Glendale High graduation ceremony stresses friendship, inclusion

For some graduates in Glendale High School’s class of 2016, time flew by too quickly from the days they were high school freshmen to graduating seniors on Wednesday evening, when more than 600 of them wore black-and-red gowns to accept their diplomas.

“It felt so fast. I can’t believe we’re just done,” said Kevin Massin before the graduation ceremony. Even though he has plans to pursue a nursing career, he was still processing his most recent accomplishment.

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“It still hasn’t hit me,” he said.

For fellow senior Jewel Diaz, who plans to study criminology, her time at Glendale High was filled with close friendships and an accepting and inclusive student body.

“You hardly see bullying here. Everyone knows everybody. That’s what I really like about this school,” she said.

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Graduate Eli Pajulas gets some high-fives after getting his diploma at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Graduate Steven Blugrind shows his elation after getting his diploma at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Graduate Monica Agajanian, center, and others in her graduating class throw their caps up in the air at the end of the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Graduate Austin Eidem waves at his family on the stands after getting his diploma at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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From left, Loosineh Nosharian, Jennie Garcia and Amanda Reynoso get ready for the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Stephanie Carrillo, left, helps Cassandra Amezquita with her robe before the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Soon to be graduates arrive for the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Lat one to get her diploma was Andrea Velazquez at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Graduate Tatevik Hovhannisyan shows off her diploma at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Graduate Gabriela Victorino Valencia shows off her diploma at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Caps are tossed at the end of the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Eli Pajulas, left, gets a hug from friend Ike Nathan, right, before the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Valedictorian Jae Song, left, and Salutatorian Pooja Gupta, right, spoke together at the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Stephanie Ochoa, right, waves at relatives as she arrives for the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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English, forensics and theater teacher Mack Dugger salutes the flag at the beginning of the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Stacey Rodriguez, left, and Kassandra Figueroa, right, pose for a photo before the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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A graduate looks over at the crowds during the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Angel Ambarsoomzadeh hugs Pooja Gupta as they wait for the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / StaffPhotographer)

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Sevanna Reitter, left, and Anna Sarkisyan, right, arrive for the Glendale High School commencement ceremony at the school in Glendale on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.  (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

For Norma Barreda, graduating from Glendale High meant overcoming academic hurdles. She plans to earn a nursing degree.

“I really had a hard time. I really thought I wasn’t going to get here. Right now, I’m super excited,” she said.

Eli Pajulas, left, gets a hug from friend Ike Nathan before the Glendale High School’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

During the ceremony, class president Marianna Yolyan said the past four years have been a “blessing” that the graduates will cherish forever.

She said the moment the students move their tassels to the left and throw their caps in the air, “we will be marking our transition into our independence, freedom, liberty and, most importantly, our future.”

Best friends Pooja Gupta and Jae Song were named salutatorian and valedictorian, respectively.

Gupta earned a 4.41 grade-point average and is bound for UCLA, while Song earned a 4.45 grade-point average and is headed to Georgetown, said Glendale High principal Monica Makiewicz.

Valedictorian Jae Song, left, and Salutatorian Pooja Gupta, right, spoke together at Glendale High School’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

In their joint speech, Gupta recalled making new friends on her first day at Glendale High School as a freshman.

Song said that she has learned over the years that she experiences the most joy when she spends time with people. Of her academic success, so far, she said, “I’m good at taking tests.”

The graduate also spoke to what she knows will make her happy, and that’s making other people happy.

“I want to improve the quality of their lives,” she said.

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan