As graduate Sydney Dimock delivers Cabrillo High School’s “CONQuer address,” she receives support from counselor Brianne Jory during Thursday’s commencement ceremony. Dimock battled cancer during high school. 
Cabrillo High School graduate Sydney Dimock receives a hug after delivering her emotional “CONQuer address” about her battle with cancer. 
A Cabrillo High School graduate exchanges an elbow bump with Principal Mark Swanitz. 
A Cabrillo High School graduate’s cap shares thoughts about the occasion. 
Cabrillo High School graduates hold on to their caps on Thursday as gusts of wind threaten to whisk them away. 
Senior class vice president Marina Grossini gives the welcome address at Lompoc High School’s graduation as Principal Celeste Pico listens. 
A graduate waves to her family as she walks into the stadium during the processional of Lompoc High School’s graduation ceremony on Thursday. 
Decked out in blue and white caps and gowns, graduates watch as students deliver speeches during Lompoc High School’s graduation on Thursday afternoon.
Gusty winds couldn’t steal the excitement for graduates of Lompoc and Cabrillo high schools on Thursday after the Class of 2021 lost other rites of passage during their senior year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Graduates, school staff members, families and friends gathered at each campus for the in-person commencement ceremonies following months of distance learning and a partial return to campuses months before the school year ended. Recent practices for the graduation ceremonies marked the first time the Class of 2021 members had been reunited after being separated because of COVID-19.
“The pandemic has presented unique challenges and hardships for all of us, but none more so than you, the members of the Class of 2021,” Cabrillo Principal Mark Swanitz said. “You have had to adapt to learning online in isolation from friends, classmates and teachers.”
Swanitz urged the graduates to look at adversity as an opportunity, noting that the COVID-19 vaccines' seemingly fast development followed researchers’ testing failures into the mRNA technology over the years.
“Graduates of the Class of 2021, if we remember nothing else of our shared experiences this past year, let us try to remember this: No matter how you define success, the key to achieving it is to try, fail and to try again,” Swanitz said. “Don’t let life’s setbacks demoralize you. Let them inspire you.”
The ceremony marked the 55th for the Vandenberg Village campus, which boasted 278 graduates in the Conquistadores' Class of 2021 as members sported either black or gold gowns for the ceremony.
Other speakers included Kiara Ricci, senior class president; Hayden Henry, who delivered the scholar address; and Victoria Gordon, senior class treasurer who revealed the class gift.
The emotional speech came during the “CONQuer address” when Sydney Dimock shared about “a couple of encounters” with cancer that required surgery because of a mass on her brain stem along with rounds of radiation.
“It was hard, but I did it and I kept a smile on my face and my head up, which is not always easy,” she said, getting applause.
She said she was excited to finally have a normal high school experience for her junior year. Then the pandemic arrived in March 2020, forcing students into remote learning. Weeks later, she learned that a tumor on her spine would require another surgery and radiation.
“If there was one thing I could leave everyone with today, it would be to always try and look for the positive, even when you think there isn’t any. It's there. Sometimes you just really have to look for it,” she said, receiving a standing ovation after her speech.
During both ceremonies, gusts of winds threatened to — and sometimes did — steal the caps off the graduates' heads at each campus.
“It seems every year we pick the windiest day to host graduation,” distinguished scholar Michael Koga said as he began his address at the Lompoc High School campus. “I’ve seen many caps fall off today, including mine.”
About 308 students made up the LHS graduating class this year.
Koga as well as Jennifer Gonzales-Diaz were the class’ two distinguished scholars, which Principal Celeste Pico said are students who are in the top five of their class and are chosen to give addresses during the graduation ceremony.
“Despite adversity, we have acclimated, become stronger and blossomed together,” Gonzales-Diaz said, speaking of the pandemic, 2017’s Thomas Fire and other obstacles that have affected the class during the past four years.
Gonzales-Diaz then translated her speech into Spanish in order to also thank Spanish-speaking families.
Other student speakers included senior class vice president Marina Grossini, Associated Student Body president Melanie Nunez, and Amery Rodriguez, who gave this year’s Brave Pride address.
During the Brave Pride speech, Rodriguez discussed some of the challenges she’s endured throughout her life, from growing up without her biological parents to leaving her home during her junior year in order to put school first.
“It took a village to help me overcome the obstacles along the way,” Rodriguez said, specifically thanking her grandparents and others. “Thank you, Lompoc High School, for the opportunities you have given me, and go Braves forever.”
Thursday’s ceremony marked the school’s 129th graduation at the campus’ recently renovated Huyck Stadium.
“The students and staff of Lompoc High School make up a community full of positivity and warmth,” Grossini said. “We, Class of 2021, are a prime example of perseverance.”
— Serena Guentz, a local freelance writer, contributed to this story.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.