Nearly 2,000 Downey students receive diplomas
Warren High graduating senior Omar Gatica-Analco addresses his fellow students at commencement ceremonies last week. Omar graduated with a 5.0 GPA, the highest grade point average in the school's history.
DOWNEY – The week of June 6 was a very busy one for all Downey Unified high school students, teachers and administrators. With commencement ceremonies quickly approaching, students made the final touches on what would be their last week of high school.
Opening the celebratory week of graduations was the Columbus High School Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, June 8. Celebrating this occasion on their home campus, 168 students floated across the stage as they accepted their diplomas.
On Thursday evening, June 9, 987 Downey High School (DHS) seniors prepared to take the stage to accept their diplomas. Filling the Cerritos College stadium with enthusiasm and boisterous applause, these students could barely contain themselves as they prepared to cross the stage. Amongst the students, approximately 11,500 in attendance added to the thunderous excitement. Out of the 987 DHS seniors that received diplomas that evening, 12 of these Vikings finished the 2015-16 school year with a 4.5 GPA or higher.
To conclude the Downey Unified commencement ceremonies trilogy, Cerritos College was just as booming Friday evening, June 10, with the 2016 Warren High School graduating class engulfing the stadium.
A total of 836 seniors showed nothing put passion and enthusiasm as they accepted their diplomas, 13 of which finished their final year of high school with a 4.5 GPA or higher. Being the only Bear in WHS history to receive a 5.0 GPA, the highest GPA to ever be attained at WHS, Omar Garcia-Analco had the honor of addressing his classmates one final time with a farewell speech. Cheering-on the graduates were approximately 11,000 supporters.
Sealbearers are recognized as students in the state of California who possess high standards in academic scholarship, community service and citizenship; the comprehensive high schools honored a total of 237 Sealbearers, the highest in Downey Unified history.
Overall, 707 students that are graduating from Downey Unified will be attending a myriad of four-year universities in the fall including Stanford, UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine.
Additional graduates will be attending a number of junior colleges such as Long Beach City College, Cerritos College, Los Angeles Trade Technical School and the Universal Technical Institute to transfer or pursue industry specific certification.
“With a combined graduation total of 1,991 students, Downey Unified would like to congratulate the 2016 Columbus, Downey and Warren high school graduates for this outstanding accomplishment,” expressed Board of Education president, D. Mark Morris. “We truly look forward to all the great endeavors each of you will accomplish in the coming years.”