Overcoming the odds

Luis Pena

Flowers, teddy bears and balloons bearing sayings such as “Way to Go

Grad” were brought by family and friends to Back Bay and Monte Vista

high schools’ joint graduation on Thursday in the Robert B. Moore

Theatre at Orange Coast College.

Principal Deborah Lucker-Davis said the hardest part for some was

convincing themselves they could graduate, not convincing the

faculty. She told the 103 graduates to make their own finish lines

and to determine their own destinies.

Commencement speaker Nicole Carpenter, who graduated from Monte

Vista three years ago, is now an award-winning public speaker. She

told students she was once advised to reach for the moon, because if

she missed, she would still land on the stars.

Alphonso Pedroza, 18, is the first person in his family to

graduate from high school.

“It feels good knowing that you are the first one,” Pedroza said,

adding that his family members did not have the opportunities he’s

had.

In his freshman year at Estancia High School, Pedroza said he

didn’t do his school work, and he fell behind. That’s what landed him

on the alternative-education campus.

“I don’t have any words, but I’m very proud that he graduated this

year,” his mother, Leticia Pedroza, said.

She didn’t think he would graduate on time but was surprised to

see him working as late as 3 a.m. on many of his school assignments,

Leticia Pedroza said.

Elizabeth Rodriguez, 17, graduated from Monte Vista after clearing

several hurdles. She first went to Back Bay when she fell behind and

was short credits. She then became pregnant and transferred to Monte

Vista.

“At one point, I thought that I wasn’t going to make it,”

Elizabeth said. “Some days it was harder than others.”

Last week, Elizabeth gave birth to her baby and presented her

senior project -- all in the same seven-day period -- and still found

the time and energy to attend graduation Thursday with her fellow

classmates.

“I’m happy,” Adelina Rodriguez said in Spanish of her daughter’s

hard work and determination to finish.

Back Bay graduate Lani Kilma, 18, said he never cared about high

school and rarely attended when he was enrolled at Costa Mesa High

School. He wasn’t so disdainful of high school Thursday morning.

“I feel great, man,” Kilma said. “I want to cry, but I don’t want

to let anybody seeing me as a sissy, you know?”

He plans to continue his education and will attend a culinary arts

program at either Orange Coast or Golden West College.

The theme from “Rocky” played as the graduates exited the theater.

Like Rocky, who achieved his goal of becoming a champion, these

students achieved their goals of graduating.