Early College Academy 2017 Commencement Welcome: Gabino Noriega The rules of the theater “Please rise as our graduates enter the room” Processional: “Pomp and Circumstance” National Anthem: Selene Rodriguez Introductions: Pat Arguelles Thank you for attending the Early College Academy’s 10th Commencement Ceremony. It is my great honor and pleasure to introduce our special guests this evening. First our two esteemed school board members; both have been strong supporters of the Early College Academy and the Career Enrichment Center:  

From District 3, School Board member Mr. Lorenzo Garcia and from District 2, School Board Member Ms. Peggy Muller-Aragon

And I would like to give a special thanks to Ms. Muller-Aragon for attending many of our events like the Haunted House and the Digital Expo, World fair and Career Exploration. Thank you. And our other distinguished guests:  APS Chief Operations Officer and Former ECA-CEC Principal Mr. Scott Elder  Executive Director of Student, Family and Community Supports Ms. Kristine Meurer The Early College Academy Staff on the Stage:  Counselor Lynn Ramsey  Assistant Principal Rebekah Floryance  Activities Director and Leadership Team member Gabino Noriega  Leadership Team member and ECA and CEC Teacher Mark Walker  Special Ed Head Teacher and Leadership Team member Stephanie Thomas  ECA Department Chair Diane Baca Seniors, revel in this moment but take the time to thank all who have been instrumental in helping you achieve this milestone. A big thanks goes out to Early College Academy’s unsung heroes, our secretarial and security staff. They work tirelessly to meet the needs of the school and our staff, students and parents, and they make our jobs so much easier. Veronica Lovato, Laura German, Angel Barreras, Meghan Rivera, Raven Baca, Gloria Perricone, Yolanda Herrera and Harold Pope

I also want to thank the dedicated teaching staff at the school. Will the Early College Academy and Career Enrichment Center Staff in the audience please rise? They do not seek any praise but their skill and dedication to the task of educating the students is enormous. It goes without saying, don't forget your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, your entire village who contributed in raising you, mentoring you, and loving you when you are passing along words of appreciation to all who have been influential in your accomplishments.…. they are here tonight to celebrate your achievements with you. Your support of these wonderful students has made them who they are today. Thank you for a job well done. I am often asked what it means to be a part of the Early College Academy family. The answer is simple, the path is much more difficult, but the rewards are lasting and meaningful. Our students participate in service to their school and community. They show a positive attitude toward classmates and teachers. They display an understanding and appreciation of civic responsibility and possess strength of character along with the courage to do what is right. These students promote citizenship and give back to the school. They make a conscious effort to be welcoming to others; they are humorous, compassionate; they have an infectious spirit and inspire those around them; they are dependable – trustworthy, reliable and loyal. I came with this group to ECA four years ago, all of us filled with hopes, dreams and aspirations. Henry Ford wisely said, "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress and working together is success." As we look back over the last four years, certainly there was a beginning, and thankfully there was also progress and yes - undeniably we have been successful! Last night at our Senior banquet we heard the long list of student accomplishments, how this group set the bar 3 years ago with the highest PARCC scores of all high school students in the state; multiple students with ACT scores in the 30s; hundreds of college credit hours; and on and on and it was pretty impressive. But that’s not what our ECA students are about. Generosity, integrity, character, and spirituality – a blessing to the ECA community and a model of selflessness and service – that is what embodies the characteristics of an ECA student. As ECA graduates, you all begin with an advantage – a great education. But you also enter the same challenging world as your peers, so take advantage of the other skills you put in your tool box: you have made lifelong learning a habit, you understand what employers are looking for, you know how to act in the professional world, and you are willing to embrace change. Remember what you bring to the table – you have the character, the capacity, the drive, and ability to keep making this world a better place. You have the qualities needed to succeed in college and career…. honesty, kindness, motivation, determination and respect. This class, the class of 2017, is unique in their support of each other's differences, accomplishments, skills and personalities. Simply stated, they value one another. They have helped each another become who they are. I have spent the last several days watching my youngest daughter graduate from grad school, my godson graduate from NMSU, and my granddaughter get promoted to first grade. It has given me renewed perspective on our high school graduation today. In just a few minutes you, the class of 2017 will receive your well-earned diplomas so remember this….a high school graduation is like no other that you will experience in your life. There will be no other graduation where you may have known the person sitting beside you since

