Costa Mesa High class of ’21 credits Mustang spirit for pulling them through the challenge of a lifetime
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From socially distanced seats set out at Mustangs Field, friends and family members celebrated the Costa Mesa High School class of 2021 in an in-person commencement ceremony that, most agreed, seemed impossible just a few short months ago.
Principal Jake Haley expressed his gratitude for being able to convene on the school field for an in-person graduation.
“We have had quite possibly the most challenging times of our lives together,” Haley told graduates. “Now, let’s give enthusiastic applause that we are not on Zoom today.”
The administrator pondered what makes Costa Mesa great, surmising relationships forged and a strong sense of community are not only the school’s greatest legacy but what helped the campus survive the coronavirus pandemic.
Student speakers also reflected on a graduating class of 265 seniors on the brink of a post-pandemic future. Associated Student Body President Kimiko Nellis and Senior Class President Hanna Jackson recalled how emotions ran high as separation from friends and activities stretched past the one-year mark.
“Although this pandemic may have stolen a majority of our senior year, it cannot and will not steal our future,” Nellis assured classmates. “We have become resilient and accomplished young adults who have a bright and successful future ahead of us.”
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