he San Clemente High School graduating class of 2014 has seen a number of challenges in their four years at the school. Two years ago, a bomb threat forced a delay

on the fi rst day of school as the class was just beginning their sophomore year. This year, classes were halted as an appar-ent threat on social media forced a lockdown of the school. A new principal came on board. But the class also saw the school contest every CIF title, win championships for dance, put on successful theatrical and music productions, strove for high achievement academically and made a commitment to community service.

Senior Speaker Campbell George described the school as “a bastion of community spirit,” and that the class had “unquestionably left this school a better place than we found it,” to the cheers of his classmates as they prepared to move forward with their lives.

Principal Michael Halt told the seniors to be open to new experiences, and embrace the fact that they didn’t need to know what path they needed to take or even what sort of person they were going to be.

“You’re excited about blazing your own trails,” Halt told the class. “You showed us the real class in the Class of 2014.”

A Bastion of Spirit

T

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San Clemente High School’s Class of 2014 celebrates graduation

Photos: Jim Shilander, Brian Miller and Bret Miller

By Jim Shilander

an Clemente High School Class of 2014:As we gather here today for commencement, the abundance of positive emotion makes it easy to forget all that we have experienced. We began our sophomore year

evacuated to this very stadium due to a bomb threat, followed by school closures and the largest power outage in California history. While not as dark as these times, there have been other, less glowing moments of high school: hiking the hill, negotiating the parking lot, studying all night long. The diploma that each of us will soon receive is as much the story of these struggles as it is of our academic triumphs. In fact, it is only in contrast to the darker moments of our high school career that we can recognize within ourselves a conse-quence of our graduation far more important than any transcript or test score: a glowing light of passion that knows no bounds.

Glance at the sun. What you see is not a defi ned sphere, but rather a diffuse array of energy that spans millions of miles across space to shine on us this afternoon. Much like sunlight is necessary for life and growth, high school has ignited our development as young men and women. Whether our paths have been lit with the stadium lights as an athlete, the stage lights as a performer, or simply the fl uorescent glow of a classroom, we all bask under some commonalities. Our beacons have been our family, friends, and faculty. Our teachers have given us the textbook knowledge and communication skills to survive and thrive be-yond adolescence. Our peers have forged with us immutable bonds of support and honesty. Our families have fought with us, have embarrassed us, but most of all, have loved us.

Though the afterglow of graduation will stay with us for a few days, the sun will even-tually set on this senior summer. We will all walk out of Thalassa Stadium today, not as

‘Light Up the World; Start a Firestorm of Positive Energy’

SBy Ethan Gacek, San Clemente High School Scholar of Scholars

Ethan Gacek encourages fellow graduates to fi nd a way to make their mark

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students for whom others are responsible, but as graduates with our own responsibilities. Our light, carefree naiveté will soon be challenged by a darker reality. Hunger, poverty and human strife within and beyond our little Spanish village by the sea could easily overwhelm us. These challenges make it is easy to view the impending throw of our graduation caps as insubstantial as the very threads from which our tassels are made. But the light of knowl-edge that is represented by turning our tassels is powerful.

As graduates, we are no longer reliant upon light from external sources to show us the way. Instead, we can now generate our own rays of positive impact. We must help others with the talents and energies that have been revealed to us over these past four years. Our light by itself, or for ourselves, is nothing. Light dies when it has no direction or outlet. Its power can only be demonstrated when we use it to help others uncover and develop their own gifts. As one candle can successively light infi nitely many more, so one selfl ess action can ignite an unstoppable chain reaction of illumination.

In darkness, the human eye can see a single candle fl ame from 30 miles away. It only takes one glimmer to inspire everyone to look beyond the blackness and into the light of hope. My fellow seniors, I challenge each and every one of you to be that pinpoint of light that cannot be swallowed by shadows. Make a spark. Strike a match. Light a candle and share your energies, your efforts, your compassion, your empathy and your love.

Class of 2014, to say that we’ve fi nished high school may sound attractive, but it really doesn’t do ourselves justice. Rather, our individual paths lie gleaming before us. As we graduate, I leave you with one last request: light up the world; start a fi restorm of positive energy. Thank you.

