Hundreds of students across the Crescenta Valley said goodbye to those they’ve known for the last several years and prepare to move on to the next level in their lives.
By Mary O’KEEFE

Many foothills kids slept in on Wednesday after a Tuesday that marked the beginning of summer break as graduation/promotion ceremonies were celebrated across the Crescenta Valley.

Seniors at Clark Magnet and Crescenta Valley high schools walked across the stage, received their diploma (well, at least the cover for the diploma) and toward their future.

David Khachatrian was named Clark’s valedictorian, one of 254 graduates who ended their four-year academic career at the high performing magnet school.

At CVHS, it was all about new traditions beginning, including a change in leadership.

Richard Cho was selected as the CVHS valedictorian and was part of history that started with the Class of 2013 commencement ceremony taking place on the school’s Osborne Field. Though having the school graduation on the school field may have seem like a natural choice, for years CVHS seniors and their families had to travel from home in order for graduates to walk the stage.

Principal Michele Doll credited seniors Jillian Kauffman and Taylor Berns with bringing the commencement to the home field.

“They came to me with a [request] that brought tears to my eyes,” Doll said of the pair’s appeal for the ceremony to be brought onto the campus.

However, the student body had to raise a part of the money – which was about $10,000 – to bring in the bleachers, barricades and chairs in order to host the affair. It is actually cheaper to have the event off campus, but the seniors wanted to have it at home, like other schools. The funds were raised and the rest, as they say, is history.

Blue skies greeted graduates, families and friends.

“The weather was perfect,” said Lisa Reed, assistant principal who was also in charge of organizing the new tradition. “I think it went well.”

This being the first commencement celebration on the field and the first one on campus in years, there were some hiccups. The general consensus was a more controlled audience area was needed. During the ceremony, some parents wandered onto the field to take photos of their senior and some stood in front of those who were sitting in the stands, obscuring their view.

Security asked the visitors to move away from the front of the bleachers and, Reed said, for the most part they followed the request without issue.

There was a bit of an issue at the end of the event, though, when graduates attempted to line up to exit the field and parents and onlookers mingled with them.

But the fact that it was on the home field was worth the few issues.

“We know how beautiful our campus is,” Reed said.

The commencement setting highlighted the field surrounded by mountains and trees.

“This is such a beautiful spot, it was a perfect evening,” she said. “You can’t help but be happy.”

This was also the biggest class of seniors the school has graduated, Reed said. The class had 760 graduates with 756 attending the ceremony.

Reed hopes that future commencements will be held at the school. To help ensure this, the senior class gift was funding to be applied to future graduation costs.

“Each year a class will have leftover money in their account,” Reed said. “This year the class gift is to roll over that money into a graduation account and [hopefully] begin a foundation for next year’s class.”

It is hoped that future classes will contribute year after year to help with the fund.

“It would be lovely if we could have the [commencement ceremony] here every year,” Reed added.

As the new tradition began, the Class of 2013 said goodbye to their principal of three years.

Doll said the ceremony for her was bittersweet as it was the last commencement she would oversee as the CVHS principal. She had a long history with the Class of 2013 as many were in eighth grade when she was principal of Rosemont Middle School.

Doll hugged each senior as they received their diploma and walked down the stairs back to their seat.

There was also a bit of bittersweet emotion at Rosemont Middle School as well. Ann Amrhein, assistant principal for 18 years at Rosemont, will be leaving.

“She will be going to another Glendale school,” said Dr. Cynthia Livingston, Rosemont principal. What Glendale school she’ll be going to has yet to be announced.

“Ann has been a pillar in the community and has put in 18 years of hard work, love and dedication at Rosemont. She has earned the respect of parents, students and teachers,” Livingston said.

Whatever school Amrhein will end up in should be decided by the June 18 Glendale school board meeting. She, along with new principals at Monte Vista Elementary and Crescenta Valley High schools, are expected to be in place by July 1.

Rosemont’s promotion ceremony was held Tuesday morning and although students who addressed the audience shared their excitement of moving on, they also a expressed a sadness at leaving the staff and principal of their school.

Over 600 kids were promoted and are on their way to high school. The eighth grade class presented the class gift to Principal Dr. Cynthia Livingston – a mascot costume for their Spartan teams.

Livingston has been a strong proponent of school sports that are funded through donations. She happily accepted the gift then joked with Assistant Principal Ron Sowers.

“Ron, they got a costume for you to wear,” Livingston said. “Isn’t that great?”

Overall, those who were promoted or graduated were happy to move forward and yet were reflective. CVHS Lauren Lee’s senior address expressed it best.

