GARDENA, CA (February 11th, 2015) – At least an hour before the annual Honor Roll Assembly started, parents were filing in to the “fan” section of the gymnasium. Some families saved entire rows, reminiscent of a movie theater featuring a blockbuster summer movie. Principal Jeff Guzman could be seen sweating under the abnormally hot February sun as he moved extra chairs from the maintenance shed. “We bought these for special occasions, and I guess this is as special as it gets,” said Guzman, suit jacket sleeves rolled up. Just a week earlier, a different kind of celebration unfolded in the gym – that time a nationally-televised signing day bonanza featuring local and national media outlets vying to interview senior football players. This time, the celebration was more muted, but that didn’t make it less meaningful. In fact, it was a year of new academic benchmarks for Serra High School.
Of the 575 students currently enrolled in the school, 198 were listed as receiving Honor Roll or Principal’s Honor Roll. That’s 34.5% of the student body – a new school record. Out of that 198 students, 106 were listed as Principal’s Honor Roll – anyone with an average of a 4.0 GPA or higher. That’s another record. And out of the 198 students receiving honors, 80 were Seniors, which is 62.5% of the class – yet a third record. Counselor Vivian Bertrand took the time to acknowledge the dedication and support needed for so many students to reach such heights. A distinctive “whoop!” from the parent section went up every time that support system was mentioned. They represented the fourth record set by this year’s celebration – the largest ever parent section.
Dressed in their Sunday best, with smartphones and cameras in hand, the proud parents of the Honor Roll recipients took extra pleasure in watching their children line up and pose for the yearbook photos. A few dabbed at their faces with Kleenex as Principal Guzman read a piece of writing by one of the students that discussed how reading Elie Wiesel’s “Night” taught him about his relationship with his father. The message was not lost on anyone: Parent and guardian involvement and positive influence is crucial to a student’s success in high school. For many of the senior parents especially, the Honor Roll Assembly in February marks the first step in a long line of ceremonies that will eventually lead to the climax of a high school student’s career – graduation. For now, though, everyone was enjoying the moment and just soaking it in.
Of the 575 students currently enrolled in the school, 198 were listed as receiving Honor Roll or Principal’s Honor Roll. That’s 34.5% of the student body – a new school record. Out of that 198 students, 106 were listed as Principal’s Honor Roll – anyone with an average of a 4.0 GPA or higher. That’s another record. And out of the 198 students receiving honors, 80 were Seniors, which is 62.5% of the class – yet a third record. Counselor Vivian Bertrand took the time to acknowledge the dedication and support needed for so many students to reach such heights. A distinctive “whoop!” from the parent section went up every time that support system was mentioned. They represented the fourth record set by this year’s celebration – the largest ever parent section.
Dressed in their Sunday best, with smartphones and cameras in hand, the proud parents of the Honor Roll recipients took extra pleasure in watching their children line up and pose for the yearbook photos. A few dabbed at their faces with Kleenex as Principal Guzman read a piece of writing by one of the students that discussed how reading Elie Wiesel’s “Night” taught him about his relationship with his father. The message was not lost on anyone: Parent and guardian involvement and positive influence is crucial to a student’s success in high school. For many of the senior parents especially, the Honor Roll Assembly in February marks the first step in a long line of ceremonies that will eventually lead to the climax of a high school student’s career – graduation. For now, though, everyone was enjoying the moment and just soaking it in.