The San Clemente High School Graduating Class of 2014:(*) Indicates Valedictorians(+) Indicates Academic Distinc-tion

Curran Abell +Tyler AbercrombieCesar AcostaMark AcostaJorge AdameEmily AdamsZackery Adcock *Trent AddisJenna Adrian +Neusha AfkamiTara Afshar *Alexis AhlinSpencer AikenJanelle AlejoTorin AlmRaven AloeLeonel AlvarezSamantha AlvarezSavanna AlzateDaniel AmbrizMarina AminMonica AminKevan AmjadiBrittany Anady +Sebastian AndersenKayla AndersonMadelyn AndersonNicholas Anderson +

Zachary AntociDevin Antonio +Loren ApplegateJaime AquinoLuis Arceo GomezJonah Arnone-CrisherChristian ArranagaSergio ArredondoJulia ArroyoJordyn Asakowicz *Lauren AshworthMadison AtkinsPaige Augello *Malia BackmanRasool BahuDavis BakerMatthew BakerAlex BalazsDevon BallMacarena BarbaPatrick Barfi eldMiriam BarilliHaley BarkemaFelisha BarretoMariana BarrientosTaylor BatteyAshlyn BaxterJaycie BeachampIan BecerraNicholas Beckwitt *Marie BeeuwsaertDino Beganovic +Jacqueline BegilLauren Bell

Andrew BeltranCassie BeltranKelsey BenoitMorgan BermanJonas BetancourtMiranda BilbaoMadison BlackLauren BlakeleyIsabela BlandaHayley BlanfordLeah BlanksChanler Bledsoe +Callan BleickCase BlinnAudrey BlockVictoria BlumerDominique Bly *Loren BonninChelsea BorelloWalker BoyesWilliam Bozarth + Brenda BradyKyra Brandt + Christopher Bridgeman + Adrian Brothers-PerazaEvan BrownSamuel Brown +Adam Brownell *Brooke Browning *Taylor BrubakerMack Bryan +Timothy BuhlKent BurckleJustin Burke

Emma Burns +Kendra Burns + Mason BurtCynthia Cabrera +Nancy CabreraCamille CalentinoKathryn Calhoun +Grace Campbell *Jessica CampbellCasey CannonAlejandro CarrilloSarah CarrilloEstephany Carrillo CruzTawney CarselloCayla Carter +Emily CarterShea CasementTiana CastilloLogen CatheyMaria CaudilloMarlen CaudilloTrevor CaverlyCristian CejaJustin CerroneMario CervantesMakena ChamouresDylan Chandler *Christian ChapinJacob ChapmanJose Chavez-JuarezJohn ChetwyndCaitlin ChomatilBenjamin ChongKayla ChrissAshley CihlarAubree Clavin +Matt Clemens +Nanette ClemensNathan CliftonKyla CoitRosaisela Colin-Solano +Jessica ComingJack ConneelyElisa CononeDylan CookRachel CookThomas CooperJohn CopelandElliott CornEnrique CorralesKathryn CoxEvan CraneEmily CrawfordJonathan CrawfordNicholas CrawfordJames CrillyKimberly CrisostomoPaige CrowtherElizabeth Cruz + Martha CruzAleksandar CucukKenley CummingsPeter Dahl *Jacob DahlmeierDrew Daniels +Kyle DarbyCherise Dark +Natasha Dassoff +Aryn DavisElye DavisSiena DavisDeanna De SonKoan DeatonJessica DeGree *Mason Delahooke *Sebastian Delgadillo

