Crescenta Valley High School

Tinka Mathews and her family wore pink shirts with the words "Team Marisa" on the front at Crescenta Valley High School's commencement ceremony on Thursday at Stengel Field. Mathews' younger sister, Marisa Szeps, 18, was one of 640 graduates earning their high school diplomas. "It's exciting and heart breaking," Mathews said. "We are all very proud of her." That included Szeps' grandmother, who came from Argentina for the graduation. Pride in their education was not in short supply Thursday, as students spoke of life after high school.

T he 2008 commencement ceremony for the graduating class of Crescenta Valley High School was held last night, Thursday, at Stengel Field. An expected 698 seniors were scheduled to participate in the rite of passage that began at 5 p.m. under a setting, but still hot, sun. GUSD board members and Principal Linda Evans were on hand to wish these Falcons a warm adieu.   The graduating Falcons are:   Skye Aaron Karin Abcarians Imran Abedin Nazanin Abghari Nicole Abou-Chakra Sandra Abraham Brielle Acevedo Ariga Aghaji Arteen Aghazarian James Ahn Eun Ahn Narek Akopyan Nicholas Alegria Melina Alexantrian Kyle Altar Meghan Amado Andrew Amiri-Davani Dina Amirian Jaimie Amit Sue An Kelly Anderson Nicholas Antista Marena Arakaki Paul Arakelian Ashley Arnett Alexandra Avanesian Mavil Avila Kristen Azarian Artin Babayan Jessica Bae Geun Pyo Bae Jennifer Bae Jenny Baek Alan Bagatourian Anna Bagramyan Hosep Bahlounian Yoo Jin Baik Alexis Balina Chyna Balonick Kevin Barkley Kory Barkley Vanand Baroni Aleen Baronian Chris Basil Alique Bedikian Sean Bedoe Lara Bedrossian Serop Bejanian George Bekarian Daniel Belisle Nicole Belkin Tyler Bell Jennifer Bergstrom ...

MARTIN ? BARBARO Dennis and Patty Barbaro have announced the engagement of their daughter, Jana , to Blair Martin . The couple will be married in September at the groom?s grandmother?s ranch in Healsburg. The maid of honor is the bride?s sister Kara and the groom?s best man is his brother, Randall . The bride graduated from Crescenta Valley High School in 1996 and graduated from Arizona State University in 2002. She works for Sylvan Learning Center in Piedmont, Calif.

Students and teachers of Crescenta Valley High School last week delivered approximately 7,000 cans of food for the Crescenta Valley Sheriff Station's 19th Annual Christmas Toy and Food Drive. The very generous donation will allow each of the 186 families being assisted by CVSS to receive not only food for their holiday dinner but for many more meals. Teacher John Pehar organized the food drive but gives much of the credit for the success of the effort to teachers Matt Schick, Pat Rabe, Kimberly Mathias and Vanessa Blackwood, who really spurred their homeroom students to actively support the drive and encourage their friends to "get with the program."

Crescenta Valley High School will host a series of informational meet- ings this school year about college scholarships and financial aid. "What is Available in Financial Aid?" will be at 7 tonight in the CV High cafeteria, 4400 Ramsdell Ave. The meeting is free and open to students and parents. California Institute of Technology Director of Financial Aid David Levy will discuss programs available to seniors for education after high school.

Open House was held at Mountain Avenue Elementary School on Tuesday and Crescenta Valley High School on Wednesday. The events allowed students to share their classrooms with family and friends. The high school evening began with a barbecue meal fundraiser through Prom Plus, an organization that gives seniors a safe place to go after their prom. The Falcon Committee sold beautiful pieces of glass jewelry designed and made by teacher Patricia Rabe. The proceeds go to the Falcon Award Scholarship.

Writer Marianne Williamson said, “In every community there is work to be done, in every nation there are wounds to heal, in every heart there is the power to do it.” Last Saturday was a beautiful day on the Crescenta Valley High School athletic track. CV CAN (Crescenta Valley Committed to Athletic Needs) sponsored the fourth Special Olympics Track Meet, which brought a gathering of more than 800 people. We had more than 250 athletes competing at this year's meet, 250 wonderful individuals who inspired us race after race with their dedication and determination in spite of their disabilities.

When Crescenta Valley High School seniors walk across the stage to accept their diplomas in June, it will mark the first time the school's students will attend graduation ceremonies on their own campus. This year's ceremony comes 50 years after the school handed out its first diplomas in 1963, three years after the school was established in 1960. "What we have here is a truly historic event," said Katherine Fundukian Thorossian, asst. supt. of Glendale Unified. From 1963 to 2011, Crescenta Valley seniors were graduated at Stengel Field, a park several miles from the school, where the baseball bleachers could accommodate as many family and friends as seniors wanted to invite to the ceremony.

