More than 700 Alameda Unified seniors graduated last week in ceremonies marked by cheers, tears, gratitude, and words of wisdom from adult and student speakers alike.
“I want to thank the staff here for believing in me when I barely believed in myself,” said Jalissa Manning, who was graduating from Island High School. Turning to her fellow graduates, she added, “And remember, never let someone else write your story for you.”
The graduates will now head to community colleges, California State Universities, Universities of California, public universities in other states, private colleges across the country, the military, jobs, and travel.
More than two dozen students received scholarships and awards generously provided by local community members and organizations, as follows:
- Lou Allen Scholarship, $500 | Awarded to Iris Ko, Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School.
- Susan Scott Scholarship, $1,000 | Awarded to Jiarui Wu, Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School.
- Paul Hardy Parker Scholarship, $5,000 | Awarded to Nicholas Nguyen, Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School.
- Paul Hardy Parker Scholarship, $5,000 | Awarded to Milo Hartlaub, Alameda High School.
- Florinda Bartalini Scholarship, $1,000 | Awarded to Katlyn Woo, Alameda High School.
- Marlene and Steve Kofman Scholarship, $3,000 | Awarded to Abby Foley Hayton, Alameda High School.
- Abraham and Sarah Kofman Scholarship, $500 | Awarded to Declan Daly, Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School.
- Abraham and Sarah Kofman Scholarship, $500 | Awarded to Kayvon Nash, Alameda High School.
- Cox/Hollywood Scholarship, $500 | Awarded to Samantha Zawacki, Alameda High School.
- Sally Gallagher Scholarship, $1,500 | Awarded to Violet LaVietes, Alameda High School.
- Beatrice B. Barrett Scholarship, $1,000 | Awarded to Kyan Mui, Alameda High School.
- Faculty Choice Award, $100 | Awarded to Andre Poche, Island High School.
- Faculty Choice Award, $100 | Awarded to Jalissa Manning, Island High School.
- Kathy Duncan Memorial Art Award, $200 | Awarded to Carl Julian Pagud, Island High School.
- Larry Church Award, $200 | Awarded to Kamron Butler, Island High School.
- Rey Cruz Award, $200 | Awarded to Ibrahim Al Jubory, Island High School.
- Ted Anderson Award, $200 | Awarded to Kyle Gordon, Island High School.
We would also like to thank Alexa Asturias, a special education teacher at Alameda High School, who received this year’s Irene Wyman MacDonald Teaching Award of $1,000.
We are grateful to the many organizations and community members who support our students as they leave our district for this next stage of their life journeys, and we are eager to see what our graduates do next!
Susan Davis is the Senior Manager of Community Affairs for the Alameda Unified School District. Reach her at [email protected].
