Faith, courage and kindness were all themes highlighted at the Bishop Garcia Diego High School commencement Friday evening. 

Eighty-eight graduates, all draped in red and white gowns, gathered on the Eva Green Memorial Field to celebrate the end of their high school career and look forward to the future. 

Joseph Simolon, the 2026 salutatorian, reflected on the memories he and his classmates have made in the last four years, from lip sync performances during freshman year to spirit weeks and retreats.

“Over our four years together, Bishop has shaped us into respectful, caring and courageous young leaders,” Simolon said. “We’ve taught each other empathy, humility and the truest definition of friendship.”

He also highlighted the athletic accomplishments made by the class of 2026, including winning three CIF titles in girls tennis, girls basketball and boys volleyball. 

Simolon took time to thank various teachers for their impact, events, planning and good memories. 

“We’re all leaving this place poised to do great things,” Simolon said. “We’ll be heading in many different directions, but even as we move across the country, across the globe, we will always have the brick house, the iconic bell tower, and that red brick road to come home to.”

Simolon plans to study chemical engineering at the University of Notre Dame in the fall.

Former Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley, who served as district attorney from 2010 until her retirement in 2023, delivered the commencement address.

Dudley said the moment was particularly special for her because one of her sons attended Bishop Garcia Diego High School. 

Her speech to the class of 2026 addressed the complicated world they were entering, and the courage, knowledge and kindness they would need.

“In addition to learning from mistakes made by yourself and others, you will also face moments, perhaps sooner than you expect, when the easy path and the right path are not the same,” Dudley said. “In those moments, the outstanding education you received at Bishop will really matter, not because it gave you all the answers, but because it trained you to ask the better questions.”

She also shared a personal story about a dream she had about her father, who passed away when she was 20. 

She told the graduates and their families that she once dreamed she saw her father in a meadow. She told him all about her accomplishments, but he responded by asking one question: “But are you kind?” 

That dream taught her to “make a daily decision to be kind, especially when it was easier to be indifferent, to listen when it is easier to speak, to stay when it is easier to walk away,” she said.

She ended her address by encouraging the graduates to carry the things they learned at Bishop Diego into their decisions, relationships and purpose. 

“Wherever you go next, remember this: The world does not just need your success, it needs your conscience, it needs you to be kind,” Dudley said. “It needs your willingness to stand up when it matters, it needs your belief that every person has dignity and your commitment to act accordingly.”

The last speech came from the class of 2026 valedictorian, Emma Johnson, who plans to study biology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall. 

Johnson spoke about how the challenges and accomplishments they faced during high school have prepared the class of 2026 to take on the future. 

“I know we will have the strength and courage to chase our dreams in our next adventure,” Johnson said. “We will struggle and at times we will fail, but what matters is not how we fall but how we get back up after.” 

She also celebrated the values she learned in the school’s tight-knit community and Catholic education. 

“Stepping into high school, we found a welcoming community that sought to help us succeed and grow as individuals, recognizing each of our unique abilities,” Johnson said. “Since then, we have grown both as people and as a class, and now none of us are the same nervous freshmen that first walked onto the campus grounds.”

Following Johnson’s speech, the class of 2026 lined up at the stage.

They received their diplomas as their names were called, and friends and family cheered from the crowd, throwing confetti in celebration. 

Collectively, the Bishop Diego class of 2026 received 500 offers of admission from 164 distinct four-year colleges and universities, along with more than $10 million in merit aid and scholarships, according to Emily Diaz, associate head of the school.