Class of 2023 Graduation Special

PRESENTING the CLASS of 2023

Congratulations graduates! You have grown and excelled in the classroom, in the arts, on the athletic field, in leadership roles and in service to your community. You have demonstrated incredible perseverance and grace in these unprecedented times. You are an extraordinary group of young adults headed to colleges and universities across the nation and the world, incredibly well prepared for the remarkable journey ahead. We are very proud of you, and have great faith in you. Remain true to yourselves and your Tartan values. We look forward to seeing your lives unfold with meaning and purpose.

Godspeed Tartans! Tartans Forever!

Breathing in the LiBeration of graduation

BY AUSTYN PERRONE

PEERS, FACULTY, AND EVERYONE ELSE who showed up for some reason; Dana Hills High School, Graduation Day, 2023.

It is crazy to be here, honestly, because I think like most of you, it was hard to just imagine being here. From the struggles each one of us faced in the pandemic, to the individual struggles that we all, in our ways, had to face daily, it was hard to foresee a future in which everything was OK.

In my freshman year, I thought I was so cool and that I had everything laid out. I was planning to be a math teacher, I was going to marry my freshman-year love, and we would be together forever, and I was going to be a valedictorian.

If you couldn’t tell already, obviously, none of it worked out like that.

It’s alright, though; blue looks better on me anyways. The real point is my view on life completely changed so many times over high school even though every single time I thought I had it set. When COVID hit at the beginning of high school, all of us lost our minds. I mean, come on, was whipped coffee really that good?

After, in that transition from sophomore to junior year, when it all started to settle, I started realizing how unsure I was of everything and how many times I thought I knew what I was doing, and then it completely changed soon after.

I began to realize that it was hard for me to imagine a future, no longer because I was unsure of the world, but because I was unsure of myself and the constant change life brings.

I don’t want to claim that I know or love myself 100%, or that I am sure of what I’m going to be doing, or that I’m going to rob a bank in 2029—please do not quote that, because, truly, you never know.

I wouldn’t be honest if I claimed to know any of that, even what is going to happen today, to

us. After all the caps go up, where are you and I going?

After years of family issues, mental health struggles, endings of relationships and friendships, and feeling uncomfortable with my identity, I am here. We are here. Graduation Day, 2023. After years of whatever we went through, that constant change never kept us from going forward, from getting here.

Right now, here, speaking to the graduating Class of 2023, some of the coolest and most outspoken people I have ever met, I want to claim that I will never know anything in comparison to the larger world and universe.

And, I think in all honesty, there is no other way I’d want it to be. Life changes, and you grow, more than you probably thought you wanted to. Allowing yourself space to find what fits you, in your life, now, and in the future, is most important.

Don’t hold yourself down to one particular idea, don’t beat yourself up over who you used to be, and do not limit your possibilities. James Baldwin, a civil rights activist and famous writer, once said, “You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don’t live the only life you have, you won’t live some other life; you won’t live any life at all.”

You have to create the life you need for yourself in the present moment. You have to adjust. Because, God knows, we, the Class of 2023, through COVID, mental health struggles, protests, bullying, school work, and somehow killer clowns in 2016, that through it all, we will never be the same.

We reserve the right to change, to grow. Now, breathe in that breath of fresh air. That is the liberation of graduation.

Congratulations; I’m proud of all of us. Thank you.

Austyn Perrone. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

‘emBrace Your inner goLdfish’

BY DANA HILLS HIGH PRINCIPAL DR. BRAD BAKER

DANA HILLS CLASS OF 2023,

I stand before you today in awe of your incredible resilience, determination, and perseverance. Throughout your high school journey, you have faced unprecedented challenges that have tested your strength and character, but you have risen above them with grace and courage.

As we gather here to celebrate your achievements, let us take a moment to recognize the unwavering support and dedication of your parents, families, and teachers. They have been your guiding lights, encouraging you every step of the way and helping you navigate the highs and lows of high school.

They have celebrated your triumphs and supported you through your struggles; we are forever grateful for that.

To the Class of 2023 graduates, I commend you for your hard work and perseverance. You have overcome obstacles that would have caused many others to falter and emerged stronger and more resilient. You have demonstrated a level of perseverance that will serve you well in all aspects of life.

