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Foothill High School’s graduating class of 2024 sit patiently as their peers take the stage for musical performances and speeches during the May 31 graduation ceremony at the school’s football field. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Amador Valley High School seniors wave to their families as they make their way to their seats for this year’s 2024 graduation ceremony on May 31. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Village High School’s graduating class of 2024 listen to teachers, staff and fellow students talk about the time each student spent at the school and how much that experience meant to each individual during their graduation ceremony on May 31 at the Firehouse Arts Center. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Foothill Principal Sebastian Bull delivers his opening speech and remarks where he talks about how tough this past year has been and how much this graduating class had to overcome in the past four years. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Amador Valley’s 2024 Salutatorian, Kyle Zhou, delivers a speech where he talks about the long journey it took everyone to get to graduation and the journey that is still to come. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Village High School senior Ian Olstad shakes hands with one of their teachers during the school’s graduation ceremony at the Firehouse Arts Center on May 31. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Like last year, Foothill Principal Sebastian Bull once again led this year’s graduating seniors in an activity where they pretend they are all on a rollercoaster to symbolize the crazy ups and downs from the last four years. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Amador Valley seniors and teachers passionately cheer and clap for the many performances and speeches during last week’s graduation ceremony. (Photo by Christian Trujano) 
Pleasanton Unified School District Superintendent David Haglund delivers his final commencement speech of the night and of his tenure at PUSD at Amador Valley’s graduation last week. (Photo by Christian Trujano)
For this year’s high school seniors throughout Pleasanton Unified School District, last Friday was a bittersweet day filled with deafening screams of support from parents and tearful embraces from students saying farewell to teachers and to each other.
But those graduation ceremonies weren’t just significant for the students.
They were also important for PUSD Superintendent David Haglund and longtime school board trustee and educator Steve Maher because it was the last graduation day for both of them after they announced this year they will be stepping away from their respective positions.
The ceremonies kicked off on Friday afternoon at the Firehouse Arts Center, where 24 Village High School seniors celebrated their time at what many said is a truly unique high school.
Whether it was a mother who passed away or dealing with other hardships in life, this year’s Village High seniors said during their speeches that they overcame a lot to get to that stage.
Many of the students also said to the full crowd in the theater that afternoon that Village saved their life and they believe in the work the continuation school is doing because it gives students a chance to experience high school in a different way that works for them.
Next up was the Foothill High School ceremony early in the evening — which dominated the school’s athletic field much like how principal Sebastian Bull said the school’s sports teams dominated this year and “painted the town blue.”
Before bringing up the hundreds of graduating Falcons to the stage for their diplomas, the crowd was treated to several performances by a three-piece electric string trio who played the national anthem, Foothill’s American Sign Language club and the Foothill chamber choir.
Many of the student speakers also talked about how their class began their first year of high school completely online and had to miss out on a year of high school in person. But they also said that experience just made the following three years worth it and being able to overcome that just made them all stronger.
The Amador Valley High School ceremony ended off the day of commencements that night, with the school moving fresh into a new century with its 101st annual graduating class.
The students, administrators and, of course, the school’s orchestra band took over the athletic field as seniors talked about the challenges they also overcame and how grateful they were for their experiences and the friendships they made along the way.
Haglund also delivered his final speech where he told both of the high schools that no matter what they end up doing after high school, they should remember their morals and remember where they came from.
“As you go out to make change in this world — which I am confident that you will do — I encourage you to invest your time and energy in ways that make things better for others,” Haglund said.
The Pleasanton Weekly congratulates the graduates on their success and wishes them all the best.
