Proud of their past and poised for their future, Laguna Blanca School’s 2008 graduates pose for posterity. (Brad Elliott photo / www.bradelliottweddings.com)

Laguna Blanca School held three festive celebrations last week with closing ceremonies at its Lower School, 260 San Ysidro Road, and Middle School, 4125 Paloma Drive, as well as the Upper School’s commencement proceedings. Upper School director Harry Sims, who has retired, was honored at the graduation ceremony, which featured Direct Relief International president and CEO Thomas Tighe as commencement speaker.

Class of 2008
Hannah Allen
Giuliana Banerjee
Nicholas Behrman
JoAnna Bourain
Catherine Carbone
Marika Carradine
Emily Davisson
Marisa Demourkas
Daniel DePaoli

Giuliana Banerjee accepts her diploma from Headmaster Doug Jessup. Retiring Upper School director Harry Sims, is at left, while commencement speaker Thomas Tighe, president and CEO of Direct Relief International is at right. (Brad Elliott photo / www.bradelliottweddings.com)

Ryan Emmons
Nicholas Fletcher
Gail Goldmuntz
Miranda Green
Daniel Gutsche
Christian Handley
Henry Handtmann
Madeline Hunt
Andrew Judson
David Katz
Kristin Kiefer
Ashley Lancashire
Patrick Lauer
Chad Makela
Colin Mattingly
Marisa Nicoletti
Duane Nordlund
Nathaniel Oliver
Felicia Palmer
Tatyana Parsons
Gregory Passani

(Brad Elliott photo / www.bradelliottweddings.com)

Trevor Pontifex
Simone Pruitt
Colin Rice-Dubin
Loren Risley
Kenya Rodriguez
Gabriela Rosales
Melissa Schmitt
Sean Shoemaker
Angela Sorensen
Paige Sorenson
Kameron Tarlow
Matthew Taylor
Luis Uriarte
Paris van den Akker
Frederick Weston-Smith
John Wright
Treven Yothers
Katherine Zitnik

Laguna Blanca graduates will be heading off to these schools in the fall: Brigham Young University, Brown University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Claremont McKenna College, University of Colorado at Boulder, Columbia University, George Washington University, Gordon College, Kenyon College, Lafayette College, Lake Forest College, Loyola Marymount University (2), Miami University of Ohio (3), New York University, Pennsylvania State University, Point Park College, San Francisco State University (2), Santa Barbara City College, Scripps College, Stanford University (2), UC Berkeley (2), UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA (2), UCSB, UC Santa Cruz (2), University of Denver, University of Pennsylvania, University of Puget Sound, University of Redlands, USC (2), Vassar College (2), Villanova University, Wesleyan University and Wheaton College (4).

(Brad Elliott photo / www.bradelliottweddings.com)

Eighth Grade promotions
Austin Abrams
Lauren Alef
Tabitha Bergerson
Brandon Bickett
Mackenzie Campbell
Alex Carlson
Erin Christie
Candice Coll
Lauren Conk
James Cornell
Ella Corpuz
Tanner Dalton
Eva Davis
Daniel Dooreck
Masie Duneier
Logan Elder
Milo Filip
Patrick Gainey
Kai Gamble
Alex Greer
Farinaz Hadian
Fiona Jessup
Luke Judson
Kimiya Mashhoon
Cameron Matthews

Commencement always offers plentiful photo opportunities. (Brad Elliott photo / www.bradelliottweddings.com)

Andrew McCaffery
Spencer Mikles
Nathalie Mitchell
Andrea Mullaney
Charlie Mullaney
Brianna Neese
Cameron Platt
Ryan Polito
Troy Ritter
Arianna Rodriguez
James Rosenberg
Cecily Sanchez
McKenzie Scarborough
Elise Scheuermann
Avery Schwartz
Sean Searls
Justin Shand
Conor Shannon
Haley Sternin
Thayer White

Lower School students beam at their end-of-school closing ceremony. (Kim Valentine photo)

Fourth Grade promotions
Chandler Aubery
Allison Bliss
Marissa Bonn
Serena Bonn
Bolden Brace
Luisa Cameron-Coats
Gabby Campbell
André Dongieux
Michael Hawker
Robert Hernandez
Ashley LeCron
Andrew Licata
Taggart Mills
Fritz Mora
Pierce O’Donnell
Lilla Petruska
John Puzder
Paul Robitaille
Talia Sanchez
Brandon Sugarman

Tara Broucqsault is Laguna Blanca School‘s public relations director.