Anthony DePhillippiRyan DevineMaria DiazKelly DillonMegan DillonEdwin Dimas +Kevin DirdenChristopher DobsonTaylor DoddBrittanie DudleyChristian DunnHunter DuttonLinda DzhabiyevaTheresa Eads *Alexis EdwardsConnor EdwardsAlec EibMelissa EiseleCharlotte Ellis +Zachary Ellis *Brynna ElzeyOlivia EnglishJessica Erickson *John Erlinger +Axel EscobarAlyssa EvaggelouRhys EvansNatalie FalknerSuroosh Farhadi *Nicole Faris +Dorin FarleyDerek FentonGarrett FernandezJuan Fernandez MarinWilliam FerreiraJerrod FieldsQuinn FinneyKiara Fisher-HagarRachel FitterLucee Fitzgerald *Landon FletesMichael FloresCameron Forrester +Nolan Forstie +Noah FoskettAmanda FrancomCassandra FrenchOlivia French +Scott FriesTanner FritchHannah FuchserLawrence FullertonTrever Gabay +Ethan Gacek *Daniel GarciaDaysi Garcia +Jessica Garrett *Peyton GarrettMatthew Garritson +Belen GarzaDominika Geier *Dylan Gemma +Campbell George *Jaecob Gerdeman *Eli Gerhard *Cameron GhalamiNatalie GiazzonAddison GiddingsMakenna GilbertDevyn Gilio FlannerMaile GilkersonIsabella GlennSarah GobbleMarie GogginsKendall GoldbergNicolas Goldstone

San Clemente High School Graduates

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Amy GomezFranceli GomezHector GomezJesus GomezLaura GomezNancy GomezSonia GomezSusana GomezVictor GonzalesAdrian GonzalezBlake GonzalezJesus GonzalezChristian Gould *Rayne GourleyElizabeth Graber +Adrienne Granados *Lauren Graves +Matthew Greenberg *Quintin GreeneAustin GreshamEric GrothjanMakenzie GrushYazmin GuerraDaniel GutierrezSaul GutierrezLeydi GuzmanIan HafeyOlivia Halas *Aubrey Hall *Ali Hanley +Allison Hansen *Lauren Harano +Sarah Harano *Steven HarbertsWyatt Harding *Amy HardyTimothy HarringtonPreston HarrisAndrew HarrisonKathleen Hartmann *Taylor HarveyRyan Hauser +Rylee Hawkins *Jessica Hazelrigg *Anna Hazlett *Austin HeatonDean HegenwaldNatalie HegenwaldJohn HeinamanAnna HemingwayArmando HernandezGerardo HernandezJuan HernandezOmar HernandezOscar Hernandez +Christopher Herre

Alejandra HerreraJuan HerreraKaitlyn HespenNatalie Higgins +William Hight +Luke HoererLauren HoffmanHailey HoldenJeremy Hong +John HoptonSabrina Horrack *Kendall HossChristian HoustonMikala HowardWilliam HowardCody HowellPaige HumesKyle Hunt *Colin Hurlbut Carol HurtadoAlexis Hurtado-CazaresAshley Huskey *Lindsay Hutchison +Kacy Hutton +Ashlee HykesNicholas IbertAcacia Irish +Jack IrwinNathan IrwinDante IvecNova IvesAndy JabaliEmily Jackson Reid Jackson +Kelly Jameson *Nichole JamiesonTyler JanesJearl JessonRafael Jimenez-RebollarBeverly John *Bailey JohnsonDaniel JohnsonJoshua Johnson +Orion JohnsonShannon Johnson +Hannah JonesShannon Jones *Daine JordanJacob JordanCarter Juncal *Bryce KaminskiNatalie Karapetian +Mitchell Kargul *Benjamin KatzNathan KawasakiBenjamin KeeneJames KeiskerTaylor KempKevin Kerr +Connor Kerzie +Brigette KimbroughCaden King +Jameson KlattHannah KleinAlexander Kline +Rachel KramerKevin Kruse +Jordan KudlaDrew Kurt *Julia Lacayo *Madison LacherClaudia Landes +Rain LangHaley LanghoffSamantha LaPereCoby Larinde *

