'You have overcome': Delta High seniors cross finish line, celebrated at commencement
Jun. 9—More than 300 students graduated from Delta High School in a ceremony Wednesday at Santa Maria High's Dave Boyd Field — the first of four commencements this week for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
Friends and family gathered on both sets of bleachers holding balloons and blowing air horns to celebrate Delta's 307 graduates that make up the Class of 2022.
"You have overcome and will continue to overcome and inspire us for the years ahead," Principal Nate Maas said. "For some, it will be a college; for others, it will be a career for your community, for members of your future families. As your principal, I am proud of you all. You have overcome and you are here today."
Delta is the district's continuation school, where many students transfer from other schools as an alternative to dropping out or failing.
"Coming from Righetti High School, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was scared I wouldn't have any friends or fit in. I didn't even know if I was going to graduate," said valedictorian Aryanna Jolivette. "But after only a couple of weeks, we realized that Delta was a great school and we were so happy to be here."
Throughout her speech, Jolivette thanked several staff members for helping her through her journey. Among those mentioned was teacher Jeff Cooper, who inspired Jolivette's love for gardening.
"Yes, you too, Tony," Jolivette joked, referring to the school's campus security assistant Tony Rodriguez, who laughed with the students.
Besides regular classroom instruction, students are offered individualized learning courses with teacher support, and other nontraditional methods designed to help students earn a diploma.
"Many of my fellow students have shared with me that they are so grateful for Delta providing them with a second chance at a positive high school experience," Jolivette said. "This is proof that each of us have it in us to do great things, even nerve-wracking challenges. Don't ever hesitate to try something new and chase your dreams."
A tradition during Delta High School graduations is to invite back an alum to speak to the students. This year, business owner Jerod Hurnblad delivered the address, despite the fact he was moving his family to Oregon the next day.
"When I was where you are, most of my friends and family thought I'd end up in prison," Hurnblad began, recounting some of the challenges he faced as a teen. "But here I am at the age of 43, a father of three kids; I've been married 18 years."
Hurnblad, who spent over 18 years in the automotive industry, also gave students career advice and spoke to them about how they are already successful.
"You're all finishers," he said. "This is one of the first, largest moments in your life that you finished, and finishing is one of the most important virtues that you are going to find. There's plenty of people who talk, or might tell you what you want to hear, but at the end of the day are they finishers? You can all look in the mirror and know you're finishers."
Before announcing the names of every graduate, Delta staff took the time to highlight the nearly 20 students who received nearly $30,000 in college scholarships, and the nearly 10 graduates who joined the military, many of whom had already left for boot camp.