preschool or kindergarten, where the person sitting behind you once stood by your side as you fought through zombies in the Haunted House, or where the person sitting in front of you helped blow up gummy bears in science class. There will be no other graduation where you will remember watching Tokuda pull a tablecloth from under a table full of glasses, or get made fun of by the Nord brothers, or get tossed in the Rio Grande River on your freshman biology field trip. There will be no other graduation with people you shared the dance floor with, from freshman year where you wouldn’t leave the floor and left smelling like, well, smelling like freshmen, to prom this year, where you dressed to the T’s and danced in a barn. You suffered through SBA and PARCC and EOCs and ACTs and SATs…. And suffered even more watching Noriega put on his best Taylor Swift….man, that image is burned in my mind!....almost as bad as that pose on our cake last night…. This graduation takes on a life of its own through memories of classroom accomplishments, the pain of late night studying, shared smiles of happiness during good times, shared hugs of comfort during tough times, and a unique history that galvanizes a class of amazing students, proud parents, and dedicated teachers into a true ECA family. I stand in awe of just how much you care for your Elements family. So seniors, celebrate your graduation day. I do hope you have lots of fun planned after our ceremony. These celebrations are a fitting end to your school days. They also give us a lift here at school as we see how much graduation means to you. The future holds many challenges and successes for all of you. Each of you will have your own unique opportunities to grow. I am confident you will rise to every occasion. Let me wish you all the best for the future and thank you for an excellent year. Well done! Ms. Ramsey, it’s all yours… Top 10: Lynn Ramsey At this time, we would like to recognize the students with the top 10 grade point averages at the Early College Academy. Can these soon to be graduates please stand and remain standing as I call your name? We commend these students for their hard work and efforts, and like all of their classmates at the Early College Academy, I know they each will be successful at all that they attempt and will make their own positive mark on the world. Congratulations to you all. TOP 10 At this time we would like to recognize the students with the top 10 grade point averages at the early College Academy for the Class of 2017. Can these students please stand? 

John Fawcett

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Symon Majewski

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Mathew Browitt

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Grace Messec

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Isabella Obermeier

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Cierra Smith

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Kaitlynn Glaser

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Jack Kramer

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Jonathan Tyrrell

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Mario Morford-Oberst SPECIAL AWARDS

As a school and staff, we feel it is important to recognize and acknowledge a few students who achieved in ways beyond what is reflected in a grade point average, a scholarship, or an award. The first of these awards is the 2017 ECA Citizenship Award. This award went to Lorenzo Romero. This student demonstrated citizenship through his leadership, service, and commitment to his community. The second is the President’s Academic Achievement Award. Education offers many opportunities to students. Some students take advantage of those opportunities because they are driven, because they are altruistic learners, or because they see the potential in life- and in themselves. This student took MANY courses at the university level, is graduating a year ahead of his class, and challenged himself beyond the scope and opportunity of the classroom. Evan Dougan could not be here tonight, but we wanted to acknowledge his achievement. THE ECA President’s Award for Academic Excellence award goes to 2 students who we saw give their most to their educational process and worked hard to accomplish their goals. These 2 students never gave up, never wanted to quit, and reflected the genuine spirit and “grit” we all wish we each had a little more of. They are: Cierra Smith and Jonathan Tyrrell. Finally, the Principal’s Award. These students are recognized by Administration of the Early College Academy for their demonstration of character, academic motivation, and service to school and community. This year’s principal awards go to Anna Rebstock and Symon Majewski. We look forward to hearing the stories of these students, and all our graduates futures. We appreciate and value being a part of their lives in these formative years and getting to know their families. We wish them of the best of life’s precious offerings. Cyrus I. Armour Cyrus will attend CNM in the fall and hopes to work in a pharmaceutical lab. He thanks his mother- for teaching him the importance of education and encouraging him every step of the way and will never forget those 9th grade fun nights Charley Bickel Charley wants to become a software developer and an entrepreneur. He will attend the University of New Mexico this fall. He wanted to thank Mr Tichnell his Holy Ghost technology teacher and will never forget playing ultimate Frisbee with Ms Tippeconnie in freshman PE. Mathew Browitt Mathew will be going to Texas Tech University to study mechanical engineering or computer science. He wanted to acknowledge his uncle for all of the help and support. His favorite ECA memory is in Mr Tokuda’s physics class when he set up the egg hunt and he gave them pie. Ashley Nicole Davis

