SOLEDAD — Graduation day at Soledad High School brought thousands of people to Gene Martin Stadium bright and early Saturday morning for the 26th Annual Commencement.
Seating and parking filled up fast with parents, extended families and friends attending to celebrate this year’s 340 graduates.
The June 13 ceremony began with school staff entering the field just ahead of the Class of 2026 seniors. The staff cheered as the soon-to-be graduates took their final walk together one last time.
After the Soledad High NJROTC group presented the colors, senior Sophia Hernandez sang a beautiful rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.” Soledad Principal Phillip Menchaca then welcomed all in attendance, including parents, staff and members of the Soledad Unified School District Board of Trustees and the Soledad City Council.
Career Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator Martha Pantoja took to the podium to present this year’s scholarship recipients. There were 26 scholarships given out to the seniors graduating. Soledad teacher Edith Diaz then recognized the students that were California Scholarship Federation Life Members.
This year there were three students that were honored as co-salutatorians. These students were: Kaitlyn Mak, Juan Pizano and Claire Rains.
“I want to personally thank my coaches for strengthening my mind-set, my teachers for believing in me, and my friends for always understanding me, even when I said nothing at all,” Mak said. “I want to thank my family, especially my mom and dad for always being there for me and my sister for putting up with me every day. And to everyone in the audience, thank you for being here, whether it be for me, you, including all of you way in the back. We appreciate you.”
Pizano gave a light-hearted speech thanking his classmates for their friendship and the great memories they made throughout the years.
“I know I wouldn’t be standing here today without the support of my loved ones,” Pizano said. “I first want to thank all my friends, I don’t know how I would have been able to survive high school without you guys. Thank you for all the laughs and for all the memories we have made these last four years.”
Rains asked her classmates to remember this day that they are sharing together.
“Every single person that is sitting in the field in front of me will choose a path to guide the rest of their lives, and that path could be completely different to the person sitting next to them. In fact, it probably is,” Rains said. “After the summer or even as soon as you walk out the school grounds today in an hour or two, we will all be starting a new chapter in our lives, so no matter how excited you are to go to college, trade school or simply graduate high school, make sure to take today to your greatest advantage and soak up the interactions you have with others today as they may just be the last. I hope you live your last day as a high school student to the fullest. Thank you and congratulations to the Class of 2026.”
The last student speaker of the day was Connie Zavala-Lopez, who was this year’s class valedictorian. Zavala-Lopez gave a special recognition to her mother during her speech.
“Many of us have loved ones that are here today, that have put their own dreams on hold for our own,” she said. “That doesn’t mean their own dreams disappeared, but that they continue to live their lives in us, through every achievement, every smile, every small moment. So, I urge you all that anything you do outside of this campus, do it with purpose. Even if you don’t have it all figured out, it’s OK. I bet they didn’t either. Success looks different to all of us, but it always starts out the same way, with someone who refuses to give up. For some of us, that was someone that is sitting in these stands today. So, believe in yourself and keep going because there is always someone out there that has been giving you their everything and believing in you everyday.”
The morning graduation concluded with the presentation of the diplomas and the traditional turning of the tassels by the 2026 graduates. Parents and friends were then allowed on the field to celebrate the occasion with them.
