More Than 700 Seniors Attend Ceremony at Hollywood Bowl

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

If ever a group of young people is aware of the challenges life presents, it is the 740 Palisades Charter High School seniors who walked the stage to receive their diplomas at the end of their commencement ceremony on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 4, at Hollywood Bowl.

Graduation is traditionally held at Stadium by the Sea, but the 17,500-seat amphitheater off of the 101 Freeway was a fine alternative for students whose last few months of in-person classes were in the former Sears building in Santa Monica following the Palisades fire in January that damaged 40% of the Pali High campus.

As the blue-robed graduates filed in from both sides to their assigned seats, the Pali High Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band and Drum Line performed the processional tune of Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance,” after which Student Body President Charlie Speiser, whose house burned down in the fire, led the pledge of allegiance and took a moment to honor the life and legacy of friend and Palisadian Braun Levi.

Willa Browne and Annika Johansson then duetted the national anthem. Next, 15 graduates took turns participating in a multi-lingual welcome: Andjela Malisich (Serbian); Gianluca Martinez (Spanish); Giada Musumesci (Italian); Finn Nance (Lithuanian); Alexios Stamepolous (Greek); Sofya Vaivad (Russian); Martha Valkov (Bulgarian); Madison Cheungsomboune (Mandarin); Sofia Engstad (Norwegian); KaLyssa Ferdinand (French); Isabella Karimi and Savannah Youabian (Farsi); Jiwon Kim (Korean); and Noa and Roi Levertov (Hebrew).

“When asked about their dream location for their high school culmination the top response of the senior class was—you guessed it—the Hollywood Bowl,” Principal Dr. Pam Magee said during the opening address. “Thank you to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Board of Directors for making this dream come true and providing us the opportunity to gather as a community in this beautiful, magical, historical location. Thank you to all our administrators, teachers, counselors and staff for preparing our seniors for their future endeavors.”

A video message was shown on the screens on either side of the stage featuring Governor Gavin Newsom, who concluded his two-minute statement saying: “Think about everything you’ve gone through in the last four years—the pandemic, social unrest, the drought, the floods and obviously the devastation of these fires—but the fact that you’re here is a testament to your grit and recognition that it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to what happens to you. It’s decisions, not conditions, that determine your fate.”

Next to talk was Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Nick Melvoin.

“If you can’t have an ocean view, this isn’t a bad consolation prize,” Melvoin said. “I don’t care how corny this sounds, but when things around you have gone low, you have gone Pali High.”

Magee then introduced 1983 Pali High alum, nine-time NBA champion and current Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who was greeted with thunderous applause.

“A mere 42 years ago I was in your shoes on the Pali football field, and I remember feeling very unsure of myself in my cap and gown,” Kerr said. “I was an aspiring basketball player with no place to play. I didn’t have a college scholarship, I didn’t have any college coaches knocking on my door, I had a less-than-inspiring 1070 SAT score in my back pocket, and while many of my classmates were seemingly mapping out their futures, I had no idea what was next. The thought I’m here giving the commencement address … if somebody had said back then that this would happen I would’ve laughed at them.

“Somehow, mainly due to good fortune of being born into a life of opportunity, I found my way into a career of basketball. Yes, it helped that I had good hand-eye coordination and that I led the Hippos to the 1972 championship at the [Malibu] Palisades YMCA on Via De La Paz and that my dad was a professor at UCLA, taking me to games at Pauley Pavilion during the John Wooden era, sparking a lifelong love for the game.”

Kerr said that after playing in summer leagues across Los Angeles after graduation, he did “just well enough” to be offered “a last-second scholarship” to University of Arizona, which is here his “journey in basketball really took off.”

“When I think back to all those days playing on the blacktop at Palisades Elementary, Paul Revere and Pali, I never could’ve imagined living the life I live today,” Kerr said. “The game has given me so much, and I feel like the luckiest person on earth.”

Kerr passed along words of wisdom from three people who helped him on his journey: San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich (for whom Kerr played for four seasons and won two titles); Phil Jackson (Kerr’s coach in Chicago where he helped the Bulls win three straight titles alongside Michael Jordan); and All-Star Steph Curry (Golden State’s franchise player while Kerr has coached the organization to four titles since 2015).

“Coach Popovich had a great saying: ‘by the accident of birth,’ and I love that expression … remember that you are one of the lucky ones,” Kerr said. “Coach Jackson used to say basketball is a metaphor for life, and what he meant is that the only way to flourish on or off the court is to learn how to work with others. Basketball is a five-man symphony. The best teams become more than the sum of their parts and life is no different.”

