Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 6-17-21 E-edition

Thursday, June 17, 2021
Two day graduation event held for SHS
The View From Here
Step- ping back into the Tom Flores stadium on the evening of June 11 brought back so ma- ny memo- ries.
Juanita Adame
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
A live ceremony for Sanger High graduates was held at Tom Flores stadium the eve- nings of June 10 and 11.
The commencement cer- emony was broken up into a two-day event to accommodate the nearly 700 graduates and their families.
“A class of proven resilient and determined leaders who have made countless people proud, and who will continue to move mountains, on our jour- neys to unbound success,” said John Pena, during his com- mencement welcome speech.
“The character of our class is unquestionable.”
Pena thanked his class- mates for the memories and it was hard to believe that gradu- ation day was finally here.
“The universe gave us the absolute worst that it had to of- fer but what it didn’t know is that the class of 2021 is simply built different,” he said.
“So here’s to more valleys that we will certainly over- come, and to the many more peaks we will ascend.”
Sanger High Principal Kirstin Coronado also spoke during the ceremony and took some time to remember two students who were suppose to be part of the 2021 class.
A high school graduation ceremony hasn’t been held there in years. The ceremo- ny was moved to the Save Mart Center some years ago due to the large population of students and families.
So this year because some COVID-19 restrictions were still in place, the school de- cided to break the ceremony up into a two day event, and brought graduates back to the outdoor stadium.
There was a sense of nostalgia walking back in and seeing the red and blue Sanger High School robes. The “congratulations gradu- ate” mylar balloons, the fam- ilies waiting anxiously for their loved one’s name to be called, it was neat seeing the ceremony back home.
My daughter graduated from Sanger High School in 2019. The class of 2019 held their ceremony at the Save Mart Center. It really struck me then how big Sanger had become. If I’m not mistaken there were upwards of 700 students in her graduating class.
She is also celebrating a graduation this year. She will be graduating from Fresno City College. The college will also have their live gradua- tion at Chukchansi Park in downtown Fresno. She is ex- cited for that event and I am definitely proud of her.
I am going to safely as- sume that the parents of John Pena, a graduating se- nior from Sanger High are also extremely proud of his accomplishments.
I learned during a Sanger City Council meeting that Pena had earned a 4.6 grade point average and was on his way to Harvard. Wow. I have interviewed John twice. Once during the Creek Fire incident. Sanger High had gathered a number of donat- ed items and were sending them up to wildfire victims and first responders.
And I also spoke to John during a “Let them play” ral- ly held at Sanger High.
John has always been gra- cious and accommodating to my incessant questioning, thank you for that John. He is professional and wise be- yond his years.
We wish him all the best as he begins his new academ- ic career over in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
The second wave of Sanger High graduates lined up inside Tom Flores stadium before walking onto the field for the school's live graduation event on the evening of June 11.
“I also would like to take this opportunity to honor two students who were taken from us much too soon, Alli- son Chang and Rafael Velasco Rios are members of the class of 2021,” Coronado said.
“And we want to honor them with their diplomas,Sanger High School and the Sanger community wish to honor these graduates,” she continued.
“As they are part of the class of 2021 and will not be forgotten."
Students were able to walk and celebrate their graduation ceremo- ny following relaxed COVID-19 restrictions throughout the state of California.
Greater Reedley Chamber represents at 'Big Hat Days'
From left Danny Gomez, Lillie Valencia, "Ribberto" the frog, and Erik Valencia, president of the Greater Reedley Chamber of Com- merce posed for a photo during Big Hat Days in downtown Clovis on the afternoon of Saturday, June 12.
Additional funding donated to increase patrol on Kings River
Photo Contributed
From left, Nate Smith with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hank Urbach posed for a photo with the donation in front of the Kings River.
Photo of the week
Contributed
The Kings River Conser- vancy (KRC) donated more than $12,000 to the State De- partment of Fish and Wildlife on June 11.
The funding will be used to add more warden patrols along the Kings River, and it will also directly benefit sport fishing to help stop poachers.
“This program continues to provide much needed ad- ditional warden hours on the Lower Kings River,” said Hank Urbach, board member, Kings River Conservancy.
Over the past ten years in excess of $120,000 has been raised by this effort and has been effective in enforcing fishing regulations along the river. The increased warden
patrols help ensure fishers are releasing and abiding by other limits.
“We are so thankful to ev- eryone who has donated to the program over the years,” said Urbach. “It helps support our mission to protect the Kings.”
The Kings River Conser- vancy is a non-profit organi- zation dedicated to encourage public safety and sound public conservation practices along the Kings River corridor from Pine Flat Dam to Highway 99.
For more information about the Kings River Conser- vancy contact the Kings River Conservancy at 559-787-9500 or visit www.kingsrivercon- servancy.org.
Contributed
A photo of Alice Craig of Reedley, celebrating her 96th birthday was sent in by Angie Poe. Happy Birthday Alice! Have a photo you'd like featured? Email juanita@midvalleypublishing.com.