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By Laura Calverley

Most students look forward to June all year, because it means the end of school and beginning of summer. For graduating seniors, it is the end of an era and the beginning of a journey into adulthood.

The first stop on the journey is graduation. Pomp and circumstance. Celebrations.

And of course, some sadness over departing friends, teachers and staff.

According to Steve Petsche, principal of Ramona High School, “A graduation ceremony is an opportunity for the administration to introduce the next set of adults to society.”

Ramona’s high schools are each planning grand graduation ceremonies in the coming weeks. Ramona High School is the largest, with approximately 450 graduating seniors — the largest RHS senior class in five years. Graduation takes place at 7:30 p.m., June 15.

“We’re very proud of the students that are coming out this year,” Petsche said. “They’ve done a very good job.”

Gates will open at 5 p.m. Each graduate will receive four priority seating tickets (priority ticket holders can enter between 5 and 6 p.m.), and eight general admission tickets (can enter from 6 to 7 p.m.). Those without tickets can enter from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

There will be some changes this year because of the new football field, according to Assistant Principal Dave Lohman, who is directing the ceremony.

“Only students, board members and participants will be allowed on the field,” Lohman said. “After the ceremony, graduates will walk off the field and meet their parents in the quad area to take pictures. No parents will be allowed on the field. Students will only be allowed to wear flat-heeled shoes, no high heels. Also, no food will be allowed on the field, only water.”

At Montecito High School, roughly 85 students will graduate this year, which includes the Adult Education and Future Bound Independent Study programs. Graduation will be held at 6 p.m. June 14.

“The students have worked so hard this year,” said Montecito High School Principal Gary Tiegs. “Graduation brings mixed emotions because we are going to miss them but are very proud of them. Everyone — the teachers, aides and secretaries — are all part of their education. After they receive their diploma, the graduates walk through a line of staff who all offer congratulations, give them a big hug and tell them we’ll miss them.”

Mountain Valley High School’s graduation ceremony is at 5 p.m. June 13 at Olive Peirce Middle School, with nine seniors graduating. Because half of Mountain Valley’s program is a Montessori school that includes kindergarten through eighth grade and the other half is independent study, some students have been at Mountain Valley for many years.

“We always try to do a special ceremony at graduation,” said Principal Susie DePaul. “We don’t just call their names. The teachers prepare a short talk about each graduate. There will be the traditional speeches by the superintendent, myself and the valedictorian, but we like to give individual attention to each student.”

On June 7, Ramona High will hold its Senior Night Award Ceremony to award scholarships. An all-school award ceremony will be held earlier that day to present certificates and plaques for academic achievement and excellence in various subject areas.

When talking about academic excellence, in a graduating class, the valedictorian, or student with the highest grade-point average, represents it best.

At Ramona High School, Nancy Dougherty is valedictorian and Brittany Sumerel is salutatorian (second highest GPA). Dougherty has a GPA of 4.83; Sumerel, 4.38.

“It’s very cool and exciting to be named valedictorian,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty, who was active in Marching and Concert bands and the Academic League, will attend Stanford University in the fall. She is an AP Scholar and a National Merit Finalist and has won many awards and scholarships for academic excellence and community involvement. She moved to Ramona from Orange County in the eighth grade.

“There’s so many opportunities at Ramona High if you look for them,” Dougherty said. “There’s also a ton of great teachers.”

Sumerel is a lifelong Ramona resident. She attended Hanson Lane Elementary School and loved studying history at Ramona High, especially art history during her senior year.

“The recognition is great after 13 years of hard work,” Sumerel said. “It makes my mommy and daddy proud. I’d also like to say congratulations to Nancy. She’s amazing.”

Sumerel looks forward to being a Bruin mascot at UCLA, where she will study liberal arts. She wants to learn more about the school’s Neuropsychiatric Institute.

At the alternative high schools, Katie Fitzgerald is valedictorian of Mountain Valley Academy and at Montecito High, Stephen Colbertson is valedictorian, with a 3.76 GPA. Colbertson, who has lived in Ramona less than a year, will attend Palomar College in the fall and plans to major in music and minor in math.

“I’m happy to be graduating,” Colbertson said. “But I’m even happier to be valedictorian.”

Few students at Ramona’s high schools will not graduate this year. This counters poll results from the Pacific Research Institute, in California, which show that three of 10 students do not graduate from high school. In Ramona, most will try to make up the credits they need in the last few weeks or during the summer.

“There are hardly any kids that don’t graduate anymore,” said Jeannene Diaz, registrar at Ramona High, who has worked 26 years for the district. “They know they need the diploma to make a living and get along. It’s very difficult without a high school diploma.”

For most students, all their hard work will soon pay off as graduation season begins. They’ll don the cap and gown and get into formation one last time before their name is called and they officially become a graduate.