Redlands Daily Facts
06/10/2008
By VANESSA D. OVERBECK
Staff Writer
REDLANDS - Everything changed for Mattel Liv in high school. The death of his uncle, a father figure and mentor, put Liv on a dark path, he said. Then his family moved back to Cambodia, leaving him to struggle alone through the remainder of his high school education.
He started cutting classes and missing school.
"We all have to make choices some choices may backfire on us, but we learn from our mistakes. We start to build ourselves back up," Liv said.
On Monday, along with 62 other students, Liv accepted his high school diploma from Orangewood High School, a continuation school.
"We have conquered the struggles that life put us through... and we became something that we would never have thought we'd become," Liv said.
Fellow student speaker Danny Mendoza also wandered down the wrong path during high school, until he noticed how his choices influenced his younger siblings. Like many at Orangewood, Mendoza made changes in his life out of love for his family, he said.
"Orangewood isn't a school where all the low-lifes and failures go," Mendoza said. "It's a school that gives opportunities that no other school could. A place where you can make up for your past and see into your future."
Assistant Principal Audrey Jordan delivered her last commencement speech, as she is retiring this year.
Jordan charged the class of 2008 to give make a difference in someone else's life, to give 100 percent, do the right thing the first time, be honest, and above all else, to believe in themselves.
"You've come to terms with what brought you to Orangewood and have made adjustments in your lives. You are now on the road to success," Jordan said. "You have what it takes to be a success in this world."
At Monday's commencement, $20,000 in scholarship money was awarded to the Orangewood graduating class.
"They deserve it," said counselor Brad Camp.
More than half the class earned a "little boost" to get them started on their higher education.
"Remember their faces, because this won't be the last time you see them," Mendoza said. "These are the future doctors, mechanics, teachers, lawyers (and) entrepreneurs When you see them later on in life, just let them know that you noticed that they did make something of themselves and that they have been successful, against all odds."
Students plan on becoming businessmen - like basketball star Sherif Taha - nurses, like Jessica Chimalpopcoa, Bernardin Le Dao, Breanna Sawyer and two-sport athlete Jordan Cohoe - and teachers, like Teresa Maddox. Maddox plans to return to Orangewood as a faculty member.
Graduates left the stage Monday with one final piece of encouragement to continue the learning process.
"Tom Bodett, an American author and voice actor once said, `The difference between school and life (is) in school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.' We, the class of '08, took one of those life tests and as you can tell, we passed."
06/10/2008
By VANESSA D. OVERBECK
Staff Writer
REDLANDS - Everything changed for Mattel Liv in high school. The death of his uncle, a father figure and mentor, put Liv on a dark path, he said. Then his family moved back to Cambodia, leaving him to struggle alone through the remainder of his high school education.
He started cutting classes and missing school.
"We all have to make choices some choices may backfire on us, but we learn from our mistakes. We start to build ourselves back up," Liv said.
On Monday, along with 62 other students, Liv accepted his high school diploma from Orangewood High School, a continuation school.
"We have conquered the struggles that life put us through... and we became something that we would never have thought we'd become," Liv said.
Fellow student speaker Danny Mendoza also wandered down the wrong path during high school, until he noticed how his choices influenced his younger siblings. Like many at Orangewood, Mendoza made changes in his life out of love for his family, he said.
"Orangewood isn't a school where all the low-lifes and failures go," Mendoza said. "It's a school that gives opportunities that no other school could. A place where you can make up for your past and see into your future."
Assistant Principal Audrey Jordan delivered her last commencement speech, as she is retiring this year.
Jordan charged the class of 2008 to give make a difference in someone else's life, to give 100 percent, do the right thing the first time, be honest, and above all else, to believe in themselves.
"You've come to terms with what brought you to Orangewood and have made adjustments in your lives. You are now on the road to success," Jordan said. "You have what it takes to be a success in this world."
At Monday's commencement, $20,000 in scholarship money was awarded to the Orangewood graduating class.
"They deserve it," said counselor Brad Camp.
More than half the class earned a "little boost" to get them started on their higher education.
"Remember their faces, because this won't be the last time you see them," Mendoza said. "These are the future doctors, mechanics, teachers, lawyers (and) entrepreneurs When you see them later on in life, just let them know that you noticed that they did make something of themselves and that they have been successful, against all odds."
Students plan on becoming businessmen - like basketball star Sherif Taha - nurses, like Jessica Chimalpopcoa, Bernardin Le Dao, Breanna Sawyer and two-sport athlete Jordan Cohoe - and teachers, like Teresa Maddox. Maddox plans to return to Orangewood as a faculty member.
Graduates left the stage Monday with one final piece of encouragement to continue the learning process.
"Tom Bodett, an American author and voice actor once said, `The difference between school and life (is) in school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.' We, the class of '08, took one of those life tests and as you can tell, we passed."
3 comments:
Thankѕ for finаlly talking about > "Orangewood grad shares story" < Liked it!
Also visit my web site :: cοlored tattoos
We're a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable information to work on. You'vе done a foгmidable job and
our entiгe community wіll be thankful to yοu.
mу pаge :: www.firstusacarpetcleaning.com
Ηi therе еvегybody, here every one iѕ sharing such knowledge, so it's nice to read this web site, and I used to pay a visit this weblog everyday.
My blog post: Low income studio
Post a Comment