Class of 2008 takes a bow

Those who play together, achieve success together.

Last Thursday, the Laguna Beach High School class of 2008 had its commencement ceremony in the Irvine Bowl.

Graduating from high school was not the only reason these students had to celebrate, as the class made local and statewide record books for its sports and academic accomplishments.

In his speech honoring the class, Principal Don Austin rattled off what seemed like an endless list of the awards and honors of the graduating class.

“They’re definitely smarter than I am. I knew that the minute I saw them,” said English literature teacher Janet Steele.

Before each of the graduates walked across the stage in front of their projected giant baby photo to receive their diploma, they shared bittersweet moments listening to their distinguished speaker, ceramics teacher Bill Darnall, and valedictorian John Robinson, 18, “” who announced he will be attending Harvard University this fall “” recap the last four years.

Senior class speaker Fletcher Berryman, 18, soon to be a geography major at the University of Colorado, took the same approach for his speech “” but his trip down memory lane started in the sandbox at Top of the World Elementary School and continued until the present day.

“I’m still scarred from the multiple times I asked out Paige Obradovich in middle school and her response of ‘no’ every time, and I remember when Austin Cooper pierced his nose in class,” Berryman said.

Obradovich, 18, a CIF girls’ volleyball champion, will continue to play volleyball and study, but this time as a USC Trojan. Cooper, 18, will attend Pepperdine University to study business this fall.

“It’s bittersweet. He made my high school years, and I’ll be a senior next year and I’ll miss him,” said Cooper’s sister Chelsea, 17.

Afterward, five touring buses waited curbside to transport all 243 members of the class of 2008 to Disneyland for their Grad Night party.

Also in attendance and seated on stage were the Laguna Beach Unified School District’s Supt. Robert Fraisse; Assistant Supt. Nancy Hubbell; school board President El Hathaway; and board members Ketta Brown, Betsy Jenkins, Jan Vickers and Theresa O’Hare. Assistant Principal Bob Billinger was the emcee.

“They’re a very close-knit group that looked out for each other, but it’s also about great leadership, and that starts with Don Austin,” O’Hare said.

O’Hare’s son Brendan, 18, was also among the graduates.

“The love they had for each other really shone through. It was electric on that stage tonight, you could feel it,” said Austin.

CLASS OF 2008 BY THE NUMBERS

Performing arts

?Numerous MACY Awards for their production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”

?

Sports

?Girls volleyball: CIF champions two years in a row

?Girls golf and swimming: first-time CIF champions

?

Academics

?Highest collective GPA for a boys’ football team in the state

?Twenty-one percent of graduating seniors have a GPA of 4.0 or better

?More than 300 AP tests taken

?

Community service

?23,000 volunteer hours completed for 67 philanthropic organizations

?

After high school:

?40 will enter the UC system

?30 will enter the CSU system

?81 will attend community college

?56 were accepted to private institutions

?33 will attend out-of-state universities