Saint Mary's High Graduates 134

One for the History Books

After months of Zoom classes, distance learning, online club and sports meetings, engaging student activities, College Day celebrations on May 1, virtual student leadership elections, “PROME 2020” (“Prom at Home”), and more, Saint Mary’s High seniors enjoyed special and meaningful moments with teachers in late May and a terrific graduation weekend on June 6 and 7.

Weeks of planning, refining, and creativity made the end of senior year the best it could possibly be for Saint Mary’s Class of 2020. With plans in place for a Graduation Car Parade set for the afternoon of Sunday, June 7, segments of the traditional commencement exercises and the annual Baccalaureate Mass were carefully and safely filmed in small groups on campus over the course of a week, then blended seamlessly into memorable videos streamed on the school web site at the same times the two events would have taken place at Cal’s Zellerbach Hall and in the school auditorium, respectively. Speeches, award presentations, the Salutatorian and Valedictory addresses, and the Golden Graduates address by a member of the Class of 1970 were all filmed on campus over several days, each with only the film crew and a few supportive observers present, and were woven into the final video presentations.

Graduation!

On Sunday afternoon, June 7, the 134 graduates and family members, one car per group, began arriving at the red and white balloon and banner-festooned campus at Peralta Park for the Graduation Day Car Parade following their viewing of the pre-recorded Commencement video aired earlier that morning. A number of Saint Mary’s neighbors posted signs and banners and came out to cheer the car parade on its entrance to campus, helping to make the day extra special.

Over some four-plus hours, in alphabetical order and at strictly-timed arrivals, decorated sedans, vans, trucks, a Jeep or two, and even a bright orange Corvette Stingray convertible wove around the school parking lot to DJ music and a phalanx of more than fifty faculty members, masked, donning academic regalia, and posted at their distanced “X” spots, who welcomed families with cheers and pom pons. While families waited in their vehicles, each senior made a solo final walk across a campus path to receive a diploma and gift bag from school principal, Dr. Pete Imperial, then rejoined family members for a formal photograph before departing the campus for the final time, now as Saint Mary’s Panther Alumni. An alumni film crew, overhead camera, and a drone high above the North Berkeley campus captured the event.

In his pre-recorded Valedictory address, Lucas Manuel-Scheibe ’20 shared a reflection with his classmates about this moment in history: “We were born right after 9/11, just kids as the 2008 financial crisis struck. We entered high school in 2016, during a period of growing social and political polarization, and now we’re graduating alongside a worldwide pandemic. Are we cursed or something?” He followed with, “We have been through so much; and yet, because of it, we stride with compassion, creativity, and perseverance. And it is these attributes that have been fostered at Saint Mary’s.”

Senior Emri Bullock was selected by her classmates to present the Salutatory Address, pre-recorded for the annual Baccalaureate Mass streamed on the school web site. Having dealt with cancer from childhood, her reflections included very personal ones: “I felt [Saint Mary’s] love and support my junior and senior years when my whole life seemed a mess. I have been in and out of the hospital for a large portion of the past four years, almost every other week this school year. I didn’t want anything to stop me from graduating with my 2020 peers.” Her gratitude for the teachers, counselors, classmates, and her family who got her to graduation – with academic honors – was immense, though her own determination, positive spirit, and charming personality were second to none.

Saint Mary’s extends congratulations to all fellow seniors!