“Before you walk across the stage and the rest of our lives, just stop and enjoy this moment and take a deep breath,” she said.

Photos by Leonard COUTIN, Mary OKEEFE, Charly SHELTON & Robin GOLDSWORTHY

CLASS OF 2013

Mayreni Abajian
Marwa Abdelghani
Karina Abou-Chakra
Peter Abrahamian
Justin Abril
Natalia Acosta
Catherine Adams
Erik Adamyan
Jamie Addison
Ani Agabalian
Erick Aghaian
Sarkis Agopian
Ayman Ahmed
Eric Ahn
Peter Ahn
Daniel Ajemian
Adrineh Akopyan
Arpi Alaverdyan
Emily Alcorace
Courtney Alegria
Sevag Alexanian
Daniel Alikhanian
Carolin Allahverdi
Silvia Alvarenga
Maya Alvarez
Eliana Amirian
Christian Amirkhanian
Jacqueline Amirkhanian
Kristen Ampig
Richard An
Claire Anderson
Sevag Arabian
Kajeik Arakelian
Monique Arancibia
Marta Archer
Eden Arguello-Cooper
Rachel Artime
Gary Artinian
Madison Artis
Easun Arunachalam
Sevag Ashjian
Michelle Aslanyan
Rachael Aspaturian
Ryan Assaf
Karen Ataian
Tiffany Austin
Colette Avanessian
Tenie Avanessian
Patrick Avasapian
Justine Rayzel Avendano
Andre Avidisyans
Sareen Ayvazian
Nyree Azizian
Celine Babayan
Ashot Bagdasarian
Erik Baghdassarians
Talar Bahlounian
Kasey Baldwin
Kathryn Balina
Veronica Banaag
Isaac Banuelos
Elena Bartolone
Erin Batali
Ian Bates
Katherine Bayard
Dylan Bechtle
Chris Bedrossian
Taleen Bedrossian
Vanneh Bedrossian
Raffi Bekarian
Jesse Belisle
Daniele Bellutta
Helen Bender
Patrick Bennett
Christina Benson
Hannah Benson
Katie Benson
Lindsay Bergstrom
Taylor Berns
Sebastian Beto
Mithra Bhadha
Nicole Bird
Samantha Blessley
Tanner Bloks
Theodore Boeke
Sebastian Boller
Whitley Boller
Ryan Booth
Bailey Bowers
Thomas Boyadzhyan
Matthew Boyd
Celestina Boyle
Matthew Bracht
Kayla Break
Kiko Brenneisen
Matthew Bretado
Catherine Brookey
Molly Burke
Diamante Cabrera
Ryan Caceres
Katie Callister
Justin Camacho
Justin Camacho
Antonio Camarillo
Cameron Campbell
Deryn Canavan
Christine Canedo
Violeta Carmona
Russell Carpenter
Briana Carreno
Anna Carter-Hernandez
Kasieh Cases-Manzon
Karl-Philippe Cassel
Gabriel Castro
Jesse Castro
Sam Catalfamo
Jazel Cervantes Camacho
Joanne Cha
Katherine Chacon
Riley Chambers
Allen Chang
Pauline Chang
Arousyak Charkchyan
Athena Cheung
Rashi Chhajed
Adrian Chia
Deborah Chin
Alex Cho
Annabelle Cho
Christine Cho
Eunsung Cho
Faith Cho
Harry Cho
In Seo Cho
Richard Cho
Yae Cho
Kristin Choe
Kristine Choe
Charles Choi
Cindy Choi
Erica Choi
Jae Won Choi
Jaimie Choi
Jennifer Choi
Julia Choi
Michelle Choi
Samuel Choi
Ye Eun Choi
Young Choi
Edward Chong
Mary Chorbadjian
Armen Chorbajian
Andrew Chung
Hayeon Chung
Hyeon Chung
In Jea Chung
Jong Min Chung
SangHee Chung
Samuel Clark
David Cleenewerck
Caitlin Connell
Margaret Connell
Corinna Conroy
Joshua Cook
William Cortes
Karina Costilla
Kiani Cuervo
Sydney Cummings
Maxwell Cunning
Cole Currie
Aret Damla
Rozette Daoud
Christina Darakjian
Kayla Davis
Christine Dayao
Isabel De Guzman
Courtney De Paoli
Daniel Dean
