‘They will move on to wonderful things’

Andrew Glazer

Pomp and Circumstance and the occasional little dance marked Estancia

High School’s commencement Wednesday at OCC’s LeBard Stadium.

Family and friends in the bleachers blew air horns and cheered as 211

graduating seniors received their diplomas.

The graduates wore red gowns and caps with gold tassels, the colors of

the Estancia High School Eagles. Some students shuffled their feet in

choreographed moves, others teetered precariously on platform shoes and

one even cartwheeled down the aisle.

“There’s such a feeling of joy, sorrow, happiness,” said Bryan Jimenez,

19, a new graduate. “All the stuff life brings you.”

Following the ceremony, his family and friends rushed to him on the

field. Jimenez, who was a guard for Estancia’s basketball team, hugged

his mother Julia and spun her around, nearly sending her straw bonnet

flying like a Frisbee through the goal posts.

Each of the nine students who spoke at the ceremony reflected on the

feelings of fear, excitement, apprehension and relief to enter the “real

world.”

“I think I’m ready to knock it down,” Jimenez said. “But I’m sad to leave

our class. We all got along so well.”

In his speech, senior David Tow reflected on how much had changed since

the class began high school together four years ago.

As freshmen, sophomores and juniors, the boys stared at the senior girls,

Tow said at the lectern.

“Then, as seniors,” he reflected solemnly. “We began staring at the

underclassmen girls.”

Wearing a wide straw hat and passing out programs, art teacher Christine

Murray said she, like her students, felt a mixture of emotions.

“This is a really talented, creative class,” she said, pointing out an

eagle’s head, drawn by one of her students, that was printed on each

program. “They will leave very big shoes to fill. But I know they will

move on to wonderful things.”