Ashley will attend UNM in the fall and wants to become a criminal defense lawyer. She thanks her sister, Kathryn because she fully supported her every step of the way to do her best. She will never forget eating lunch behind the school and laughing with friends. Pedro Duarte Jordan Eakes Jordan will attend CNM in the Fall to finish his pre-recs and wants to be respiratory therapist. John Fawcett John wants to be an executive at a financial institution or a chemical engineer. He plans to attend UNM. He would like to acknowledge his middle school math teacher- Mark Golda- who helped him foster and grow his strength in math. He will never forget the friends he made at ECA along the way. Araiana Ferriera Arianna will attend UNM to study environmental engineering. She wanted to recognize her grandma, her dad, and her godfather Mr Noriega for helping her and motivating her to do her best. Kaitlyn Glaser Kaitlyn will attend Eastern New Mexico to pursue a degree in Forensic Science. She thanks her parents and teachers for supporting her and her friends for helping her through rough times. She will always remember the Prom at Old Town Farm. Jose Alexander Gonzales Jose will go to CNM and wants to study Nursing. He wanted to thank his 3 closest friends for making 4 years great and his parents and sister for all of their support and help. A favorite memory of Jose’s is playing cards in the parking lot. Aaron D Gunkel Aaron will start at UNM in the fall. He thanks his parents for their never ending love and support and will always remember the senior trip to Santa Fe. Noah Hickerson Noah will go to UNM and wants to be an investment banker someday or a freelance photographer for national geographic. He thanks his parents and stepfather for supporting him every step of the way and he will always remember their Senior Prank. Jessica Rose Hicks A graduate of the CEC LPN Program, Jessica will continue with nursing at CNM. She hopes to work in labor and delivery someday . She wants to recognize Ms. Baca for her support and dedication and found her greatest memories in the CEC LPN Program Judith Huerta Judith will attend the University of New Mexico to study criminology. She thanks her mom for pushing her to do her best and being her inspiration and also Mr. Benjamin- one of the best teachers she ever had. He taught her to speak up for herself and that she was braver that she thought. One day he pranked her for having cuss words in a paper for pre-med that she forget to proof read and the computer had auto-corrected it that way. He told her she was getting suspended when he knew it was a mistake. Kristen Kifer A scholar and an athlete (a varsity soccer player) Kristen will begin her educational journey at UNM, but she wants to go to Colorado state and become a veterinarian someday. She wanted to thank her parents because

they always pushed her to do her best and will never forget the river field trip with Mr. Walker her freshman year. She made many friends and memories along the way… Tiana Carissa Koppenhaver Tianna is moving to Taos with her best friend to go to UNM at the Taos branch. She wants to be a police officer or an investigator. She recognizes her dad for supporting her and helping her achieve her goals. He was always there for her and was the best Dad she could have asked for. Jack Kramer A nationally ranked Fencer, Jack will begin his journey to study engineering and renewable energy at UNM in the fall. He thanks his parents, teacher , friends, and his coach Toby Tolley- who has guided him through fencing and in life. His significant memories include his great friends and supportive teachers who kept school engaging and fun. Symon Michael Elias Majewski Symon will be an environmental engineer, a senator, a teacher, the president, or an astronaut- or ALL of those things. He thanks Ms. Michel and Ms. Lloyd for fostering his love of learning at a young age. His favorite memory of ECA is when he saw the shadow of Jupiter’s moon on Jupiter in the CEC Astronomy club one evening. Hiram Marquez Hiram thinks he will study business in college and maybe pursue a degree in international studies. He thanks Mr. Tokuda for being an amazing teacher and his parents for always being there and providing for him- and also President Obama for being an inspiration and a role model. Olivia Alexis Mattea Maull Olivia wanted to acknowledge Ross Nord- for being more than a teacher- he was a mentor. Also, Ms. Bacafor being there and understanding her life. She created many memories along the way… Elizabeth Araceli Medina Elizabeth will go to UNM in the Fall and plans to major in Anthropology. She thanks her father and mother for the unconditional love and support through these 4 years- and Iris- she is the best. Nathan Alan Meindl Nathan will also go to UNM and wants to major in Computer Science. He thanks his mom and dad for the love and support for the past 17 years. A favorite memory for him is working on the Haunted House in the Robotics class. Grace Messec Grace is taking a gap year to learn, travel, and enjoy life. She thanks her family for dealing with her through all of the stress and laughs about her memory of throwing rotten food into the ECA gardens- I guess in an attempt to compost? Mario Morford-Oberst Mario wants to major in science and start a career in the tech industry. Some day he dreams of opening his own company. He acknowledges his 8th grade humanities teacher, Scot Key for teaching him to enjoy literature and to be a more involved citizen. His favorite memory of ECA is the Senior field trip to Meow Wolf. Jusytn Carr Murray After his summer trip to Germany with the German class from CEC, Justyn will go to school to become an EMT and pursue a medical career. He wanted to recognize his family for pushing him towards his goals and

his friends for keeping him distracted. He loved the time he got to pretend he had a broken arm for the EMT class and let students practice their clinical skills on him. Isabella Obermeier Isabella will attend UNM in the fall where she plans to major in engineering or computer science. She would like to thank her mother who works so hard in her career and always has time to help her family. Her favorite memory is of going into Chinese class one sleepy morning and being met with authentic Chinese food and the best Chinese movie she has ever seen. Roxanna Abigail Olivares Roxanna plans to student law enforcement at the university of New mexico. She wants to be an investigator for the FBI. She acknowledges her mother for always pushing her to do her best and for reminding her that every choice has a consequence. She will remember the trip to Saggios at the end of her junior year. Yao Ortega Yao wants to study medicine at UNM and become a physician. He thanks his sister Cecelia for helping him overcome any problem no matter what it was and he will fondly remember the freshman river trip. Giovanni Perez Gio will attend CNM and wants to study architecture and construction. He has many great memories of ECA. Anna Lucia Fisher Rebstock Anna wants to become a psychologist who works with troubled children. She will be at UNM in the fall. She thanks Ms. Ramsey, Ms. Adams, Ms. Gordon, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Noriega…they all helped her through a dark time and place and encouraged her to keep going. A favorite memory is the times in Ms. Gordon’s class when she would make puns all the time and everyone would either laugh or groan. Katarina Rinehart A graduate of the CEC LPN Nursing Program, Katarina will continue with nursing at CNM towards her bachelor’s degree. Being in the Nursing Program is her greatest memory of high school and she wants to thank her family for helping her through it and school. Selenee Rodriguez Selene will attend New Mexico State University in the fall to major in mechanical and aerospace engineering. She wanted to recognize Mr. Mike Nord for helping her find her career path, her parents for always supporting her, and Donald Berkheimer for encouraging her to reach her full potential. She met amazing people along the way at ECA. Lorenzo Joseph Romero Lorenzo will pursue a Master’s in Business Administration and plans to be an entrepreneur in the financial service industry. He wanted to thank god for his wonderful life and family and his parents for their love and support. Also, 2 of his teachers- Mr. Lucero for introducing him to the financial world and mr dolch for teaching him a strong work ethic and the fun barbeques. He will remember the rocket launch project in Mr. Tokuda’s physics class- where his rocket launched so far it was never seen again. George Henry Ross George will go to CNM and he wants to study machine trades and chemistry and learn how to bartend. He acknowledges his mother and father for keeping him on track and his brothers and friends for keeping him sane. A favorite memory him was also Mr. Tokuda’s Physics class- Mr. Tokuda’s car was the best. Alisha Jenae Scott