As you leave Dana Hills and embark on the next chapter of your life, I want to remind you that the journey ahead will not always be

easy. There will be challenges and setbacks, but it is in those moments that your perseverance will be tested the most. It is important to remember that successful people are not

Time to Discover Our Purpose

BY SCHOLAR OF SCHOLARS COLE VILLAR

When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.” These are wise words from one of the most influential philosophers of our day, Aubrey Graham … or, as most people know him, Drake.

We began a journey together four years ago—fresh out of middle school and eager for a new and exciting adventure at Dana Hills—new friends, Friday night football games, parties. Who would have guessed that several months later, we would be attending classes from home in our pajamas?

We are most likely the only generation that will be able to say our high school experience was upended by a global pandemic.

But we made it and learned that life is unpredictable. Our being here today is a testament to our determination and fortitude.

Four years later, we are about to turn the page again and embark on yet another exciting adventure.

The world is changing at a rapid pace not seen since the Industrial Revolution. With the evolution of Artificial Intelligence, we will likely be the last generation that actually drives ourselves to school.

People are now buying land in the Metaverse, and we can now press a button and have ChatGPT compose a perfectly crafted essay on any topic in mere seconds. (Don’t worry, Dr. Baker, no student at Dana Hills would ever do that. They even say that in the next few years, AI will be virtually indistinguishable from human beings.)

It is now up to us to ensure that technology does not destroy our humanity. We are at an inflection point in our civilization, and the progression of science must not impede our ability to form meaningful relationships with those around us.

Or, as my mom would say, sometimes we need to put down our devices and connect with one another. There is no substitute for real conversation and real connection.

Many of us are going off to college; some have chosen a different path, but whatever route we take, there will no doubt be twists and turns along the way.

those who never fail but those who pick themselves up and keep going.

I encourage you to pursue your passions and dreams with determination. Do not let

fear hold you back; never underestimate your abilities. You have achieved so much and have the unlimited potential to achieve even more. Believe in yourself, and the world will believe in you.

Finally, I want to remind you of the power of empathy and kindness. In a world that can sometimes feel harsh and unforgiving, your ability to connect with others on a deep and meaningful level will be your greatest asset.

Take the time to listen to others, understand their perspectives, and offer a helping hand when needed. Together, we can create a world that is more compassionate, more inclusive, and more just.

As Ted Lasso once said, “You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? Got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam.”

So, Class of 2023, as you move forward and face the challenges ahead, remember to stay present and take things one step at a time. Embrace your inner goldfish, and don’t let setbacks define you; let them teach you.

Keep moving forward with determination, resilience, and kindness; the world will be a better place because of it. Congratulations, Dolphins!

There is a sign that hangs in my bedroom, and it reads: “Whatever you are, be a good one.” I think what Abraham Lincoln meant by this message is to embrace every experience that life has to offer, and choose to be the best version of ourselves.

That being said, I am confident that each and every one of us has the courage to confront adversity head on and make a meaningful difference. This is the time in our lives when we must embrace independence and discover our purpose. The important thing is to always chase your dreams and never stop

questioning.

On behalf of the entire graduating class, I want to sincerely thank our parents, teachers, coaches, principals and administrators at Dana Hills. You have gotten us this far. It is now time for us to hold our own pen, to write the next chapter of our autobiographies.

And I look forward to eventually reading all of your stories.

I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope our paths will cross again. Thank you.

Dana Hills High School Principal Dr. Brad Baker.

Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Cole Villar. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