Members and husbands gathered for the Las Candelas annual Holiday Party on Dec. 16 at the Valley Hunt Club. The theme of the gala event was “It's the Hap-Happiest Time of the Year!” The festive evening included caroling by the Towne Singers “Chambers Singers.” Those attending were Marcia and Dr. John Lytle, Diane and Newt Russell, Debbie and Bruce Hinckley, Fran and Terry Buchanan, Ann and Stan Jones, Diane Johnson, Valery Moorhead, Paul Greene and Marion Graydon Greene, Jeannie Flint and David Werbelow, Ellyn and Rich Semler, Ann and Karl Ways, Kathy Walker and Chris Walker, Margaret Steenken, Carole DePaul, Pattie McCornick, Cathy and Bob Keen, Shirley Johnstone and Joe King, Linda and Bob Gregg, Ruth and Gerald Barrone, Ginny and John Simpson, Bobbi and Sal Gangi, JC and John Byer, Doris Boyer and Dr. DeGrassi, Dianne Endsley, Sharon and Doug Anderson, Glady and Jack Kabateck, Harriet and Bob Rector, Anna and Bill Brewer, Bette Ryan and Fred Keenan, Patti and Ron Baker, Jose and Monica Sierra, Esther and Ken Bowen, Mary Barber, Marilyn Butler, Mary and Dr. Donald Boger, Carolyn and Ron Beaton, Jeri Benton and Bob Clark.

Crescenta Valley High School has advanced to the semi-finals of a mock trial competition that began with 84 high schools in Los Angeles County in early November. The 20 students on Crescenta Valley's team have advanced to beat out 80 other schools to reach the final four, and will compete against three other unidentified schools in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Dec. 3. The case? A car accident in which texting may have been involved. During the mock trials, the students act as prosecutors or defense attorneys.

The Glendale Youth Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Brad Keimach, will perform at 7 p.m. on March 11 at the Alex Theatre. Fifteen-year-old Crescenta Valley High School student Sarah Worden performs a violin solo. The program includes Beethoven: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62; Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, 2nd and 3rd movements, Sarah Worden, violin; Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11. The Glendale Youth Orchestra has also been selected as a Premier LA Phil Youth Orchestra Mentorship Program and will be performing at Disney Hall on May 5. Only four youth orchestras from Los Angeles County were chosen for this high honor.

Discussion about further curtailing the Crescenta Valley High School open lunch policy has been placed on hold while officials work to implement preliminary changes announced last month. Officials at the La Crescenta campus are still collecting and processing parental permission forms from students who wish to go off campus midday, Glendale Unified Deputy Supt. John Garcia said Tuesday. By early March, a sticker will be added to those students' identification cards, which they will have to show to school and law enforcement officials upon request.

Ten years after graduating from Crescenta Valley High School, Matthew Sizemore had a dream to reclaim. Dressed in a suit and tie, he took his place in line at Casino Morongo on a November morning, behind dozens of others chasing the same dream. He was one of 125 finalists whittled from thousands of applicants vying for a sports anchor spot on KTLA-TV Channel 5. While at Glendale Community College, Sizemore took a broadcasting class that convinced him the business was for him, he said.

Move over Jerry Brown. Crescenta Valley High School junior Sally Oh is one of five semi-finalists — and the only female — competing to be named the 64th Youth Governor, the top position within the Youth & Government program. Elections will take place later this week in Sacramento during the Annual Model Legislature and Court. About 180 teenagers from the Crescenta-Cañada and Verdugo Hills Family YMCAYouth and Government programs are slated to attend. Participants will tour the California Legislative chambers and committee room, and give speeches in front of their peers and elected officials.

Crescenta Valley High School Class of 1991 will have its 20th reunion on July 23 at Angeles National Golf Course, 9401 Foothill Blvd., San Fernando Valley. The early-bird cost is $65 per person until April 1. For more information, contact Sosi at (818) 621-1980 after 5 p.m. or e-mail cvhs1991reunion@yahoo.com. The class is also on Facebook at CV Falcons — Class of 1991. GLENDALE HIGH SCHOOL Glendale High School Class of 1981 will have its 30th reunion on July 23 at the Hilton Hotel, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd.

School graduation time is always fun, and it is so inspirational to watch and hear the graduating students talk about their goals. The Crescenta-Cañada Lions Club for years has given scholarships to help them continue their education. This year, the club gave six graduating seniors each a $1,000 scholarship. The Lions Club worked closely with the administrators of both Crescenta Valley and La Cañada high schools to select candidates to personally interview for the scholarships.