Alisha wants to student biology and go to vet school someday to be a veterinarian. She will start her journey at UNM. She thanks Jacquelyn Zamora for pushing her to be the best person she can and her best memory of school was her time working as an intern in the veterinarian office doing what she loves. Anahita Sheik-Bahae Anahita wants to study pharmacy at UNM. She wanted to recognize Mike Nord for helping her believe in herself and her mom and dad for always pushing her to do better. Veronica Marie Silva Veronica wants to be a pre-school teacher. She will attend UNM, but also wants to go part-time to a cosmetology college. She wants to thank her parents for supporting her, but especially her sister Alessandra for bringing her constant joy and laughter and for being her best friend and motivator. Cierra Smith Cierra plans to become a veterinarian,. She will attend New Mexico State in the fall. The wanted to recognize her aunt Jamie, for always be willing to help and knows exactly what to say. She fondly remembers her sophomore year and sitting with her friends at their designated table for lunch Andie Maxine Todacheenie Andie will attend UNM Taos branch but dreams of living in Oregon one day to work on social and political improvement. She wanted to thank a very special Marina for always being there. Jonathon William Tyrrell Jonathan wants to study biomedical engineering and work with genetics or prosthesis. He will start his educational journey at UNM. He thanks Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Nord, and his parents for putting up with his pontifications. Also the dedicated and overworked staff of ECA for pushing him to embrace his confusion and helping facilitate his journey as a life-long learner. Micaella Aguilar-Vargas Micaella will start at CNM, but hopes to transfer to Eastern New Mexico University to study to become a teacher. She wants to travel and teach children in 3rd world countries. She thanks her mother for always being supportive and there for her. Her best memory of ECA is of her senior year where she made good friends like Kaitlynn and Elizabeth- who she will always remember. Amber Marie Wilhusen Amber will start in the Navy Nuclear Power Program after graduation. She wants to become a nuclear engineer and an officer in the Navy. She would like to thank her family for always supporting and encouraging her. Her favorite high school memory is of Mr. Tokuda’s Physics class and learning how much fun physics can be. Iris Josephine Wohrer Iris will attend UNM. She thanks her incredible sister Fiona for always pushing her to better herself and her mom and stepdad Ed for always being loving and supportive. And her Oma for being here for her graduation. She will always remember her junior year. Maya Isabel Zambrano Maya wants to become a doctor specializing in obstetrician or gynecology. She will attend UNM. She wanted to acknowledge her brother Bear for being a constant source of support and motivation and for always standing with her. Jacquelyn Desiree Zamora