Kerr told the graduating class that whatever career they choose, they will find “the most satisfaction” when “engaged deeply with others.”

“Even you Lakers fans like Steph Curry and, in his words, be humble, be confident, be present,” Kerr said. “I’ve never seen a guy with a greater combination of confidence and humility, and to me those things should absolutely go hand in hand.

“If I can give one piece of advice for you graduates today it’s to figure out what it means to be emotionally intelligent. It’s self awareness, understanding yours and others’ emotions, and it’s a powerful force that’ll help you in every aspect of your life.”

Kerr, who met with Pali High basketball coach Jeff Bryant and his players after the Lakers-Warriors game February 6 at Crypto.com Arena and told the seniors he would try to make their graduation if the Warriors were out of the playoffs, was true to his word. After his speech he hugged his mom Ann, whose house atop Chautauqua (and the one her son grew up in), was destroyed in the fire.

Attentions then turned to the video screens to watch a senior video produced by film teacher Malia Jakus and Pali High film students, after which Magee introduced the program’s second special guest speaker: six-time Emmy Award-winner, Tony Award-winner, actor, comedian, director, humanitarian and a former Honorary Mayor of the Palisades Billy Crystal, speaking on his 55th wedding anniversary with Janice.

“Every year Janice and I have taken this day to do something special, go someplace, but the Clippers and Knicks sort of determined we should be here,” he started, inducing laughter. “After the invitation to speak arrived, we spoke about it and thought what could be more special than to be here with you in this intimate setting after all that you and your families have been through, and tell you how proud I am of you and all of the people who made it possible for you to finish your studies in the building where I once bought a washer and dryer?

“I don’t know any of you but I know all of you. We’ve shared difficult times alone together. COVID robbed us of so many important things in our seclusion, and for you that meant being together, going to classes, football, basketball, baseball games, hanging out—for those in the Palisades—at Garden Cafe, or getting sushi at Gelson’s or going into Toppings and tasting everything but never buying anything.

“After those dark days were gone, we all experienced the unthinkable tragedy on January 7. For those of us who lost our homes and everything in them, we faced a seemingly impossible situation. For us, it was our only home for 46 years … all gone in less than 15 minutes, according to a gallant fireman who was trying to help us.

“For many of you, it was the same, and to compound this, we lost our town and you lost your school … monumental anchors of all of our lives. But from this chaos comes something very important—perspective. Many of you have been relocated, your stuff is gone, the things you loved and took for granted never to be seen again, but now replaced by life lessons. Out of pain comes growth, out of loss comes wins, out of despair comes joy.”

Six weeks after the fires, Crystal and former major league manager Joe Torre visited the Pali High baseball team during practice at Rancho Park and shared how important it is to have something you do that you love and talking to your coach if you are feeling down is not a sign of weakness but of strength.

“In a few days it’ll be [five] months since the fires but now, as the town and school you love so much begins the slow process of rebuilding, you’re leaving it, you’re heading to the next stage of your lives and I envy you,” he concluded. “It’s your time. Off you go. You’re on your way—you’re driving. Life is not a Waymo. The road ahead is long, windy, sometimes bumpy and you know there’ll be detours, but after what you’ve been through you’re going to navigate it with grace. The future is yours 2025 … and call us when you get there.”

Acapali performed a musical interlude arranged by Diya Prakash titled “End of the Road,” Senior Class President Taylor Beljon-Regen spoke about how it is the people, not the place, that she will remember most.

She was followed by Annalisa Hurd, who began her valedictorian address by stating her 15-year-old self, who had been certain of the future and made predictions about what her life would be like now, “was right about some things—like the classes she’d be taking—but a lot of it was totally off.”

“She was so sure I’d continue pursuing ballet, for example, but life had other plans,” Hurd said. “Honestly, our whole high school experience has been defined by life having other plans. Who could’ve predicted we’d be graduating at the Hollywood Bowl or that we’d finish senior year learning in what used to be a department store? Life doesn’t always follow the script we write …

“My sophomore self did have a couple wise things to say. She said ‘Take every chance and live every moment of life to the fullest since you don’t get much of it.’ I hope we carry that attitude with us throughout life and embrace the unexpected.”

A video greeting by Sam Jacobson, a “Grad Medley” arranged by Henry Jamison and performed by Pali High’s senior musicians, and sentiments from two other speakers, Anthony Haladjian and Cyrus Hemmens preceded the long-anticipated presentation of diplomas, after which Magee instructed the Class of 2025 to move their tassels from the right side of their caps to the left, symbolizing their transition from student to graduate.

The recessional song was Kool & the Gang’s 1980 hit “Celebration.”