Trabuco Hills Graduation: A Day for Hope and Celebration

Audio Slideshow By Jessica Burger

Wednesday marked a major milestone for the Trabuco Hills High School Class of 2013 as hundreds of friends and family members gathered to celebrate their graduation.

In an emotional address to the graduates, Principal Craig Collins praised their character and compassion above all else.

“This has been an unusually difficult year, but you, the students of the class of 2013 have helped me through it more than you will ever know,” Collins wrote in his address. “We came here together four years ago; your freshman year was my first as principal here. If I am to be judged by this class, I couldn't be more proud.

“I watched this year as you nominated our special education students to be honorary captains. I watched as you worked with them as Best Buddies and had lunches together and took them on activities. And you did this, not as a community service project, but out of love and compassion for your fellow man. And when one of those students so tragically passed away, you organized a memorial for his family and you reached out to comfort them in their grief and showed them that their son was loved…And when I was down, I would go out on campus and every time, one of you would say something to me to lift my spirits and keep me moving forward, and you didn't even know I needed the lift. You did it without even trying.”

This year’s graduation also marked a notable and controversial change as the students walked in alphabetical order as opposed to previous years when honors students graduated first.

Panned by some parents as a move that undermines the accomplishments of the class’s highest achievers, Collins defended the decision, saying, “I believe that graduation is about recognizing the CLASS, and not the individuals. While many students have achieved exceptional academic recognition, who can say their accomplishment is any greater than the student that is the first high school graduate from their family, or the student that has had to overcome learning handicaps or family problems just to achieve a C average?”

For student and parent reactions to the night, see Patch's audio slideshow.