Graduates from the Saratoga High School Class of 2001 practice the time-honored tradition of throwing their caps in the air after the graduation ceremony.
Photograph by Mark Kocina
A Summer Ceremony
The graduation of the Class of 2001 at Saratoga High is the school's 40th commencement
By Rebecca Ray
Photographs by Mark Kocina
When Chelsea Purvis was a freshman at Saratoga High School, she thought there was no way she would attend a prestigious university. She had close to a 2.1 grade point average, and saw school and extracurricular activities as burdens. To Purvis, doing extracurricular activities to build her résumé seemed irrelevant.
Photograph by Mark Kocina
Graduates from the Saratoga High School Class of 2001 pose for a battery of cameras after the ceremony.
Purvis, instead, did activities she thought would be fun. Ironically, these newfound interests, which included singing, creative writing, volunteering at her church and competitive speech and debate--along with Purvis' newly acquired commitment to academics--led her to an acceptance at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Purvis, who is now 18, was one of 287 seniors to graduate from Saratoga High School, as part of the Class of 2001. At the school's 40th commencement, held on June 14, at the Benny Pierce Field, seniors, along with their relatives and friends, celebrated the end of their four years of high school.
Photograph by Mark Kocina
Dennis Chang smiles as he receives flowers after the Saratoga High School graduation ceremony.
After the seniors filed onto the field during the school band's rendition of "Pomp and Circumstance," and the band and choir performed "America the Beautiful," students Jessica So and Matthew Yin spoke about popular song titles that described their four years at Saratoga High.
Next, Principal Kevin Skelly recognized valedictorian Tina Hsu and salutatorians Eric Chen and Jonathan Chou. Senior Tannaz Altafi then spoke about parents and other loved ones handing the graduates torches that will light the journey ahead. Altafi urged the graduates to eventually pass those torches to others.
Photograph by Mark Kocina
Kevin Lavelle raises his fist in joy after he receives his diploma from Saratoga High School.
Associated Student Body President Daniel Ruby spoke about Eleanor Patrick, Nicola Rooke and Jeff Swanberg, three Saratoga High students who died in car accidents this year. Although the class at Saratoga High has dealt with an enormous amount of grief this year, Ruby said, the seniors could still hold onto the deceased students' memories and "walk the path of success and joy."
Seniors from the Saratoga High School Class of 2001 await their diplomas.
Photograph by Mark Kocina
After senior class officers Cristina Cismas, Laura Lin, Ceron Rhee and Allen Chen presented the class gifts, senior Matthew Bromage thanked teachers and parents, including "every mother who has made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until we learned how to ask for lunch money."
Photograph by Mark Kocina
Grads from the Saratoga High School Class of 2001 Angelina Ceseña (left) and Chelsea Purvis embrace after ceremony.
To Purvis, graduation was "kind of a whirlwind," she said, adding that she still had trouble believing that Yale had accepted her. She said she saw the ceremony as a way to say good-bye, let go of the past and try something new.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
