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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM CASTRO VALLEY FORUM Redwood High School Graduates Celebrate Overcoming Adversities
from June 14, 2023
By Alyssa Phillips SPECIAL
Graduating with an educational journey like no other, Redwood High School’s Class of 2023 faced and overcame great challenges throughout their high school careers. On May 31, these graduates were recognized for their accomplishments at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts.
Redwood Staff Speaker, Josh Wheeler, told of the adversities the graduates had faced and honored the strength it took to overcome them. He gave a message of adaptation and recognizing your own self-worth through conquering life’s unknowns.
“Nothing worthwhile comes easy; where there is opportunity, there are opportunity costs. So let the world give you its best because I know you can take it,” said Wheeler.
For the frst time ever, the school granted its ‘Keep on Rising’ award to four graduates to encourage their future endeavors of attending college, vocational programs, and joining our community’s workforce. Seniors Ignacio Alejandro Valverde Pino,
Hakim Craig Jackson, Saroyah Diamond Monroe, and Mia Mariella Pineda-Rivas were awarded based on extraordinary academic performance, school leadership, and impactful contributions to the Redwood community. Tina and John Sachs, Gary Howard and Shirley Valdivia, and Dan and Kristy Willits presented the awards.
Celebrating the students’ hard work included prominent school fgures, including Castro Valley Unifed School District (CVUSD) Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi and members of the Board of Trustees. History teacher, Matt Hassebrock, hosted ten Student Speakers that highlighted the perseverance of themselves and their fellow graduates and the love and support from friends, family, and staff that allowed them to reach this achievement. Also earning their degrees were nine seniors of the Castro Valley Virtual Academy.
Like other graduates this year, Redwood High’s Class of 2023 saw immense challenges at the beginning of their high school careers due to the see GRADUATES on page 7
