Burroughs graduates celebrate the ‘result of hard work’
Cannons with confetti shoot into the air mixed with tossed graduation caps at the conclusion of the graduation ceremony of Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the school’s football field on Thursday, May 26, 2016.
During this year’s graduation ceremony at John Burroughs High School on Thursday, the school’s principal, Deborah Madrigal, said the graduating seniors have made significant achievements in academics, the arts, athletics, cheer, dance and volunteering, and they have set a high bar for the next class.
“I know they will all make a difference, wherever they go,” she said during her speech on Memorial Field.
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Graduate Mattie Motz, 18, reacts after graduating and receiving her diplma at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Cannon with confetti shoot into the air mixed with tossed graduation caps at the conclusion of the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Kaitlin Okimoto, of the Burroughs softball team, smiles with her softball uniform showing at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. The softball team played and won a CIF playoff game in Norwalk, and just made it to graduation when it started. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Friends embrace as the celebration erupts at the conclusion of the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Danielle Maltseva pumps her fists with her diploma cover in hand at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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All are faces of anticipation as they look to the marshall for when they can stand and get their diplomas at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Valedictorian Joseph Fiorella puts his hands together in a moment of nervousness as he addresses the crowd at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Nicholas Apostolina presents a speech called Reminiscence as he tells about the importance of growing up in high school at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Calvin Guntetong laughs at the speech by Nicholas Apostolina at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Josh Turner and Angel Navarro play the double bass with the wind ensemble at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Burroughs Principal Deborah Madrigal attempts to shake the hand of every graduate at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Brenda Loera shakes the hand of Burroughs Principal Deborah Madrigal after walking through her graduation ceremony at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Jasmine Martinez happily returns to her chair after graduating at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Katharine McMurtrey waves to family after graduating at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Jonathan Pedrozo smiles after graduating at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Selva Belson and Reilly Brooks turn their tassels to the other side at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Samantha Zink, the final grauate of the night, shakes the hand of Principal Deborah Madrigal at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Austin Aguilar shakes the hand of Burroughs Principal Deborah Madrigal after he received his diploma cover at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates process onto the football field at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Salutatorians Weston Montgomery, Madison Mayer and Gevick Safarians all speak at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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The stands filled with family and friends at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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With all of the graduates seated, a sea of red caps spread across the football field at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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“Powerhouse” is sung by a chorus at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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ASB President Miguel Delgado-Garcia introduces himself as the host at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Lesley Nava waves to family members at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates process onto the football field at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduate Joseph Martinez waves to a family member at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates process onto the football field at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Graduates process onto the football field at the graduation Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on the football field at the high school on Thursday, May 26, 2016. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Class President Miguel Delgado thanked parents and families on behalf of his class for their support over the years. However, he added that the future may be tough sometimes.
“Let us make mistakes. Let us learn from our failures. I know we’ll make it because we’re the class of 2016,” he said.
Valedictorian Joseph Firoella encouraged his classmates to meet challenges with an open heart and strive for greatness.
“Excellence has never been an accident,” he said. “It’s the result of hard work.”
Graduate Nicholas Apostolina presents a speech called “Reminiscence” as he talks about the importance of growing up in high school at the graduation ceremony for Burroughs High School’s class of 2016 on Thursday, May 26, 2016.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Nick Apostolina, graduating senior and one of the speakers at the ceremony, said his classmates have run into obstacles during the past four years, but they’ve learned how to overcome them.
“We failed, but what we did was, we grew from it, and we succeeded and it was all the sweeter. No offense to the valedictorian or salutatorians, but high school is not about grades. It’s about growing up,” Apostolina said. “I think if you look at yourself freshman year and you look at yourself now, you’ll agree with me when I say we’ve done an A+ job of growing up.”
Among the 600 graduates was Kenneth Bitanga, who will continue his studies at Pasadena City College with plans to transfer to Cal State Long Beach to pursue a career in forensics.
“It feels like a dream. It feels unreal,” he said before the ceremony.
Fellow graduating senior Nicole Hovan said she’s learned skills at John Burroughs that she will carry on to Cal State Northridge, where she plans to study communications.
“I’m excited to take what I’ve learned here to [Cal State Northridge],” she said. “I’m excited to graduate, but it’s also bittersweet.”
Kelly Corrigan is a former News Desk multiplatform editor for the Los Angeles Times. For several years, she covered education for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader, winning John Swett awards for her education coverage in 2016 and 2017. She is a graduate of Cal State San Marcos and the Missouri School of Journalism.
