A bittersweet day

Estancia and Costa Mesa high schools held their graduation ceremonies in the new Jim Scott Stadium, unshielded from the glaring sun. The sun-soaked metal bleachers scorched the umbrella-toting audiences.

Space was at a premium under a nearby tree, where a crowd of people gave up their view of the stage to keep cool in the shade. Unfortunately the students, who gathered on the football field, had no shelter.

Both graduating classes of about 250 seniors each brought enough friends and family to pack each side of the stadium, which was used for graduations for the first time.

Costa Mesa High School Senior Class President Kasandra Afuang got the biggest rise out of the audience with a speech in which she compared her classmates to burritos from a popular chain Mexican restaurant and broke into an impromptu rendition of a song well-loved by the teenage crowd.

Some Newport-Mesa graduating seniors made Thursday’s graduations their own, turning what could have been ordinary ceremonies into celebrations of their varied personalities and unique characters.

Back Bay and Monte Vista high schools played rebels at their ceremony with student speaker Pablo Manyer, harmonica propped up below his chin, speaking with a fervor about how students, sometimes troubled, find themselves at Back Bay.

The crowd of students roared at his words about their feelings of displacement, confusion and misunderstanding just before they were all given their moment on stage.

Newport Harbor High School’s Katherine Calligori took a new spin on the “Seasons of Love” from Rent, putting new lyrics to the song describing the four years of high school.

Then student speaker Rachel Maher talked about the changes to come and the world awaiting the Newport Harbor students, a world that may elect a black man as president in the next year, she said.

Corona del Mar High School students Alex Elias and Spencer Price summed the ceremony and what it meant to them well after they received their diplomas.

“I am ecstatic,” Elias said.

“Ready to move on,” added Price.

For videos of the ceremonies, click here.

For photo galleries, click here.

VOICES FROM GRADUATES

COSTA MESA HIGH SCHOOL

“As a class we’ve been through three principals, have seen the demise of our beloved Wendy’s, but we’ve stuck together.”

Samantha Strodel

“High school is like a Chipotle burrito….I’m just kidding. Our class is not like a Chipotle burrito.”

Kasandra Afuang

“If the world is a stage, then we are not only the actors but the playwrights. We decide the script.”

Tracey Wagner

ESTANCIA HIGH SCHOOL

“Graduation is like the fourth wake-up call we got this month telling us ‘you’re grown up.’”

Isaac Espada

“It’s finally hit that it’s over.”

Aashish Varma

“I’m the second one in my family to graduate, so it’s special, but they never had a doubt that I would graduate.”

Beatriz Ramirez

“One could say graduation is bittersweet; but let’s not lie: It’s really sweet today.”

Jenny Corona

BACK BAY HIGH SCHOOL

“I feel like there is an open door, an opportunity to walk into the real world.”

Nicholas Izquierdo

“All your friends you hang out with are gone. This was like a reunion for me.”

Brisa Garnier

NEWPORT HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL

“Best time ever, the best four years. I didn’t think I really would make it here. Freshman and sophomore year were the hardest times ever.”

Jordan Hanson

“In high school you think the friend you had freshman year will be the one you graduate with, but you lose friends and gain friends, but it all works out in the end.”

Andrea Ruiz

“It’s a big step toward a new beginning. Time to become an adult.”

Allie Noon

CORONA DEL MAR HIGH SCHOOL

“If we can work through what we have worked through in the last four years, we will be all right.”

Alex Elias

“Now it is time to start getting a career and finally settle down.”

Spencer Price

“The saying friends don’t last forever is dead on. I had different best friends every year.”

Austin Raiger

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com. ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.