dana hiLLs high schooL graduates

Zoe Abarca

Natalia Adame Castro

Myles Adams

Christian Agapito

Krimzen Akason

Ryan Alarcon

Dutch Althouse

Noe Alvarez

Robert Alvillar

Mac Amato

Sophia Anapoell

Sophie Andersen

Christian Anderson

Jordan Anderson

Nolan Anderson

Tyler Anderson

Jack Andrew

Jeremy Andrews

Anthony Antoszewski

William Arndt

America Arroyo

Marina Artukovic

Hannah Bachrach

Sean Baker

Morgan Elize Bandoy

Jose Barraza

Gavin Bashoor

Nicolas Battaglia

Ryan Beavin

Anthony Beck

Roland Blackburn

Kempton Bohn

Blaize Bolter

Thomas Bonar

Fiona Bonham

Gavin Boyd

Austin Boyer

Ryan Boyle

Sophia Bravo

Natalie Bray

Matthew Brennan

Avery Brian

Kate Bridgeman

Owen Briner

Delaney Broadhead

Ethan Brougham

Kyara Brown

Hayley Brown

Kate Bruce

Sebastian Bruno

Courtney Bunge

Wyatt Bunte

Brayden Burke

Arthur Burrola

Clover Byrnes

Bryan Camargo

Jamie Campbell

Rae Cantu

Lucero Carbajal

Wyatt Carey

Samuel Carlier

Emily Carlier

Ransom Carrillo

Crystal Castellanos

Karol Cedillo

Jose Chamale Cotzojay

Bradley Chapman

Valery Chavez

Caden Chen

Joshua Chernekoff

Alexa Chernekoff

Vivian Cheung

Oliver Child

Olivia Chitamun

Kelsey Christian

Patricia Ciordas

Camille Cmelak

Ella Cochran

Alessandro Cocozza-Hamilton

Colt Conrady

Aolanis Contreras

Christian Cooper

Dean Cornett

Troy Corral

Ashley Costello

Abigail Cronin

Devin Culligan

Madison Curtis

Hakan Dagci

Benjamin Dailey

Katelyn Daly

Matthew Davis

Victoria Davis

Nicole Davis Gugliotta

Danielle Davis Gugliotta

Cole Davison

Malia Dekker

Colin Delaney

Derek Delin

Peyton Denney

Ashley Derrington

Shay Diamond

Ronald Diaz

Jessica Dickerson

Anna Dilger

Katerina Domingot

Jolie Donahoo-Haupt

Blake Doppenberg

Kimberly Dorantes

Alexander Duffield

Tatiana Duval

Sonnie Duvall

Sydnie Duvall

Paige Elliott

Callan Emery

Jasmine Eslami

Daniel Espada

George Espada

Kris Ewing

Oliver Farjo

Lauren Farry

Viuna Farshchian

Kai Ferguson

Lucas Flinn

Kenia Flores

Seamus Flynn

Joshua Forster

Kaylee Foster

Maxwell Foster

Thomas Frabotta

Vanessa Frankhouse

Alexandra Freedberg

Danielle Freedberg

John Freed-Roach

Jacob Frericks

Zoie Fuentes

Maxine Gable

Michael Gaetano

Etnan Galarza

Emanuel Galindo

John Gallison

Jackson Garbino

Isaias Garcia

Mia Geiger

Kendall Gerry

Dean Giles

Jeremiah Gillis

Luke Gillon

Collin Goldberg

Johanna Gomez

Kayla Gomez

Emiliano Gonzalez

Nicholas Gottron

Sol Granados

Derrick Grassmann

Annika Green

Maiah Griffo

Ben Gromotsky

Christian Guarascio

Carolina Guerrero

Ella Gunnell

Rebekah Haas

Hannah Haas

Elina Haghighi

Keane Hana

Cade Hansen

Zachary Harkey

Jake Haskins

John Hayes

Stephanie Heltsley

James Heneghan

Jared Hernandez

Dylante Herran

Jake Hett

*** There are 567 students in the Class of 2023, however 115 of these students “Denied use of student name to outside public print.”

