Seniors from both Pacheco and Los Banos high schools participated in their final experience of their high school years, when they received their diplomas as graduates for 2025.
As they completed their education, some with screams, some with hugs and many with tears, the graduates discussed the past four years, remembering the good times and the struggles as they huddled for the last time as students in Los Banos.
Pacheco Valedictorian Ruby Areliz Cabello thanked her family, friends, teachers and classmates for all their support and help during their high school years and advised her classmates to be true to themselves.
Panther Salutatorian Daisy Abarca Aguilar encouraged her classmates to be all that they can be and that anything is attainable if you try.
Then Chief Academic Officer Sean Richey joined board members Jessica Moran, Marlene Smith and Lori Gattuso, as they handed diplomas to 384 graduates as they worked through the processional line on stage and then switched the tassels on their caps to signify that they had now completed four years of high school and have graduated. Family and friends then gathered on the football field at Veterans Stadium for smiles, tears and photos.
At the same time, Los Banos High School Principal Jason Waltman welcomed everyone in attendance and addressed the graduating class of 2025, telling them to “always keep learning, keep growing, and remember Tiger Pride.”
Tiger Salutatorian Austin Toscano addressed his classmates, saying, “We all have the ability to succeed, as long as we all keep believing.”
Valedictorian Leonides Kobe Solano then said, “Well, what’s next? Well, it can be whatever we want it to be. We have the future in our hands.”
Then it was time for the 363 seniors to proceed across the stage and receive their diplomas from School Superintendent Mark Marshall and board members Anthony Parreira, Dayna Valadao, Gene Lieb and Luis Castro, signifying the completion of the high school experience.
Then it was time for celebrating, pictures, hugs and tears with family, friends, teachers and classmates in Pacheco Park to complete the evening.
Following graduation Friday night, the Los Banos Police Activities League led by Los Banos PAL Officer Mariam Rivas, coordinated a Sober Grad Night at the Los Banos Community Center to provide a fun and safe way to spend the night playing game, enjoying food and time with fellow graduates.
According to Rivas, over 150 of the 909 eligible students attended and for those who stayed until the end at 6 a.m. Saturday, many new, donated electronic devices were given away.