Ashley Dehnoushi
Jenna DeKeater
Jake Dempsey
Shaunt Der Ohannesian
Brian Dertli
Anna Di Salvo
Geena Nineth Diaz Estrada
Princess Miracel Dignos
Jaime Dillinger
Rani Dimashki
Beatrice Dizon
Ryan Doyle
Shannon Doyle
Marissa Dressor
Tricia Dubin
Simone Dupuy
Michaela Edin Dahlgren
Alexander Edwards
Zachary Edwards
Chad Eggertsen
Faith Elliott
Tigran Eloyan
David Emmanuel
Eric Engibegian
Garegin Erdoglyan
Nazaret Erdoglyan
Alexander Erickson
Forrest Escalera
Roberto Escobedo
Aaron Manuel Esparza
Perla Espinoza
Bailey Etter
Marshal Fairbrother
Christina Farestveit
Matthew Fernandes
Michael Filipian
Shamus Fitzgibbons
Ericca Fonseca
Adele Franck
Christy Fraser
Madison Gabor
Paul Gamez
Allegria Garcia
Eric Garcia
Riane Garcia
Jasmine Gatto-McCann
Natalie Gazarian
Alex Gedoyan
Rilee Gerhard
Lia Gharapetian
Patrick Ghazarian
Tania Ghazarian
Shanet Ghockas Nersissian
Bryan Ghoslin
Jordyn Giannamore
Agnes Giebelhaus
Cory Gilmore
Richard Go
Young Woo Goh
Jessica Gomez
Andrew Goodman
Gabrielle Granados
Jordan Green
Parker Griffin
Kevin Grigorian
Narbeh Grigorian
Natalie Grigoryan
Monica Grubbs
Elizabeth Gruss
Oscar Guerrero Alvarad
Daniela Guevara Riveros
Taehyup Ha
Tamara Hacopian
Benjamin Haggerty
Seyedamirvala Hajimirsadeghi
Gevorg Hakobyan
Thomas Halaszynski
Katherine Hall
Andrew Han
Gloria Han
Heejae Han
Porter Hansen
Cayla Harding-Putonen
Madison Harley
Edwin Hartoonian
Lauren Harvengt
Amanda Hemingway
Sarah Henschel
Cristela Hernandez
Pablo Hernandez
Oscar Hernandez Miranda
Rachael Herrera
Kristen Hicks
Tulasi Hilder Manahan
James Ho
Raini Takoda Hoffman
Rachael Holstein
Heidi Homan
Brandon Hong
Heidi Hong
Joo Young Hong
Kathleen Hong
Benjamin Horton
Harutun Hovhannesian
Syuzan Hovhannisyan
Justin Huezo
Gavin Hukassian
Elodie Hussein
Hee Hwang
Jasmine Hwang
Liza Hwang
Yewoon Hwang
Putthawan Iamsirithaworn
So Jeong Im
Sean Patrick Ireland
Carlos Irias Matamoros
Gabriel Isacson
Cooper Iven
Gregory Izanian
Kristopher Jabourian
Amber Jacobs
Madelynn Janacua
YoungJun Jang
Julie Jarian
Michael Jea
Emily Jenkins
Alex Jenks
Ji Hoon Jeon
Meghan Jerdin
Kelii Jimenez
Jun Ho Jo
Cole Johnson
Madeline Johnson
Sean Johnson
Madison Johnston
Benjamin Jones
Seul Jun
Eu Jean Jung
In Sik Jung
Ji Eun Jung
Steven Jung
Andrew Kaila
Nairi Kalpakian
Eunice Kang
Hee Ju Kang
Justin Kang
Sarah Kang
Sarah Kang
Sarah Kang
Sarah Kang
Susie Kang
Alexander Karayan
Romina Karimaei
Emilie Karimian
Jillian Kauffman
Lily Kaufman
Andriu Kavanagh
Natalie Kayichian
Eric Keshishian
Junho Keum
Siamonto Khachatourians
Nzhde Khodagulyan
Hanna Ki
Nam Woo Kil
Caroline Kim
Chang Soon Kim
Christine Kim
Christopher Kim
Daniel Kim
Daniela Kim
Do Hun Kim
Edward Kim
Esther Kim
Esther Kim
Ha Joung Kim
Haknyun Kim
Haksung Kim
Hyun Ji Kim
Hyun Woong Kim
Jae Kim
Jean Kim
Ji Hwan Kim
Jong Yoon Kim
Julia Kim
Jung Min Kim
JungWoo Kim
Krista Kim
Michelle Kim
Min Kim
Na Young Kim
Na-Young Kim
Nicole Kim
Patrick Kim