Trevor LarsenTorrey LarsonCheyenne LassosSavannah LeavittDaiana LedesmaLisa Lee +Kristina LeimbachJulianne Leishman +Christopher LemanskiAlexis Lenahan +Maria LepeEmma LervoldBryce LewisMonica Lewis *Qing Li +Austin LickleyMadison LockettEmmy LombardGabriela LopezJason LopezSteven LopezJocelyn LoretoJalen LoskaKarli LoturcoMatthew LunaNoah LunaAllyson Lynn +Grant Lyttle *Grace MacDonaldMyles MacLachlan *Francesca Manso +Isaiah Maravilla-PoulsonKasey Marchant *Kevin Mariano *Ashley MartinAndrea MartinezMarissa MartinezRodolfo MartinezEmma MastersSara MastersTyler MaxwellKarina MayaJason McBride +Shannon McCaslandTrevor McCollumMarjorie McGraw +Joseph Mckinley +Campbell McLeod +Christian McNicholsEddie Melo +Estefania MercadoOlivia MerlinoLani Merrill +Brian Mew +Gabrielle Meyer *Savannah MickKathryn Milberger *Austin MillerJami Miller *Patrick MillerKimia MinafarAsher MitchellYuki MizutaniKavian Mojabe +Elizabeth MontagueDesiree MontezJordyn MooreRyan MooreTyler MooreKatherine MoralesOlivia MoralesEmily MoranKyla Morency +Connor MorenoDeisy MorenoGuadalupe Moreno

Maria MorenoNadine MorganJacob Morrison *Morgan MorrowDerek Moskowitz *Jake Moskowitz *Ivette MotaNancy Mota MunizKianna Mourer +Allison MuellerMartha MunizKieffer MunsonAndrea MuratallaRyan MurphyLobbi NarvaezKathia NavaMegan NavarraDaniel NavarreteTanairis NavarroKayson NeelyAshley Nelson +Nancy NeriArik NesbitMichelle NewcombeJoseph NewmanTaylor NicolasAndrew NieblasDaniel NobleConor Nordberg +Maddison Nordstrom +Callum NorrisTanaz Nourian +Stephen NugentJohn O’BrienEmily OlguinMaria OlimanHailey Ord *Elizabeth OreaTrevor O’RearRicky OrtegaJulia OrtizJennifer OrzunaMary O’TooleColton OverinDavid PadillaGabrielle PalmaJovana PalmaChad Palmer +Kyra Palmer-AlcocerAndrew PalmquistAndrew PapilionMichael PaquetteMatthew ParkerAditya Patel +Lindsey Paterson +Kandi PattersonRayanna PaxtonArmando PerezDiana PerezFernando PerezGabriela PerezJulio PerezLaura PerezMelissa PerezUriel PerezWilliam Perez +Chelsea PerkinsGillian Perry *Branden Petersen +Hunter PetersenKatelynn PevehouseCassie PiersonBrandt PriceDanielle PruittLourdes PulidoNadja Punak +

Paul Putnam *Yefri QuezadaTristan QuintanaShaza RabahiehJoel RabinsSamantha Raineri +Brooke RamirezDaisy RamirezDaisy RamirezEmily RamirezErica RamirezGario RamirezLeode RamirezYessica RamirezCarlos RamosEron RasorParker RatelleCheyanne RayMorgan RayPhilip ReedMcKay Reese *Shannon Reilly +Drew ReinselNicolette ReitanChristian RembertKathryn Renard *Rene RepaireAlejandra Reyes-DelgadoAustin ReynoldsKellen Rhoda +Danika RhodesHayley Richardson +Alejandra RiosJavier RiosTai RiskoDustyn RobersonJoseph RobersonKirra RobertsReilly Roberts *Kaitlin RodriguezPerry RohrEdwin RojasAlejandro RomanAlexa Romano +Sarah Romero +Sabrina RosasRochelle RothwellKarina RozunkoHaley RuewelerFernando RuizMikayla Rumph + Devon RushLucas RussellTaylor Russell +Trent RutherfordCaroline Ryan *Shane RyanMaili SaboNicolas Salvini *Jesus SanchezGarrett SandersElijah SauzaAlexis SavopoulosJessica Scarlata +Devyn SchlarbaumAlexander Schmidt *Corin SchreckSabrina Schundler *Sarah SchuslerJonathan ScottJohn Seeburger *Sarah Sellers Trent ShawErin Shea +John SheaksSpencer Shelley