A graduate of the CEC LPN program, Jacquelyn will continue in Nursing at CNM and hopes to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner. She thanks Alisha Scott for encouraging her though some the hardest times and since kindergarten. Her best memory is graduating from the Nursing Program. So there we have them…Congratulations to you all and to your parents Class of 2017!!! And now, I would like to introduce Diane Baca, our Math department chair who will introduce our Salutatorian. Introduction of Salutatorian: Gabino Noriega Salutatorian: Jonathon Tyrrell Good evening, everyone, and thank you for coming to the ceremony. Tonight, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret: writing a graduation speech is hard. In its writing, this graduation speech realized it was not a sermon, not a fortunetelling, and definitely not my words of advice. I would just as quickly relinquish this duty to any of my equally qualified peers: they are just as fit as I to stand before you and speak. So, rather than speak for them, I hope to share my understanding of their spirit with you. In that sharing, I hope you find their joy, their sorrow, their ripening wisdom, and their dwindling immaturity. Tonight, help me celebrate them. Sometimes, we forget what celebration is. Lest pomp and circumstance become buried under percentages and titles, it is important to know what tonight represents. Before you is a class brimming with the same emotions which we faced all throughout our four years at the Early College Academy. Tonight is the representation of all of our hopes and fears at once. And we celebrate them with the motions we have dreamed of and dreaded: handshakes, posing for photos, hugging relatives, and throwing our caps up in a final gesture. Graduation night is all about motion: the nervous energy in the building is made physical by your applause. So, when you applaud your graduates, remember tonight is not about cords, stoles, GPAs, ACT scores, salutatorians, or valedictorians. Not long from from now, those things will be as disposable as the ticket you all used to get into this room. Tonight is about the reason for the unfamiliar tears shed by students, the heartbreaking ones shared by mothers, and the proud ones held back by fathers. We will all be crying in the lobby for the unspoken deeds and private thoughts. Tears will be shed in joy and sorrow because we will find unique human connection, regardless of age. Remember the lobby is merely the housing of a crossroad, a crossroad of past memories, present moments, and future lives. Graduates and parents alike, do not be afraid to be each other’s student tonight. Tonight, we come together, young and old, to celebrate our humanity. Graduation marks the first major waypoint on the journey up the precipice of adulthood. Like any climb, some slopes are steeper, rockier, and more challenging than others. At times, a climber must find their own path up the mountain. Their largest obstacle should only be their own vanity. Allow your climber to forge their own path and find their identity in the mountain. Their compass will be their spirit; the most you can do is help guide their way. But for tonight, celebrate the hair pulled over homework, the sleep lost over finals’ week, the drama inside and outside the classroom. Moreover, cherish the laughter compelled by jokes dumb and clever, the sly smirks behind a peer’s sarcasm, the sighs signaling the end of a semester, and the twinkles of our understanding.

Come to feel, understand, and celebrate the spirit of the class before you. Its strength is a testament of the brilliance of ECA. The spirit of this class is a tribute to the teachers there who foster a love for learning. It is the spirit of a class as devoted to laughter as they are to understanding; a spirit which cannot be quantified or tested. The spirit of the class is entrusted to the historian, artist, comedian, story-teller, healer, and teacher hidden inside each of the graduates before you. Students and parents, do not forget to nourish that spirit with long walks and climbs up that mountain. Only in coming to know the mountain of humanity can our spirit truly breathe. And our spirit - the spirit of the class of 2017 - will not be bottled. Instead, it will spread, defining its own metric for success. As we go our separate ways, we will consider, conclude, and innovate. Our spirit may never physically reunite, but it will persist, another unspoken connection. In these final moments, we remember all we learned and look forward to what we continue to learn. And then, together and alone on the mountain, our spirit will dance. Introduction of Valedictorian: Mark Walker Valedictorian Address: Mario Morford-Oberst Good evening ladies and gentlemen, classmates, and parents. My name is Mario Morford-Oberst and it is my honor to take this opportunity to say farewell. We’ve learned so much over the past four years. I was thinking about what’s really going to stick with me. It’s not anything from U.S. history, or how amazing our senior prank was. I probably won’t remember that our class animal was Pepe the Pigeon. What I will remember is a lesson I learned from all of you. We are always told that everyone is different. Everyone is their own person. I’ve been hearing about how I am a unique individual my whole life and I’m sure that the same is true for you. In American society we are always taught to embrace our individualism but I noticed that we are not always taught to embrace other’s individuality. This makes it particularly difficult to interact with people who are different from ourselves, people who have different or opposing views to ours. We often feel somewhat threatened when we are forced to face people who are different from us. This is because we are afraid of the unknown. Society has not taught us how to embrace those who are different, and we have instead learned that we must protect ourselves. If you do not believe me, I have proof for this claim. Look at how the U.S. has handled the Syrian refugee crisis. More than ten million Syrians have been forced to flee from their homes. Many countries around the world have been willing to give these people a new home. Canada, with a population of about one tenth of ours, has taken in 40,000 refugees. But, the U.S., one of the largest countries in the world, has only accepted 18,500 refugees. I am by no means saying that everyone is afraid of the unknown, but I do think that there are many people who are. The past 4 years have given me the opportunity to see that people thrive in a diverse community and that there are very open and accepting people. You, the class of 2017, give me a great amount of hope for the future. This school has offered me, and perhaps you, a very unique experience where people from many different backgrounds and cultures are given the opportunity to come together and share the same goal. We face challenges together. We face successes together. And, we also face failures together. By relying on each other to survive the challenges life puts in front of us, we have seen beyond the façade and found that below the surface we are all human. We are all on the same path of life heading in the same direction, even though we might choose different routes to get to the end.

