Colony Oak Elementary School promoted 61 eighth graders Wednesday evening with most of them going on to join the freshman class at Ripon High.
There were five Trustee Award winners in the class who received their honors for a 4.0 grade level they posted for the entire year.
They are Nico Hardi, Natalie Ilardi, Natalie Betoshana, Aiko DeArth, Sydney Vieira, and Austin Stephenson. Austin also received the perfect attendance award for all nine years he attended Colony Oak. He is receiving his attendance honor at an assembly today at the school.
Principal Cheryl Griffiths presented the students to a school trustee Kit Oase and to the parents in the audience confirming they had completed the required course of study and were ready for their promotion into their high school years.
Trustee Christina Orlando presented the students with their diplomas that was followed by a class video that included their eighth grade trip. The seventh grade parents hosted the reception following the promotional event.
The guest speaker was Kaylyn Evans who graduated from Colony four years ago. About to graduate from Ripon High, she left the students with some sage advice.
“Always listen to the advice of your parents and hold onto that — pay attention to your high school teachers. Those four years will go by so fast,” she said.
The class motto: “You say I dream too big, I say you think too small.”
The class members included Chris Albritton, Josh Atilano, Alyssa Barrios, Natalie Betoshana, Madison Boyd, Gianna Brocchini, Tommy Campbell, Martin Cardoza, Angelina Cortez, Shaina Cunningham, Aiko DeArth, Mathew De la O, Dylan Dunning, Preston Ascola, Abigail Gambrel, Dafne Gonzalez, Zarin Gwin, Jacob Hunt, Nico Ilardi, Kelsey Inderbitzin, Richard Jackson, Brooke Kaiser, Payton Lockhard, John Loeffler, Sarah Machado, Gabriela Martinez, Marni Matuski, Sean McCann, Jack McClellen, Vincent Mendoza, Aiden Nilsson, Alina Olmos, Maira Ortega, Matthew Padilla, Calib Parker, Jesus Perez Leon, Luis Portela, Brandon Rainer, Adrian Reyes, Lauren Reyna, Darhus Rubianes, Brock Sadler, Genesis Sanchez, Tiana Sidtikun, Kaitlyn Smith, Austin Stephenson, Amy Stremple, Ashton Thomas, Aiden Tejero, Nathan Valdez, Alex Velladao, Phillip Vallejo, Lauren VanderSchuur, Ingred Vega, Sydney Vieria, Andrea Villaneuva, Emerson Vink, Maliya Vovk, Sarah Whitley, Grant Wiebe and Abbigael Williams.
Colony Oaks advances 61 8th graders to Ripon High