Class of 2026 celebrates perseverance, achievement and new beginnings during 61st commencement ceremony. Watch the full ceremony here.
RANCHO CORDOVA — The journey that brought 430 students to graduation night was marked by challenges, triumphs, friendships and growth, themes that echoed throughout Cordova High School’s 61st commencement ceremony Friday evening as the Class of 2026 crossed the stage and officially became graduates.
Before a packed stadium of family members, friends, teachers and supporters, the graduates celebrated the culmination of years of hard work while looking ahead to the opportunities awaiting them beyond high school.
The ceremony opened with a land acknowledgment delivered by Eveleen Lopez Patraca, recognizing the ancestral homelands of the Nisenan and Miwok peoples, followed by the presentation of colors by the Cordova High School Air Force JROTC, the Pledge of Allegiance led by ASB President Karla Pimentel and a performance of the National Anthem by the Cordova High School Choir.
Principal Amy Strawn welcomed graduates and guests to the ceremony and reflected on the overwhelming support surrounding the Class of 2026.
“Looking out, I cannot help but be filled with gratitude,” Strawn told attendees. “Look at how much love there is in this stadium.”
That sense of gratitude became a recurring theme throughout the evening as speakers reflected on the people, experiences and obstacles that helped shape the graduates seated before them.
Student Body President Gabriela Mendez delivered one of the ceremony’s most heartfelt addresses, dedicating her remarks to her parents and the sacrifices made by families seeking better opportunities for future generations.
Drawing inspiration from the Duran Duran song “Ordinary World,” Mendez spoke about finding hope through adversity and understanding that life’s challenges often help shape people into who they are meant to become.
“If I had to describe high school, I’d say it looked like sitting with my friends at lunch every day, doing anything but work during class sometimes, and taking pictures at every school event,” Mendez said. “But in between those moments were challenges, ones that tested us in ways we didn’t always expect.”
She encouraged classmates to embrace uncertainty, trust their growth and continue moving forward despite setbacks.
“We spend so much time dreaming about reaching a place of normal or an ordinary world that we sometimes forget where the real growth happens,” she said. “And it happens in the journey.”
Senior Class President Juan Sanchez Rivera followed with a message centered on responsibility, determination and personal choice.
“You control your destiny,” Sanchez Rivera told his classmates. “Your destiny is never decided for you. It is never molded for you. If you find yourself to love something so deeply, pursue it, follow it and confront it.”
He urged graduates to remain connected to one another long after graduation, reminding them that a simple text message or phone call could have a meaningful impact on someone’s life.
As the ceremony continued, Cordova High celebrated the remarkable accomplishments of the graduating class. Twelve students earned gold cords for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or higher throughout high school, while 131 graduates earned silver cords for maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
The school’s rigorous International Baccalaureate program was well represented, with 11 students completing the full IB Diploma Programme, 51 students completing three or more IB diploma-level courses, 43 students completing the IB Career Programme and 51 students completing the IB Personal Project. Seven students completed the AVID program, while eight graduates earned California Scholarship Federation Life Member honors. Forty students earned the California State Seal Merit Diploma, 173 graduates earned the California State Seal of Civic Engagement and 96 students received the California State Seal of Biliteracy. An additional 43 students completed the UC Davis Educational Talent Search program. Students were also recognized for completing career pathways in agriculture, business, construction, culinary arts, engineering, AFJROTC and video production.
Strawn praised the graduates for meeting high expectations and demonstrating resilience throughout their high school years.
“Graduation is evidence of your growth, perseverance and readiness to take on new challenges,” Strawn said.
She reminded students that success is not defined by perfection but by effort, resilience and the willingness to continue learning.
“A growth mindset means understanding that success is not about perfection,” she said. “It is about effort, reflection, resilience and improvement.”
The evening’s keynote student remarks came from co-valedictorians Violet Freeburn and Camila Perez Mercado, who shared a joint speech filled with humor, honesty and personal reflection.
Perez Mercado spoke candidly about overcoming anxiety and self-doubt, recalling a younger version of herself who struggled to find confidence and connection.
“I found that the voice inside my head feeding into insecurity was wrong,” she said. “I’ve made the best friends and memories as a result of my time here.”
She credited friendships, family sacrifices and perseverance for helping her reach graduation night and reminded classmates that growth often comes from uncomfortable and difficult experiences.
“We’re not defined by our failures or our weaknesses,” Perez Mercado said. “It’s the amalgamation of blood, sweat and tears, of triumph and sacrifice, that makes us complete.”
Freeburn shared her own story of navigating difficult periods during high school, including health challenges that at one point felt overwhelming. Looking back, she said some of those difficult moments unexpectedly led to meaningful friendships and life-changing experiences.
“I think the moral of the story is that the worst moments of your life as you experience them have a good chance of turning into one of the best things to ever happen to you,” Freeburn said.
The valedictorians reflected on the memories built during four years at Cordova High while expressing optimism about what lies ahead.
“These past four years have been amazing and leaving them is definitely something to mourn,” Freeburn said. “But more so, I think that what’s going to happen to us next will be even better.”
Together, the pair thanked parents, siblings, teachers, mentors and friends who helped guide them through high school and encouraged classmates to embrace the future with confidence.
“The future is scary, but we have our past to remember, filled with memories and lessons which we can always lean on,” Freeburn said.
Perez Mercado closed the address with a simple challenge to her fellow graduates.
“Seize the day and remember to make your lives extraordinary.”
As the ceremony neared its conclusion, graduates rose to sing the Cordova High alma mater before participating in the traditional tassel change, officially marking their transition from students to alumni. Moments later, caps, cheers and celebration filled the stadium as families poured onto the field to embrace graduates and commemorate the milestone.
For the 430 members of Cordova High School’s Class of 2026, graduation marked the end of one chapter, but as speakers repeatedly reminded them throughout the evening, the journey ahead is only beginning.
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