Color them emotional

Danette Goulet

What began as a solemn sea of maroon became a boisterous and energetic

array of colors set against the green field of LeBard Stadium at Orange

Coast College in Costa Mesa as Estancia High School’s class of 2001

graduated.

Silly string, streamers and balloons abounded as more than 200 seniors

earned their walking papers from the Westside high school Thursday

afternoon.

“Oh my God,” said valedictorian scholar Liz Gutman. “It’s totally

surreal. You think about this day, it builds up and builds up, and then

you think, ‘What just happened here?’ But it’s cool.”

Students were exultant before the ceremony, but nerves kept the

outbursts of joy -- which shook the stadium later -- subdued beforehand.

“My knees are shaking, I’m nervous and my heart’s pounding,” said

Robert Aguilera, 18, who plans to attend UCLA. “Four years wrapped up in

one day.”

Less than an hour later, it was over. In a partially bilingual

ceremony, the class was dismissed.

“This is the greatest day of my life,” said Maria Mendosa, 19.

It was a ceremony in keeping with Estancia’s family style. Speeches

were casual and original.

Lisa Hirata and Tory Matsufuji psyched graduates up as they have done

at many pep rallies. The two created a “blast from the past” for the

already nostalgic seniors.

Then Gutman, an award-winning drama student, compared the reality of

their Estancia experience to the fantasy high school of the TV show

Beverly Hills 90210.

To appeal to the budding business majors, Somer Flaherty and Vanessa

Hernandez compared the working of the small school to a corporation --

the Eagle Corp., after the school’s mascot.

And throughout, the graduates’ emotions ran the gamut.

“It’s so sad,” said Susana Laguna, 18, as she hugged a tear-drenched

friend.

Even their fearless leader, Principal Tom Antol was a bit choked up by

the day’s events.

It is the second class of students Antol has graduated, and he said

that having an extra year to really get to know each student makes it

special.

“It’s wonderful to graduate a class of people who are deserving, but

it’s even better to be able to say ‘I like these people,”’ he said.