Rachel Kim
Ryan Kim
Sang Kim
Sarah Kim
Seon Kim
Stefan Kim
Stella Kim
Sun Min Kim
Sung Rak Kim
Sungeun Kim
Tae Kim
Tae Min Kim
Yeonsu Kim
Young Min Kim
Cali King
Andrew Kiorkof
Irina Kirakosian
Christina Kitchen
Theerawut Kitsamarng
Noah Klotthor
Laura Kodaverdian
Yoon Kong
Bonhwi Koo
Sarah Koonse
Jacob Ksendzov
Jonah Kubela
Nadia Kulenovic
Sinan Kurlawala
Justin Kwak
Min Ji Kwon
Tae Young Kwon
Tyler La Vally
Madeline Lacey
Silva Lahian
Nikolas Lam
Erin Lamb
Tyler Lance
Nicholas Lannin
Michael Ian Lavarias
Breanna Lawton
Aileen Lee
Ayelen Lee
Benjamin Lee
Christine Lee
Dong Lee
Edwin Lee
Gayoon Lee
Jamie Lee
Jane Lee
Ji Yun Lee
Jin Hye Lee
Jin Young Lee
Jina Lee
Joanne Lee
Lauren Lee
Min Joo Lee
Sarah Lee
SeungHo Lee
Stella Lee
Sydney Lee
Yeon Su Lee
Yewon Lee
YooSuk Lee
Young Jae Lee Shin
Young Jee Lee Shin
Charles Leef
Nathan Lehmann
Lia Leibman
Elena Leon
Sevag Leon
Casey Lew
Benjamin Lim
Han Ool Lim
Jae Heun Lim
Joshua Lim
Ken Lim
Pyeong Lim
Rachel Lim
Abigail Lina
Katherine Linkchorst
Samantha Lizer
Edward Llerena
Laura Lockhart
Andrew Lockwood
Bryce Loftus
Cory Longpre
Nikki Lotfabadi
Omar Luna Cruz
Diana Lungu
Alexander Lupinski
Jack Lutynski
Selin Madadian
Arpeni Mael
Shara Mahmoudi
Sasoon Makaradi
Dro Mandani
Lori Mandjikian
Tedrick Mangasarian
Jack Mangikyan
Don Mann
Robert Mann
Gregory Manouchehri
Alan Manoukian
Andre Manoukian
Aram Manoukian
Yanna Manoukian
Tenni Manoukian Kenaraki
Joseph Manssourian
Stephen Mansur
Adam Marcheque
Arev Markarian
Chantal Markarian
Clarisse Markarian
David Markarian
Danielle Markley
Lucas Markonich
Angelica Martinez
Crystal Martinez
Isabella Martinez
Joel Martinez
Maia Matheu
Andrew Maynard
Mikhail Mazmanyan
Tanya Mekhtikhanyan
Kamila Melko
Eduardo Menendez
Robert Menke
Kerry Merrill
Patrick Meserkhani
Jun Ki Min
Vedin Minasmasihi
Nicole Minassi
Tanya Minassian
Argishty Mirzakhanian
Meher Mirzakhanians
Anahid Mishek
Kellie Miyashima
Mark Mollica
Collette Momdjian
Haebin Moon
Jessica Moon
Megan Moore
Jessica Morena
Natalie Moreno
Kathryn Moser
Leana Mosesian
Xandria Mosher
Alec Mousakhanian
Catherine Myers
Katherine Myres
David Nam
Gloria Nam
Natalie Navian
Linouria Nazarin
Madison Newbro
Joseph Newkirk
Bradd Nicholson
Bryce Nicholson
Andrea Nino
Prach Nirattisai
Arbe Novshadyan
Hayden O’Burke
Brendan O’Rourke
Athena Oanessian
Brooke Ober
Elena Ochoa
Jun Oh
Sarah Oh
Brandon Olson
Paolo Ombac
Lyndon Ong Yiu
Marissa Ontiveros
Alexis Ortega
Annie Ovanessian
Angela Pachanian
Monica Paek
Leeann Page
Amelia Palacios
Travis Palazzolo
Jessica Palmer
Brendon Panopio
Henrik Panosyan
Nicholas Pappas
Hayoung Park
Hyo Park
Irene Park
Ji Sup Park
Minseong Park
Shawn Park
Simon Park
Soojin Park
Woo-Young Park
Paige Patino
Tatiana Pavelka
Patrycja Pawlowska
Allison Paxton
Ryan Payne
Joshua Pe
Pauline Pechakjian
Anthony Peralta
Joaquin Peres
Marvin Perez
Chloe Perez Perez
Elizabeth Perez Romo
Michael Perry
Amanda Peters
Vatche Petrossian
Ruslan Petrov
Aaron Pettigrew
Alan Philip
Jade Pope
James Porcell
Allison Potter
Christopher Prescott
Lucas Prucher
Jonathan Psaltis
Yeny Quesada
David Rabinov
Francesca Ragusa
Kenna Ramey
Guadalupe Ramirez
Jennifer Ramos
Samantha Mae Ramos
Nolan Rea
Edward Reiffert
Allison Reik
Madeline Reinoso
Celestine Reyes
Matthew Reyes
Paolo Jose Reyna
Yeon Joo Rhee
Sierra Rhoads
Riley Richardson
Julia Rignot
Ashley Rim
Heather Robertson
Dylan Robie
Brenda Rocha Barraza
Razmik Rocher
Kevin Rodriguez
Ricardo Rodriguez
Gina Roitman
Raisa Rosa
Andre Rosacia
Crysta Ross
Lucas Rowton
Hannah Ruby
Blake Ruff
Holly Russell
Ruth Ryu
Susanna Saakian
Jeff Saengsri
Wynter Salazar
Jackson Saliba
Emma Salmon
Yenny Sandoval
Brady Sanford
Angelica Santos
Karin Saran
Tina Sarhadian
Asbed Sarkissian
Julianna Sarkissian
Sharis Sarkissian
Zena Sawaged
Zuhair Sawaged
Ryan Schloessmann
Jenna Schroeder
Laura Sedano
Areeya Katherine Segarra
Young Tae Seo
Victor Sera
Patrick Shaghzoian
Michael Shaheen
Davit Shahmanyan
Brett Shaler
Jaeho Sheem
Yasmeen Sheikh
Musashi Sheikholeslam
Joanne Shim
Alex Shin
Jae Hyun Shin
Julie Shin
Ruth Shin
Samuel Shin
Viktoriya Shumakova
Keenan Shur
Emery Silberman
Joshua Silverman
Daniel Sinanian
Melanie Sinany
Giovani Sipaque
Nicholas Skowronski
Amelia Smith
Katherine Smith
Ashley Sohn
Anna Sokolova
Christian Soleta
Owen Solis
Kaja Sondergaard
David Song
Sarah Song
Pablo Sotillo
Jonathon Soto
Corbin Southworth
Miranda Spence
Jacob Standley
Rebecca Stonebraker
Mitchell Stoudt
Heather Strong
Anthony Stuart
Adam Sutphin
Kayla Svihovec
Corey Tavizon
Grace Taylor
Patrick Terarutunyan
Emanoel Terohanian
Tadeh Terovanesyan
Nathanael Tessman
Harrison Thai
Blake Thibodeau
Rebecca Thomas
Michael Thompson
Kiana Tom
Erick Trejo
Kyle Tremain
Charles Trendacosta
Free Alexande Tripp
Sherry Trowbridge
Benjamin Tuna
Gabriel Tyner
Ebradu Udarbe
Yuuya Urabe
Andrew Urena Lopez
Caitlin Urenda
Kayla Urenda
Alejandro Vaca
Richa Vakharia
Almyra Jannelle Valdez
Bryan Valdez
Antonio Vallejo
Ethan Van Treese
Chance Vander Geugten
Raymond Vartan
Pierre Vartanian
Dylan Veatch
Kalina Velev
Itzia Villegas
Kevin Villegas
Jennifer Wall
Alec Wallace
Elizabeth Walters
William Wang
Andrew Ward
Robert Warren
Keana Weiss
Nicholas Welsh
Tyler White
Veronica White Magpie
Katherine Willcox
Jessica Willis
Elliot Wilson
Kirk Wilson
Christel Winter-Mares
Daniel Witt
Adam Wolcott
Margot Wollenweber
Noel Wong
Amy Woo
Stephen Woo
Katherine Woods
Gene Yang
Jiyoung Yang
Sabin Yang
Meline Yedigaryan
Arten Yegikyan
Jean Yi
Robin Yi
Dae Young Yoo
Joshua Yoo
Jung Suk Yoo
Chang Yoon
Eric Yoon
Joo Heon Yoon
Stephanie Yoon
Jenna Yoskowitz
Andre Youkhna
Ho Jun Youn
Rina Youn
Gwang Yun
Tay Won Yun
Artour Zadourian
Amber Zadravecz
Tigran Zakaryan
Zack Zimmerman
Norbert Garabedean
Saem Lee
Thanat Pajariyanon
Min Su Park

  Charly Shelton, Leonard Coutin, Mary Okeefe, robin goldsworthy