Valedictorian Kaden Bennett said he didn’t choose to attend Orcutt Academy High School for the reasons most parents would pick the program, such as smaller classes or other practical factors.
“I came here for you guys,” the former homeschool student told his classmates, adding that he wanted to learn about himself socially.
He thanked his classmates for letting him join them for the four years after joking that he had planned to deliver the valedictorian speech since arriving at the campus as a freshman, eliciting laughs and friendly jeers from his fellow graduates.
“I’m going to remember you guys forever,” he said, before telling his classmates “to have a great summer.
“Don’t do stupid stuff,” he added.
Orcutt Academy’s commencement Tuesday afternoon marked the final high school graduation for the North County’s Class of 2019, with the event falling on a day with a record-setting high temperature of 86 degrees.
The date’s previous record high was 81 degrees from 1972 at the Santa Maria Public Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
Inside the sweltering hot Allan Hancock College gymnasium, the graduates’ family members and friends used programs and oversized photos of the graduates to fan themselves.
For the charter school’s eighth commencement, the Spartans’ class of 2019 boasted 145 graduates, some of whom periodically batted beach balls from a seemingly endless supply.
Principal Rhett Carter spoke about the accolades earned by Orcutt Academy in recent years, including recognition among top high schools in the nation, during its short existence.
But the principal noted the Orcutt Academy seniors excelled beyond academics, citing examples of their community service such as quietly helping others. He encouraged them to remember that role after graduation.
Opening remarks and recognition were shared by Celine Bunelli, senior class president, and Julia Herrera, ASB president, who put 50-year teacher Ole Pederson in the spotlight for his “meaningful impact on students” at Orcutt schools.
In the school’s graduation ceremony tradition, the seniors exchanged flags with the foreign exchange students from Sweden, Vietnam and France, sharing hugs in some cases.
Salutatorian Calista Carter also delivered an address during the ceremony, recalling her family’s move that took her from a familiar community with longtime friends to an elementary school in Orcutt where she knew no one.
“What I didn’t know at the time, and what I do know now, is that this move would end up bringing me not only to a better community but some of the best people I have ever known,” she said, adding that her classmates have shaped who she has become.
At the start of the ceremony, Alejandra Ramos, Associated Student Body vice president, led the audience in the flag salute before the OAHS Choir performed the National Anthem.
“After today, you have the rest of your lives to continue making your dreams reality,” Ramos told her fellow graduates. “Thank you for an amazing four years of high school.”
— 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.