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Tokay High School seniors move on

By Ripley Howe
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Tokay High School senior Robin Regla hold up a sign to help organize the Class of 2003 at the school's graduation ceremony May 30 at the Grape Bowl in Lodi. (J. Paul Bruton/News-Sentinel)

Lodi's Grape Bowl was awash in purple Friday night.

In the warm evening air, Tokay High School's graduating class of 2003 received their diplomas and the enthusiastic support of their friends and families.

The wide phalanx of purple-clad seniors, followed by the flower girls in their antebellum hoop skirts, made their orderly way to their seats.

In a juxtaposition of traditions old and new, they were accompanied first by Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance," played by the Tokay Symphonic band, and then by the recorded pop sounds of the song "Graduation" by the singer Vitamin C.

Tokay High Principal Chris Hoffman emceed the disciplined, though occasionally raucous event.

First, he spoke to the students about the efforts and dedication of the high school staff, who had worked to help bring the students to this day.

But he gave special credit to the parents.

"Your parents have supported you all your lives, and you will never fully repay their support," he said. Hoffman's request for a show of recognition for the parents was met with enthusiastic applause, and even a few screams and air-horn blasts.

Hoffman ended his opening remarks with a simple and sincere declaration.

"I am proud of your efforts, and I am proud to be your principal," he said.

Kiran Clair, president of the Tokay High Associated Students, took the podium to reflect on her experiences.

She said that after completing the required courses, the ability to choose their electives helped serve as a transition into making adult decisions.

"The freedom to choose our own classes taught us that one day we might have to use what we learned, even after senior projects."

When valedictorian Anh Le addressed the assembled crowd, she made analogies between high school and a scientific laboratory experiment.

"Life, too, is like chemistry," she said. "We have to have the right resources and ingredients to make the desired product."

Le said that in life, it is family and friends that will make the experiment work out for the best.

As the diplomas were handed out, and the rows of young adults in their purple robes were transformed from students to graduates, the excitement of the seniors was almost visible in the air.

When their names were called, they walked in an orderly double line to receive their diplomas from various school and district officials. The change in demeanor of the freshly-minted high school graduates was apparent.

One tall young man did a full cartwheel, then lifted and spun a young lady before walking back to his chair.

When it was over, most of the purple robes were quickly dispatched. Many of the new graduates were at a loss for words to describe their new status.

Danny Valencia, 19, only needed two words to describe his feelings. "It's good," he said.

Rina Yoeun, 18, said graduation marks a change in her life.

"I have to really face reality," she said. "It's really going to hit me hard."

Yoeun said she had felt protected in high school, but now she feels like some of that protection may be gone.

Yoeun plans to attend Delta college and pursue a career in pediatric nursing.

Another graduate, Anthony King, 18, is looking forward to moving to Chico to take courses so that he can join his father's engineering business.