Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 5-14-2020 E-edition

RHS hosts first ever virtual graduation
The View From Here
I heard cheers and applause as I walked to- ward the Per- forming Arts Theatre at the Reedley High School campus on the afternoon of May 6.
Juanita Adame
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
Reedley High senior Alec Murillo called the virtual graduation experience he par- ticipated in on May 6, a unique experience.
"I didn’t expect me to grad- uate like this,” said Murillo. “This is going to be one of my last times on this campus, and I didn’t envision it would be like this, I was excited but nervous at the same time.”
Murillo was one of more than 400 students that will graduate from Reedley High School and who participated in the district’s first ever vir- tual graduation ceremony.
“It’s just something that we as a district, and as a com- munity value, and we feel we’re providing that great experience for them,” said John Ahlin, the Reedley High School principal.
“It’s a different era, a dif- ferent time but, as a principal it’s emotional too, to see these kids grow and go through this and dedicate themselves, this just personalizes everything for us.”
Kings Canyon Unified
Video Release Dates
RHS - Thursday, May 28 OCHS - Friday, May 29
Kings Canyon Adult & High school - Tues June 2
Mt. View School RMCHS & DLA - Wednesday, June 3
School District announced through an online video on April 30 that a virtual gradu- ation ceremony will be held for students.
“The first ever recorded graduation production will be held at your high school,” said John Campbell, district super- intendent during the video.
Murillo’s mother, Sara Friend attended the virtual graduation for her son and said she was grateful they had the chance to celebrate his ac- complishment.
"This was very different, but at least something is get- ting done,” said Friend. “We envisioned his graduation the normal way, all the students
They [the cheers and ap- plause] only lasted a cou- ple minutes before things abruptly went quiet.
As I walked up, I met with the district public informa- tion officer, Renee Delport.
She told me that produc- tion of KCUSD's first ever "virtual graduation" cer- emony was flowing along smoothly.
The idea for the produc- tion came after teachers and staff decided that the class of 2020 deserved some recog- nition in the midst of all the COVID-19 happenings.
I had no idea what to ex- pect, how would a school pull this off? Social distancing requirements had to be met, students and their families had to pass a health screen- ing.
The concept was strange and new to me as I’m sure it was to everyone else in- volved, including the gradu- ates.
I told Renee I wanted to follow a student through the process from beginning to end. We met a family in the parking lot and Renee said the family had cleared their health screening was asked to wait in their vehicle until they were called.
“No fever, no COVID-19 related symptoms,” she said. After a few short mo- ments, the family walked up
to a table.
The table had a complete
list of instructions for the next station. This was where the cheers and applause came in. Teachers sitting at the table made sure to rec- ognize each student as they arrived.
The graduates I spoke with seemed happy and grateful for the opportunity to celebrate their life mile- stone.
Nonetheless, there was also a sense of sadness in the air. The alternative to this graduation ceremony was to have nothing at all, and these seniors knew that.
The “norm” or what’s been done before was a sta- dium full of cheering family and friends, and they knew that as of now, that was to be on hold.
To all the graduates this year facing the COVID-19 situation, we are all with you celebrating alongside of you, and recognizing all your hard work and efforts.
Photo by Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
ABOVE: Alec Murillo, a graduate with Reedley High School held up his diploma for a photo following the virtual graduation ceremony on May 6.
Photos by Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
ABOVE: Gathering to help Dahlia Montes celebrate her 100th birth- day were five generations of offspring. The family held a birthday parade in her honor at Elderberry at Bethel apartments in Sanger, where Montes currently resides.
ABOVE: Dahlia Montes and her daughter waived to numerous visitors as they drove by Elder- berry at Bethel apartments on May 8 to wish her a happy 100th birthday.
in the stadium, all the parents, but not like this.”
The recorded ceremonies continued through May 10. The finished product will be shown on the evening the school would have normally held their graduation cer- emony.
Participating schools also included: Orange Cove High School, Kings Canyon Adult School, Kings Canyon High School, Reedley Middle Col- lege High School, and the Dunlap Leadership Academy.
Dahlia Montes celebrates 100th birthday in Sanger
MVT Staff Report
Dahlia Montes received a parade of birthday wishes on Friday, May 8, as the Sanger resident reached the ultimate milestone in life – she turned 100.
Montes grew up on Klon- dike, Arizona and moved to the San Joaquin Valley in the 1960’s.
In 1968, her and her hus- band opened the El Monte Restaurant in downtown Reedley, a restaurant that remains in the family to this day.
Montes and her husband had seven children and five generations of offspring participated in her birthday celebration at Elderberry at Bethel apartments in Sanger, where Montes currently re- sides.
According to her daughter, Montes spent the majority of
her life in Reedley, where she reportedly even had a hair- style named after her.
Several local students to graduate from Stanislaus State
Contributed
Stanislaus State will rec- ognize more than 3,000 candi- dates for graduation as a part of the Class of 2020.
Graduates will be awarded bachelor's, master's, creden- tials and doctorate degrees. The following local students are set to earn degrees:
Chelsie Muro-Lopez of Di- nuba is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Commu- nication Studies
Monica Perez-Sandoval of Orosi is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
Angelica Rodriguez of
Reedley is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in So- ciology
Johanna Cazares of Di- nuba is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiol- ogy
Ociel Almonte of Orosi is set to graduate with a Bach- elor of Arts in Psychology
Jessica Flores of Orosi is set to graduate with a Bach- elor of Arts in Psychology
Harandip Sahota of Fowl- er is set to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
A variety of virtual cele- brations are planned through-
out May and June to recog- nize and commemorate the accomplishments of gradu- ates and how the Warrior community has been inspired by their resilience and deter- mination.
The campus remains fully committed to hosting all com- mencement ceremonies at a later time that is deemed safe for our graduates and their families to be on campus for a large gathering. The Univer- sity will announce ceremony dates once new guidance about large group gatherings is issued.
California State Universi-
ty, Stanislaus serves a diverse student body of more than 10,000 at two locations in the Central Valley - a beautiful 228-acre campus in Turlock and the Stockton Campus, located in the city's historic Magnolia District.
Widely recognized for its dedicated faculty and high- quality academic programs, the University offers 43 ma- jors, 41 minors and more than 100 areas of concentration, along with 16 master's degree programs, seven credential programs and a doctorate in educational leadership.