By Khalida Sarwari
The class that marched down to Herald Square in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and then again in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, the class that produced countless competition winners and high-achievers, the class that sang, designed and built, acted, scored, drew, painted, wrote and sprinted their way to earning that prestigious Saratoga High diploma donned their blue and white graduation caps with pride.
These achievements aside, the Saratoga High School class of 2016 was the class that cared, declared principal Paul Robinson.
Calling this class “one of the very best” the school has had, Robinson praised his students for their compassion and their leadership and for “showing up.”
“The one thing I love about you is how much you care,” he said. “You show it in a very quiet way. You stand up for one another. I need you to continue to care, because our world needs leaders that care.”
Robinson delivered his address on the football field, where the school’s 55th commencement ceremony took place on June 2. The program kicked off with the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” processional and was followed by a performance of “America the Beautiful” by the Saratoga High School bands and choir.
Students Luke Salin, Darby Williams, Kabir Manghnani and Meghan Shah delivered duet speeches that were in turns reflective, humorous and motivational.
Kabir and Meghan’s speech extended Robinson’s message of the culture of caring that’s been inculcated at Saratoga High.
“Here,” said Meghan, “friends dropped everything to help me when a program crashed or a project failed. Teachers went out of their way to be there for us. Earlier this year, Mr. Palma literally slept on the couch at one in the morning so [Media Arts Program] students could finish their projects.”
And it’s that kind of culture that makes students forego sleep to pursue their passions to the point of passing out “over a bowl of Lucky Charms at four in the morning,” said Kabir. In his case, it fueled his drive to build a robot.
“The first time we built a robot I was hooked,” he recalled. “All it did was throw a yoga ball–not even catch it–but it was all I wanted to work on. And as my teachers will tell you, it was all I worked on. But I was a kid in a playground, giddy with the excitement of something brand new.”
Following the presentation of the diplomas, the students were released to enjoy the second half of the first game of the NBA playoffs between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
“The NBA and Warriors in their infinite wisdom have scheduled a game tonight,” Robinson said to a cheering audience just minutes after tip-off. “My task is to get us out of here at least by halftime.”
The Warriors would go on to win that game 104-89, providing the cherry on top of what was already an exciting day for the class of 2016.
Link:
