Darleene Barrientos
Hurriedly slinging her numerous medals and her honors cords around
her neck, Lauren Minimo rushed to join her fellow graduates in
Glendale High School's auditorium.
Her mother, Mila, had brought her daughter's medals -- which were
for distinctions like being a part of the school's choir and the
student government and one honoring her for leadership -- in a pink
bag because her daughter had forgotten them.
"She's a little overwhelmed," Mila Minimo said.
That sentiment was shared by many graduates, including Nora David
as she stood in line with her friends, waiting to walk onto Moyse
Field.
"I was already crying inside the auditorium," she said.
Glendale High School's 620 graduating students were a sea of red
and black as family, friends, teachers and district administrators
gathered to honor them.
Christina Sher and Jeffrey Thompson shared the salutatorian spot.
Trying to define a first, second and third among the top three
students in the class was difficult, said Lou Stewart, a co-principal
at the school.
"There was literally a hair's breadth between the top three,"
Stewart said to the crowd. Garnik Sarkisian was the valedictorian.
Ani Minassian, the senior class president, told the audience she
couldn't wait to get to college, but was sad to leave her high
school.
"I'm scared to leave, but it's a different kind of fear. The fear
itself is laced with excitement, kind of like a first date," she
said.
For parents, the ceremony was a joyful, but sad, occasion. Milton
Lozano brought his entire clan to watch his son, Jesse, graduate.
"He's the first one to graduate," Lozano said proudly.
Ani Karadzhyan came with several of her family members to watch
her daughter, Adrena Gasasmyan, graduate.
"I cried," Karadzhyan said. "I am sad. She's growing up -- she's
happy but a little sad she will leave all her friends."
