we all sit here today, we had no idea what to expect four years ago,” Vance said. “We all thought we would have that typical high school experience we all heard from (our) parents and saw in movies as children. But unexpectedly, our whole world was hit by the coronavirus, changing our lives in all aspects.”

Vance later spoke about the several historic events that took place in the world over the last four years while her and her fellow graduates were high school students.

“We have endured not only COVID-19 but also raging protests, one of the most controversial elections in our history, mass shootings, global political issues and problems in other countries,” Vance said. “But in the end, we made it out and are sitting at our graduation that we are so fortunate to be getting. This is cliché to say but everything does happen for a reason as we all faced many hardships this past few years.”

After Jones spoke, he welcomed San Juan Unified School District Board President and Casa alumnus, Dr. Michael McKibbin, to the stage to make brief remarks. SJUSD Superintendent Kent Kern then certified the Class of 2022. Graduates then individually took the stage and heard their names call for their friends and family in attendance to cheer on.

Senior Ryan Payton made the ceremony’s closing speech. Senior Dylan Tinton made the changing of the tassel remarks before graduates moved their tassels from the right to left side and tossed their caps into the air. Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

A full stream of the graduation can be found on the Orangevale Live YouTube page.