As I was thinking about this I was reminded of a book I read my sophomore year. The book Truce, by Jim Murphy, tells the story of a spontaneous cease fire that occurred in World War I. The soldiers from both sides came together to spend Christmas Eve without fighting. Those soldiers saw that beneath all of their conflict, they were just human. And due to this realization, they were able to cease the fighting for one night to come together as a community and enjoy their similarities as well as their differences. I was fortunate to be in a community amongst all of you where I learned the same lesson that the soldiers did. Having lived and learned with you for the past four years I am confident that by virtue of our diverse experiences and perspectives we can create a lasting peace for our generation. Thank you for an amazing high school experience. I will miss all of you and I wish you all good luck with the next step in your lives. I’d like to close by saying farewell to you in German, the language of my father. In German we say “auf Wiedersehen” which means until we meet again. Special Awards: Gabino Noriega and Lynn Ramsey     

ECA Student Body Officer Recognition: Symon Majewski and Maya Zambrano Citizenship Award: Lorenzo Romero Academic Achievement: Evan Dougan Academic Excellence: Cierra Smith and Jonathon Tyrrell Principal’s Award: Anna Rebstock and Symon Majewski

Presentation of Class: Principal Pat Arguelles Esteemed APS School Board members Mr. Lorenzo Garcia and Ms. Peggy Muller-Aragon I would like to present the class of 2017. They have met all of the graduation requirements as set forth by the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education along with the New Mexico Public Education Department. To you, I present the class of 2017. Acceptance of Class: Members of the Board of Education On behalf of the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education, we accept this 2017 graduating class of Early College Academy High School. Presentation of Diplomas: Lynn Ramsey Board members, guests, admin line up to shake hands and present diplomas. Turning of the Tassels Jack Kramer will now lead his classmates in this final rite of passage Final Thoughts: Pat Arguelles ECA Class of 2017, Congratulations. “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” If you Google that saying, you will find that it is attributed to Winnie the Pooh. However, you will not find it in any of the books. So, based on last night’s evening ending video, I can only imagine that Pooh said it to Eyore, who texted it to Piglet, who tweeted it to Tigger, who then put it on his Facebook page. I’m pretty sure Nord was going to put it in his mean tweets video last night but he kept crying so he left it out. There is no other explanation. The words of the Grand Pooh Bear must be shared.

I hope you take a piece of Early College Academy pride with you into the next phase of your life. I hope you find college life rewarding and that you fall in love with your new school the way we fell in love with you. I hope you find a career that makes it a pleasure to get up in the morning and keeps you proud each and every day. I hope you know the blessings of good health. I hope you’re close with your own parents and recognize their wisdom for many, many years to come. And, most of all, I hope you remember us and keep Early College Academy alive in your hearts for the rest of your lives. I would be remiss if I did not take this time to offer some reminders to the Class of 2017 that will last a lifetime:  Remember to say “please” and “thank you.”  Leave things better than the way you found them.  Learn something new…. every day.  Forgive others and forgive yourself… often.  Take advantage of the technology that is at your disposal, but the best form of communication is voice to voice or face to face.  “Pause before you post.” What you post on Facebook, what you tweet or snapchat, your vines or youtubes, any social media you use, is always public.  You are always being interviewed. Be mindful of what you say, how you dress, and how you treat others. You never know who is watching or listening.  Have self-respect. Be comfortable in your skin, love who you are. Each and every one of you is so important. To you, and to my entire ECA family, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” And since I don’t want your last memory of Mr. Noriega to be that cake photo, I will turn it back over to our favorite Mr. Noriega Mr. Noriega comes up and says…. “Your period of service is over, my young Jedi; Go out and seek your fortune and May The Force Be With You!” “Guests, please rise as the graduates leave the floor” Recessional