Schools
Franklin Grads Celebrate Special Day (Photos)
Franklin High School's class of approximately 500 seniors received their diplomas on Thursday afternoon.
A sea of burgundy, black and gold filled the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Thursday afternoon as Benjamin Franklin High School's class of approximately 5oo graduating seniors received their hard-earned diplomas.
"No matter what happens, we will always have the feeling of walking across this stage and knowing that we did it," said class Valedictorian speaker Keanu Sao, who will attend Stanford University in the Fall.
Other graduation speakers included Salutatorian George Sy, Principal Joseph Nacorda and Councilman José Huizar.
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Huizar made special note of Franklin's teachers during his address, thanking them for the hard work they had done throughout the school year.
Like Sao, Huizar also urged those in attendance to cherish the memory of the day's accomplishment.
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"This is indeed your special day," Huizar said. "No matter where you are in life, when someone asks you where you were on this day, you're going to remember this day. Enjoy it graduates."
Nacorda reflected fondly one some of the moments he shared with the class of 2011 in his one year as principal of Franklin High School.
"You all welcomed me to the Panther family, and it was certainly a memorable one," he said. "We faced some incredible and memorable moments, moments we chose to use as a stepping stones as we tenaciously pursued our common goals. The end result, ladies and gentleman, of our coming together, keeping together and working together in spite of the obstacles we may have faced along the way, that end result is the graduating class of 2011."
Salutatorian George Sy, who is bound for Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, also reflected on the growing pains undergone by the class of 2011.
"What seems like mistakes were really stepping stones that helped up find our identity," Sy said.
While Sy and Sao both made time honored references to growth, friendship and the joys of collective memories, the two speakers also left ample room for levity in their speeches.
Sao, for example, instructed his classmates to put their hand on the shoulder of the person to their right and then turn to the left and do the same.
"See, now you can all say you were touched by my speech," Sy said.
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