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Spencer Shelton-JenksAmber ShikliNicholas ShippyEmerie ShrevesSelena Sierra +Andrew SimStone SimsClayton Skinner *Craig SmithWilson SmithAdam SolanoIsaac SolisSandie SolisJames SondereggerValeria Soto +Reid SpencerSara SprengerSamuel SprockettShani Spurgeon +Sydney SrokaMarco Alexi Sta AnaJonathan StaggsSara StanleySamantha Starr +Alison Statham *Eloise Steen

Shawn StephensMegan Stewart +Lauren Stier +Kel StonerJulian StrausAustin Streeter +Chloe StreeterLauren Strope +Dylan Struthers *Chad StuartMarley Stubban *Natalie SussmanCody SwanKarina SwickSydney Szabo +Adriana TabarezJohn TackaberryEduardo TanamachiCarla TapiaAnthony TarrAlexsander TashSabrina TehraniZachary Terrey +Ettara ThomasEmily Thornton +Mason Tobia *

Rodrigo TorresKendyll TrenaryRoss TrittAlyssa Trotter *Colette Troughton *Jeremiah True +Mikail TudorIsaiah TunuliNicholas TurchieAlexander Turner Marcus Turner *Laura TurneyShelby TustisonMeg UdallAustin UlrichSterling Ungphakorn +James Unruh +Rachel UriosteJeffrey ValkoSteven ValloneSkyler Van Der MeulenPeter Van LiefdeKaylin Van WausCarly VanCampLauren VanCampPete Vangalis

Shelby VanRyckeghen *Bianca VelasquezAlejandra VelazquezCecilia VelazquezDiana Ventura Sanchez +Jack VikanEsmeralda VillalobosKevin VillarouelBlythe VitroNicki Vleisides *Lance Von AldenbruckJordan WadsworthReese Wahlin *Cole WalkerRyan WaltmanColleen WarrackTristan Wells +Jennifer West +Nicholas WestlandAlyssa Wetzel +Michael Wheelock *Leah WhitbyDana Wiegand +Erin WilliamsAnastasia WilsonTara Winkelmann *

Visarut Wongput +Sean Woods +Jason WrightMadison WrightJustin WrightmanAini Xu *Joohee Yeam *Dylan YesenofskiChristopher YoccaRico YoungNicole Yu Maria ZanottiSahel Zargari *Aaron Zeek Cody ZemkeChaolun Zeng +Miguel ZepedaAlexander Zhang*David ZhuAlexis ZimmermanCollin Zines *

This list was provided by the school and may not include some names, per parent request.

San Clemente Graduates from Other Area Schools

Saddleback Valley ChristianKeane Adams BennettAlexandra Lee CarterShalyn Nicole Shirley Lorraine ChambersThomas Joseph ConleyCanaan Yoshiji HowardAndrew Jefferson JohnsonTorrey Robert KarlsenJordan John KudlaCaitlin Malone RaffertyElliot Joel RheeXiaoxin Yuan

Dana Hills High SchoolJohn CarrollMeghan DickmannRachel D’ItriAndrew DunnRobert OlveriasIndira RaymondConnor Shirvan

Capistrano Valley ChristianEric Donaldson BeveridgeJustin Thomas BurgerCassandra Fe JeltemaJasmin Alexandria KepnerEmily Paige Martin

JSerra Catholic Colby AndersonSamantha BalszDarya BayatMaggie BeyerChandler BrownAubrey ColandreoSarah ColandreoSomer CorbettMegan DaggettYijun (Loki) DongBenjamin DuffyCasey EugenioChristian FracassiKyle (Kylee) FracassiNicolas FracassiEmily GaddieCarlee GutierrezTucker GuyotPeter HanksShannon HansenSydney Herd

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Marc JohnsonZachary JohnsonRyan KelleyAntonia LesethEmily LowellGage ManningBrendan McFadden Jr.Gianna MeagliaRyan NajjarDylan OsetkowskiSage PetersenDante PettisAnne PfostBrianna PorrelloAidan Pulley-HatonCatherine ReevesTanner RichardsonSaba SahmoediniGabriella SarjeantYunqi (Doris) ShenEvan SmithJill Van MierloEmily Whaley

