Bonsall High holds first graduation

Heather Holdo and Sara Barclay

Bonsall High students

Special to the Village News

Bonsall High School said goodbye to its first ever graduating class June 8. After four years of power, intellect, and innovation, these seniors are ready to take on the world.

In credit to the wonderful teaching staff at BHS, and the sense of community amongst its students, 56 Legionnaires confidently step out into society with the know-how to pursue further education, careers, and/or experiences.

The primary focus of Bonsall High has always been to properly prepare its students for what the future may hold. This includes being taught the importance of agency, collaboration, written/oral communication, and knowledge and thinking, soft skills necessary for success in the modern workplace.

In addition, as a high tech high school, BHS has provided students with the tools of technological advancements, such as laptops, 3D printers, and design software, to ready them for inevitable mass digitization.

With this knowledge, these seniors will be some of the most internet-savvy in the newest generation of workforce, and will have as great of an impact on technology as they have had on their high school.

Since 2014, these seniors have helped to shape and design the new high school. By

setting school norms, creating the Legionnaire mascot, being the first to test out projects, and building an atmosphere of social student culture, each and every member of the original graduating class has left their mark. Now, four years later, these pioneers will be rewarded for their efforts with Bonsall High School's first set of diplomas.

Of the 56 students graduating, 26 are going to continue their studies at Palomar College, while seven are moving on to attend a UC school, five having been accepted into UCSD. Eighty-six percent of the graduating class will be attending college or a trade school, and 32 percent of the students are graduating with 18 or more credits from Palomar College.

Other seniors, such as Oran Fine and Shawn McKenzie-Heck, the 2018 valedictorian, plan on heading off to the Los Angeles College of Music and Cal Poly Pomona respectively.

When asked to provide some words of wisdom for future BHS Legionnaires, Antonia Gregorio responded, "Get involved in everything that you can.

Participating and being involved helps build a bond with everyone else, and you will grow together."

At BHS, growth is not taught only in reference to academics, but also as preparation for adulthood. Aside from producing distinguished candidates for college, BHS has always supported those who have felt that attending college would not be the right path for them, which is why approximately 14 percent of the seniors are either going straight into work (seven percent), the military (four percent), or simply opting out of college (three percent).

Regardless of what these seniors have decided on doing after high school, Bonsall

High's constantly-enforced project-based learning has prepared them for their life ahead. After four years of presenting to over 30 North County community partners, working in teams, and spending most of their time in a high tech school, the students have acquired a wide set of communication skills, collaboration skills, and technological knowledge, all of which will help them in whatever it is they go on to do.

Collectively, the class of 2018 has provided over 4,000 hours of community service, building ties through generosity with the locals. However, it's the relationships and tight-knit bonds with other students within the school that these seniors cherish the most.

Bonsall High is in and of itself a supportive community, but more than that, a family, in which a shoulder to lean on is and will never be far away.