Redwood High School Graduates Celebrate Resilience
Graduating with an educational journey like no other, Redwood High School's Class of 2023 faced and overcame great challenges throughout their high school careers. On May 31, these graduates were recognized for their accomplishments at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts.
Redwood Staff Speaker, Josh Wheeler, told of the adversities the graduates had faced and honored the strength it took to overcome them. He gave a message of adaptation and recognizing your own self-worth through conquering life’s unknowns.
“Nothing worthwhile comes easy; where there is opportunity, there are opportunity costs. So let the world give you its best because I know you can take it,” said Wheeler.
For the first time ever, the school granted its ‘Keep on Rising’ award to four graduates to encourage their future endeavors of attending college, vocational programs, and joining our community’s workforce. Seniors Ignacio Alejandro Valverde Pino, Hakim Craig Jackson, Saroyah Diamond Monroe, and Mia Mariella Ramirez were awarded based on extraordinary academic performance, school leadership, and impactful contributions to the Redwood community. Tina and John Sachs, Gary Howard and Shirley Valdivia, and Dan and Kristy Willits presented the awards.
Celebrating the students’ hard work included prominent school figures, including Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi and members of the Board of Trustees. History teacher, Matt Hassebrock, hosted ten Student Speakers that highlighted the perseverance of themselves and their fellow graduates and the love and support from friends, family, and staff that allowed them to reach this achievement. Also earning their degrees were nine seniors of the Castro Valley Virtual Academy.
Like other graduates this year, Redwood High’s Class of 2023 saw immense challenges at the beginning of their high school careers due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Learning to voyage through the various geographical, academic, social, and cultural aspects of schooling can be especially challenging. But Wheeler and other speakers noted that Redwood High School students embodied the adaptation and determination needed to navigate this critical time of their lives.
Redwood High School principal Kenneth Kahn said the Class of 2023 demonstrated to their fellow students and plenty of adults the ability to thrive in any circumstance, adding that these graduates are an impressive and inspiring bunch who exemplify the values of hard work, determination, critical thinking, and adaptability. He says he’s confident they will go on to represent our community with positivity, integrity, and honor through the rest of their professional aspirations.
“Graduation, also known as Commencement, is a relative term, as it speaks not only to the ending of one’s journey or accomplishments but also where we recognize the beginning of a new chapter in our lives,” Kahn said.