St. Margaret’sCarl EubanksConnor FallonKassidy FarinaAustin HannaChristopher HowingtonCarolyn KingBrooks RobinsonElizabeth SchmallShane SpaetheMathew Williams

San Clemente High School Senior AwardsPresented May 30

International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidates

Tara Afshar Alex Balazs Adam Brownell Dylan Chandler Peter Dahl Zachary Ellis Olivia French Ethan Gacek Campbell George Eli Gerhard Matthew Greenberg Olivia Halas Allison Hansen Kathleen Hartmann Jeremy Hong Sabrina Horrack Shannon Jones Natalie Karapetian Drew Kurt Coby Larinde Kyla Morency Jake Moskowitz Gillian Perry Nadja Punak Nicolas Salvini Sabrina Schundler Jack Seeburger Samantha Starr Lauren Strope Marley Stubban Marcus TurnerNicki Vleisides Reese WahlinJulia Yeam Sahel Zargari David Zhu

National Merit Scholarship Program

Commended StudentsEthan Gacek Alexander Zhang

National Achievement Scholarship FinalistEthan Gacek

Advanced Placement Scholars

AP ScholarJenna AdrianTara AfsharBrittany AnadyAlex BalazsCassie BeltranWilliam BozarthKyra BrandtCasey CannonJessica GarrettJaecob Gerdeman

Isabella GlennElizabeth GraberAubrey HallWyatt HardingJeremy HongChristian HoustonKacy HuttonGrant LyttleBrian MewJami MillerSol MinayaAditya PatelNadja PunakPaul PutnamMikayla RumphSabrina SchundlerLauren StropeNicki VleisidesSean Woods

AP Scholar with HonorJordyn AsakowiczDevon BallAdam BrownellBrooke BrowningPeter DahlJessica DeGreeCharlotte EllisSuroosh FarhadiOlivia FrenchCampbell GeorgeMatthew GreenbergAllison HansenJessica HazelriggAnna HazlettDrew KurtJason McBrideGabrielle MeyerJake MoskowitzSamantha RaineriMcKay ReeseKathryn RenardReilly RobertsNicolas SalviniJack SeeburgerSamantha StarrAlison StathamDylan StruthersMarley StubbanReese WahlinJake WarnerSahel Zargari

AP Scholar with DistinctionDylan ChandlerZachary EllisEthan GacekEli GerhardChristian GouldOlivia HalasKathleen HartmannSabrina HorrackShannon JonesCarter JuncalNatalie KarapetianCaden KingCoby LarindeMonica Lewis

Patrick MillerKavian MojabeKyla MorencyJacob MorrisonDerek MoskowitzRyan MurphyGillian PerryMarcus TurnerJulia YeamAlexander Zhang

Athletics

Female Athletes of the Year NomineesNicole Faris-SoccerShannon McCasland-SoftballMelissa Eisele-Cross CountryOlivia Merlino-LacrosseTaylor Brubaker-VolleyballBrigette Kimbrough-Water PoloJessica DeGree-BasketballEmmy Lombard-Surfi ngJessica Erickson-Track and FieldJulia Yeam-TennisElizabeth Cruz-Swimming

Female Athletes of the YearNicole FarisMelissa Eisele

Male Athletes of the Year NomineesZackery Adcock-WrestlingAustin Miller-BasketballCoby Larinde-Swim/Water PoloShawn Stephens-VolleyballMatthew Parker-Cross CountryJohn Sheaks-BaseballDylan Struthers-SoccerKelsey Benoit-Track and FieldReese Wahlin-GolfColton Overin-Surfi ngCollin Zines-FootballMatt Greenberg-TennisPeyton Garrett-Lacrosse

Male Athlete of the YearDylan Struthers

Triton of the Year

Triton of the Year NomineesMason DelahookeEthan GacekAubrey HallCarter JuncalNicki VleisidesReese Wahlin

Triton of the YearMason Delahooke

CONGRATULATIONS TOSAN CLEMENTE HIGH SCHOOL’S CLASS OF 2014!

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