Community Corner

Class of 2013: 'We're More Moderate, Accepting'

Larger classes and greater socio-economic diversity may be opening minds.

Graduation is underway, and if Elsinore High School’s Class of 2013 is any indication, future relations between all people looks bright.

As the hundreds of graduating EHS Tigers turned their tassels Thursday afternoon at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore, one thing stood out: cliques are so yesterday.

“We’re not judgmental, we accept everyone,” Kendall Howard, 17, said.

That’s different than her parent’s generation, she explained.

“We’re more moderate, more accepting,” said Howard, who is transferring to UC Riverside and plans to become a history teacher.

Jordan Hallen, 18, agrees. Asked about social issues like gay marriage, she and Howard just shrugged.

“Not a big deal.”

Eighteen-year-old Amber Bryan is attending university on a volleyball scholarship.

“Everyone knows each other. Everyone gets along,” she said of her class.

Amber’s mom Angela said her daughter’s generation is different. Angela graduated from high school in 1986 and said kids today are more involved in the world and can pursue what they want.

“They have more opportunities,” Angela explained.

Larger classes and greater socio-economic diversity may be opening minds. EHS is a diverse campus, as are all Lake Elsinore Unified School District high schools.

John Taurinski, 18, said that experience should serve him well as he makes his way to Hofstra University in Long Island, NY, to play baseball.

“Every day, we would see 200 people of all different kinds on campus,” he said.

Large classes and a higher student to teacher ratio challenge students, Taurinski continued.

“What we had to go through is different,” he said of his generation.

Cliques were few at EHS, Aaron Ward, 18, said.

“EHS – it’s like family,” he offered.

Ward plans to attend Cal State Fullerton and may try out for football to continue the athletic career he had at EHS.

Luis Carrillo, 17, and Nancy Velarde, 18, were all smiles following Thursday’s ceremony.

Velarde plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College to study criminal justice and Carrillo will transfer to the community college as well. He wants to start a non-profit for troubled kids.

Carrillo was one of those kids, but not now. EHS counselors helped him turn it around, and he wants to do the same for others.

He agreed that his generation is more thoughtful, and said the students and EHS educators are the reason.

“I think it was the environment altogether. Yes, altogether.”  

In addition to Thursday's EHS graduation ceremony, Lakeside High School holds its ceremony tonight at 7 p.m. at The Diamond. Temescal Canyon High School and all the LEUSD alternative high school graduation ceremonies were held Wednesday at The Diamond.





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