Charlotte Hissler

Ella Hoff

Jason Honey

Jack Hope

Willow Hopkin

Rebecca Hopkins

Kaitlyn Howard

Samuel Hunter

Amanda Hunter

Peyton Hyde

Shawna Ieng

Ali Imran

Luke Inman

Allyson Intha

Owen Ivory

Joshua Jacob Zamora

Chloe Jafari

Nathan Jamet

Jack Jones

Hannah Jones

Logan Kahle

Maxwell Kahler

Allison Karner

Kamal Kaura

Ronhit Kaura

Finn Kelly

Isabella Kessi

Zia Khadivi

Kamal Khllak

Maximus Kislig

Bethany Klause

Annika Klecker

Maia Koizumi

Emmi Kraushaar

Maya Kruger

Megan Kuntz

Matthew Kutcher

Keya La Baugh

Stella La Voie

Allison Ladner

Paul Lambros

Jude Landgraf

Caydence Lansford

Emma Lapena

Ethan Larkin

Henson Lecona

Vivian Lee

Ethan Leeb

Ava Leone

Griffin Likins

Jayden Linares

Tanner Lipson

Avrianna Liu

Quan Liu

Janeane Llopart

McKenzie Lombard

Angelina Lopez

Gael Lopez

Nathan Lopez

Liam Lott

Sean Lovett

Jake Lowe

Trenton Loyd

Tegan Macey

Brooklyn Macy

Mireya Maldonado

Moosa Malik

Suleiman Malik

Shane Malone-Healey

Joshua Mann

Pedro Manzanares

Hannah Mares

Juan Marin

Allura Markow

Jared Martin

Ulysses Martinez

Rafael Martinez

Dalia Martinez Valiente

Kamryn Massey

Madeline Maxwell

Macie McBride

Katherine McCulloch

Emma McCulloch

Edward McElroy

No Strangers Here, Only Friends

BY TREVOR NGHIEM

Good afternoon, friends, faculty, and family. Thank you all for being a part of the wonderful community that is Dana Hills. Without each and every one of you, none of us would be standing here today. To my family, especially, thank you for helping me grow into the person I am today and for always supporting me.

Here at Dana Hills, there have been countless lessons taught to us by many different people. Whether it was a long twohour class taught by a teacher, or a lesson thrown at us by life, Dana has educated us in and out of the classroom.

Of these lessons taught to me, the one that has stuck the most is the lesson I learned the very first day of high school.

Let’s rewind back. I was 14, standing at a comfortable 5 foot, 3 inches, and was being dropped off by my mom. Both incredibly nervous and embarrassed, the much older and taller cheerleaders at the front of the office just made it worse. (To this day, I still enter the school through the back.) But as I was walking with my head down toward the school, I looked and saw a sign above the doorway.

It read, “There are no strangers here, just friends you haven’t met.”

This was the first lesson I learned here at Dana Hills, and it will be the lesson that I hope will stick with us for the rest of our lives. But I have to be honest with you all, when I first saw this sign, my first thought was, “Man this is kinda corny.”

But with each passing year, this one

quote has meant more and more to me. Whether it has been becoming close with people you never knew; gaining a mentor in the form of a teacher or an upperclassman; meeting a best friend in your junior year; becoming inseparable with your teammates; getting close after a class trip; adopting an underclassman; or connecting in some way or another with the all the amazing people here at Dana Hills, this very quote has reaffirmed its strength to me time and time again.

From “strangers” to friends, this positive community has helped me realize the importance of support. It is imperative to surround yourself with positive individuals who inspire you to be better every single day, like we have here at Dana.

Without all of you embodying these values, we would all be so different from the young adults we are now. I mean, we might have even turned out to be like the Aliso or San Clemente kids.

Today, we leave our mark on the world. We create a legacy of embodying this quote above the door, a legacy of turning strangers into friends, a legacy of forming relationships to last.

As we all take a step into our future, I want us all to bring up this lesson taught to us on our very first day. Wherever we go, we are bringing a part of Dana Hills with us. And wherever Dana Hills is, there are no strangers.

Congratulations, Dana Hills Class of 2023.

