Pali High Sends Off Class of 2016

By DAYNA DRUM | Reporter

Another class of Palisades Charter High School graduates was released into adulthood on Thursday, June 9 as 700 graduates turned their tassels and received their diplomas.

During her executive address, Pali High Principal Pamela Magee called the Class of 2016 unique among the school’s previous graduating classes.

“[It shows] through your desire and your action to make your school a better place,” Magee said, pointing out the uniqueness of the graduates.

Some in the audience interpreted this as a reference to the student body’s response to a hate-speech vandalism incident at the school in early March.

After derogatory comments were found spray-painted around the campus, a large number of students held a sit-out in the campus quad on Monday, March 14 and demanded to hold constructive conversations with administration.

In the days following, students wrote messages of peace and love around the campus to combat the previous negative messages.

Senior Class President Nick Christman thanked his classmates for a great year and gave an animated speech interwoven with lyrics of popular songs from throughout their high school careers.

Following that, 16 students gave a multi-lingual welcome representing 16 of the 20 languages spoken at the school, including Mandarin, Tagalog, Arabic and Russian.

A few more student speeches were given—congratulating their classmates, offering advice and sharing fears of entering a post-high school world.

“Whether we like it or not, we’re adults now,” said student speaker Michael McNorvell. “Adulthood will be a mixture of awesome and awful.”

In a unique parting message, Ajamn Lee-Johnson gave a graduation rap, rousing loud cheers from the audience and his classmates.

Shortly before the Class of 2016 Valedictorian spoke, senior musicians performed the Graduation Medley, a mash-up of songs such as “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart and “Home” by Phillip Phillips.

The full band in the background of the performing choir added a fun and lively atmosphere to the evening and garnered a dancing audience clad in blue robes and caps.

Valedictorian Nadia Tahsini gave the grads an encouraging speech about finding happiness in the paths they choose and following their dreams.

After the presentation of diplomas, Magee sent off the grads with the traditional tassel ceremony, turning their tassels as the sun set over Pali High’s campus.