Schools
Wave Goodbye: Monte Vista Seniors Line Up for Their Final Bow
"We are the adults," said Valedictorian Victor Ortega. "Now it's our turns to be successful. Now it's our turn to help others."
Story and video by Ken Stone
Waiting to pass under the scoreboard on their march to commencement, Monte Vista graduates started a wave. The white-gowned high-GPA seniors cheered as the movement flowed to their red-robed classmates and back, ending with the black-robed adult staff.
Hundreds of family members and friends joined the fun, putting on their own performances—throwing confetti, waving signs and in several instances wearing T-shirts spelling out names of their grad.
Natalie Jane Gomez got a special sendoff with seven family members and friends wearing N-A-T-A-L-I and heart-symbol letters on shirts and blowing air horns as her name was read. Mercedes Gomez made the shirts.
Victor Ortega, a valedictorian along with Mitchell Gunter, concluded his address in Spanish, conveying congratulations to all his friends in the heavily Hispanic Class of 2013 and, in English: “We are the adults. Now it’s our turns to be successful. Now it’s our turn to help others.”
But one last bit of fun was in store.
Said Ortega: ”I’d like to give one last shout-out to sidewalks—for keeping me off the streets.”
Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