Caroline McKenzie

Paige McLaran

Nicholas McMurray

Ayleen Medina

Osvaldo Medina Hernandez

Daniel Mendoza

Kelly Mercado

Greta Micklin

Lucas Miertschin

Ensley Miller

Grace Miller

Hannah Miner

Wyatt Miranda

Sophia Misri

Kaden Mister

Arash Mohammadi Farazandam

Rafael Molina

Charlie Mollon

Aaron Montero

Anakaren Moreno

Sofia Morgante

Kendall Mullaney

Angelina Mullins

Malia Mundy

Jordan Munger

Pedro Muniz

Donald Muoio

Kade Murray

Parker Murray

Sebastian Naficy

Damien Najera

Bryan Navarrete-Gonzalez

Zoe Neeve

Taylor Nemeth

Olivia Nemeth

Andrew Nesson

Dylan Newhart

Rachael Newman

Trevor Nghiem

Blake Nielsen

Piper Norton

Peyton Norton

Griffin Novotny

Cristian Ocaranza

Fiona O’Connor

Madison Oliver

Ryan O’Mara

Luke Ortiz

Vicente Ortiz

Adam Ortiz

Zoe Ott

Jonathan Owen

Joshua Pacheco

Marae Paggio

Yahaira Parra

Natalia Partida Birrueta

Matthew Pastor Rivera

Delaney Patrick

Serena Pearl

Bryce Pennington

Talia Penzell

Brandon Perez Pedraza

Claire Peter

Nicole Petersen

Luca Piceno

Paige Pinnegar

Ashley Pino

Adrian Policarpo

Andrew Power

Ayden Prado

Salvador Prado

Hudson Price

Trevor Nghiem. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Tyler Priebe

Jacqueline Rainey

Aidan Ramirez

Mariafernanda Ramirez

Daniel Alejandro Ramos

Zepeda

Chloe Rangel

Cheyanne Rankell

Parker Ratliff

Maisy Reader

Hayden Reed

Gavin Rettig

Lauren Revens

Guadalupe Reyes

Samantha Reynoso

Lily Rice

Jamie Rich

Sadie Riester

Isabella Rios

Mya Risheq

Isabella Ritch

Noelani Rivera

Lauren Roberson

Grant Robinson

Camille Roche

Chase Rodgers

Devin Rodgers

Chase Rodriguez

Francesca Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez

Getzemani Rodriguez

Bryce Rodriguez

Michael Rodriguez

Nicholas Rojo

Areli Romero

Hector Ruiz-Garcia

Scarlet Russ

Mitchell Russell

Anna Russell

Shane Sacks

Brandon Saeedi

Maya Salama

Mera Salama

Dominic Salaverry

Jonathan Salcedo

Pantea Samavati

Daniel Sanchez

Ryan Sargent

Normandy Sax

Grace Scalzo

Wes Schantz-Aviles

Ben Schattmaier

Devin Scott

Tyler Seals

Steven Sepulveda

Davia Serrano

Ethan Shaver

Rahul Shenoy

Lucy Sims

Avery Sky

Sydney Slade

Josephine Slechta

Richard Sleek

Landon Smith

Erica Smith

Jake Smith

Jose Soc Patzan

Joshua Soto

Nicholas Spinogatti

Tinashe Stacey

Kennedy Stewart

Summer Stolle

Johnathan Sussman

Boris Svrakov

Alexander Sweeney

Som Tafreshi

Nicholas Tamayo

Jack Tanner

Dylan Tanner

Mustafa Taufiq

Lucas Thompson

Chase Thurman

Emmett Tierney

Misael Tirado

Elizabeth Tonini

Talia Topalian

Rodolfo Torres

Kyler Torres

Camille Treichler

Jackson Tremper

Lineni Uaine

Evy Vallis

Avalon Van Leeuwen

Jonah Vander Veen

Kaitlin VanDerVeen

Emilio Vargas

Esmeralda Vasquez-Fernandez

Benjamin Vaughn

Connor Vernon

Helen Villamil

Ariana Villamil

Cole Villar

Dante Viramontes

Justin Vivanco

Nickolas Votroubek

Jasmine Vy

Mark Wagner

Kaley Walker

Jack Wasserman

Kiana Waters

Joseph Wesselman

Olivia White

George Wilfert

Delaney Williams

Nicola Wilson

Alec Wons

Jaxson Wray

Martin Ximello

Kai Yater

Shaliz Younessian

Rosa Zepeda

Owen Zimmerman

Maryann Zunich

finding JoY in Life’s everYdaY moments

BY SOPHIE ANDERSEN

DANA HILLS CLASS OF 2023, congratulations on graduating! Upon all of your behalf, I would like to extend a massive thank you to all of the teachers, staff, administration, parents, guardians, grandparents, and whoever else has been influential in your life who is here today to watch us receive a piece of paper.

However, despite that, we are incredibly grateful to be here today, because after moving a piece of stringy fabric across our ceremonial square hats, we will have completed our time at Dana Hills, and we will be moving on to our next endeavors in life.

