FOLSOM -Both sides of the grandstands were filled to near capacity at Eagles Stadium in Folsom Friday night to celebrate the commencement of Vista del Lago’s Class of 2024. The milestone event honored some 375 graduating seniors this year overall.
While the school’s stadium was packed Friday, thousands more watched from afar as the evening’s festivities were live streamed with the collaboration of Folsom Times and Folsom TV in partnership with the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUDSD) again this year.
The livestream has been a well-received component of FCUSD’s graduation ceremonies. Not only does the free broadcast provide large families that can’t fully attend the ceremony, it offers friends and families of graduates enjoy the milestone who may be homebound or out of the area to do so.
After carrying through with the tradition of marching through the inflatable giant eagle representing the school mascot bulldog at the entry of the field Friday, graduates dispersed to their respective rows of seats with their backs turned to the afternoon sun that soon transformed into a colorful sunset as the sunset dipped below the hillside just west of the stadium. As the final notes of Edward Elgar’s famed Pomp and Circumstance played over the stadium speakers as emotions began to rise amongst both the graduates and those watching.
The ceremony opened with Vista del Lago Associated Student Body (ABS) President Morgan Spoto offering welcoming remarks just prior to the presentation of the National Anthem which was performed by graduating members of the Eagles choir. Following the anthem, came a series of spoken presentations.
Dr. Kimberly Moore was the first to take to the podium to present her Principal’s address. Thereafter, graduates Matthew Mellijor and Shruti Sahoo each presented a Valedictorian’s address, separated by a rocking student performance of the class farwell song which was a rendition of Dreams by The Cranberries.
Mellijor and Sahoo were amongst 25 different students that earned Valedictorian honors in the class of 2024. Those students included Rishabh Ambavanekar; Varsha Bondu; Kai Chang; Tyler Erickson; Katelyn Galvez; Rituparna Ivatury; Ethan Jones; Jordan Junaidi; Rohan Kulkarni; Wenlin Lei; Gavin Martinez; Mira Mateo; Julina Nakamura; Nitya Narasimhan; Eden Ng; Phong Nguyen; Aryan Rajeesh; Jon Remolona; Russell Stevens; Gabriela Trinidad; Bradem Van Buskirk; Colin Weis and Ethan Xiao.
Prior to Moore returning to officially present the senior class, Abigail Barbin presenting the Senior Class Address and the the presentation of diplomas was performed by Vista del Lago faculty members Tony Ruiz and Kelly Hillesland. The last tassel ceremony was led by student Morgan Spoto which concluded in the tossing of caps and celebration on the field that closed the evening.
All of the presentation speeches can be heard in their entirety by viewing the Folsom Times, Folsom TV livestream.
Folsom Times photos below by Bill Sullivan. You can also view and share all of our news photos of this event BY CLICKING HERE