There are few moments like these when we are faced with an overwhelming sense of pride for having completed something we set out to do so many years ago and (potentially) a slight touch of existential dread as we question what we are really doing in life.

There’s high school graduation, college graduation, a first job, or maybe moving to a new place.

These are the brief clips of life that are usually highlighted in movies, quotes, Instagram feeds, and all of those other very important forms of media where we like to share our lives online and say, “Hey, look, we did it!”

But these moments are few and far between, and for good reason. It takes an immense amount of effort over an extended

period of time to achieve these goals. But because these are the moments that are showcased in the media that we consume, if we are not careful enough, we can find ourselves living only for these moments.

I am not arguing that it is a poor idea to strive to achieve a goal or a purpose in life; in

It is easy to look back at our time at Dana Hills and smile at the everyday things that

make this place far from ordinary:

Complaining about constantly broken air conditioning; the endorphin rush from confetti after a Canvas submission; the endless night practices for your sport; throwing cough-inducing colored chalk in the air as you pretend to understand or even watch the football game; watching the drumline perform at those pep rallies and realizing that marching band is actually really awesome; stressing with friends about a math test in that cold, dark and shady hall; watching Eddie impressively run with the flag at every single game this year; the daily treks to the portables in “Africa”; listening to the Friday Song from those very “anonymous” singers; or when you walk past Steve or even someone you know just a bit and they call out your name, reminding you that you are important and you are recognized.

Our ordinary is beautiful, and it deserves to be rejoiced. So, as we move on to our futures, let us remember to not only recognize but to create moments every single day that bring us joy, because life is all of these moments, not just the graduations, the first jobs, the promotions.

Dana Hills Class of 2023, congratulations on graduating and thank you for creating an ordinary that is worth celebrating.

Sophie Anderson.

Photo: Breeana Greenberg

fact, it is incredibly satisfying, but I am saying that in the ordinary everyday sort of days that add up to these lifetime goals, we should not forget to find joy in those typical moments, either.

We are all so proud of you Connor. We wish you the very best as you become an Arizona State Sun Devil!

Love, Dad, Mom, Alec, and Austin Vernon.

Congratulations! We are so proud of you. We love you to infinity and beyond! We look forward to seeing what you’re going to accomplish.

Love you, Mom, Samantha, and Daniel.

Congrats Gavin! We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see what great things you will do! We love you!

Love, Mom, John, Blue, Kyle, Beau, Ginger & Oggie

DERRICK GRASSMANN

“D”, we couldn’t be any prouder. Congratulations! Looking forward to the next chapter and all that awaits you at Lehigh University. We love you, Mom, and Dad.

BROUGHAM

Congratulations on receiving valedictorian recognition! We are proud of you and excited to see what your future holds. Enjoy playing D1 Football at Rice University. Love, Dad, Mom, and Cullen

COLIN DELANEY

Congrats to our DHHS “Dolphin” now a California State University Chico “Wildcat”!

The sky is your limit...love you to the moon and back!!

Mom, Sophie, G&G

ETHAN

CONNOR VERNON

EMMI KRAUSHAAR

GAVIN FINN BASHOOR

JSERRA

DANA POINT GRADUATES

Nathan Aquino

Anthony Arriola

Kennedy Barnes

Emma Brandon

Hudson Byrne

Trent Caraway

Kealani Caster

Anna Ciraci

Samantha Cotter

Antonio Esseily

Aiden German

Shaughnessy Hannegan

Sophia Moncur

Jake Stafford

Maxamillion Starr

Lauren Tonsich

Ava Zell

Private schooL graduates

ST. MARGARET’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL DANA POINT GRADUATES

Lauren Hong Lam

Alexis Noelle Lindenfelser

Malcolm William Matthew

Andrew Curran Miehe

Leila Marie Rooney

Madeleine May Sapra

Derek Ryan Smith

Annabel Sophia Grace Thiel

Gabriela Velazquez

Nathaniel Griffin • Ariik Mawien • Hailey Snyder • Connor Susag • Kate Walter

CAPISTRANO VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL DANA POINT GRADUATES