Senior class President Gianna Dodgion heard her folks talk about their high school days.
“They said it went by so fast,” she recalled at Ripon High’s commencement ceremony Friday at Stouffer Field. “Now, I know they weren’t lying.”
Those very thoughts were shared by many of the 215 classmates who received their diplomas.
Included was salutatorian Zach Hansen, who came to RHS via St. Anthony’s School.
He was a product of the parochial school in Manteca with an eighth-grade class of 14 students. At RHS, Hansen was on unfamiliar turf on that first day of school, knowing only a few familiar faces from playing sports.
“I was a shy kid,” he said.
Hansen, who managed a 4.26 grade point average to earn salutatorian honors, went from shy to outgoing during his time at RHS.
He continued to play sports — Hansen saw action for Indians basketball team under Rod Wright — serving on the homecoming committee and crowned prom king.
He’ll be attending UC Irvine in the fall as an undeclared Engineering major. “I’m looking at mechanical engineering,” said Hansen prior to the pomp and circumstance.
Aiyana Herrera is certain about going into Mechanical Engineering.
The Class of 2017 valedictorian was recently accepted to Stanford University, choosing the prestigious school over UCLA.
Herrera, who was the special guest the previous day at Park View Elementary School’s eighth-grade promotion event as the alumni speaker, earned the top academic honor at RHS based on her cumulative 4.29 GPA.
Principal Keith Rangel welcomed those who jam-packed the stadium on this breezy early evening.
Classmates Mary Cavanaugh, Brandon Gunnarson and Sabrina Schmier performed the National Anthem in a cappella.
Madison Daleo was accompanied by acoustic guitar while singing Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.”
The Ripon Unified school board led by President Chad Huskey presented the diplomas to the graduates.
They closed out with the recessional tune “I’ll Be There For You” by the Rembrandts but made famous by the sitcom ‘Friends.’

College scholarships
Simpson University Athletic Scholarship Award: ($14,000) Laura Williams
Cal Poly SLO University Academic Scholarship Award: ($1,800) Matthew Mohler
Central Connecticut State Athletic Scholarship Award-Full Ride: ($36,000) Samantha McCreath
Central Connecticut State Athletic Scholarship Award-3/4 Paid: Ashlyn Eisenga
Washington State University Scholarship Award: ($10,000) Kendra Yanak
Stanford University Academic Scholarship Award: ($65,000) Aiyana Herrera
Simpson University Athletic Scholarship Award: ($24,000) Alexandra Gonzales
New Mexico Military Institute Ike Skeleton Scholarship Award:  (2- year tuition) Caleb Boersma
Fresno Pacific University Athletic Scholarship Award: ($5,000) Andria Martin
Utah State Academic Scholarship Award: ($14,000) Claire Wever
Utah State Leadership/Involvement Scholarship Award: ($3,000) Claire Wever
Azusa Pacific President’s Scholarship Award: ($18,000) Anna Pedersen
Azusa Pacific Trustee’s Candidate Award: ($2,000): Anna Pedersen
Boise State University Academic Scholarship Award: ($11,654) Diego Franco Carreno
St. Mary’s College Athletic Scholarship Award: ($10,000) Mikaela Ferreira
St. Mary’s College Academic Scholarship Award: ($5,000) Mikaela Ferreira
St. Mary’s College Benildus Scholarship Award: ($18,000) Mikaela Ferreira

Scholarships
American Legion – $1,000: Matthew Mohler
Beta Sigma Phi $500: Aiyana Herrera   
Give Every Child a Chance $1,000: Makayla Avila   
California Women’s Agriculture -$500: Kayla Keating
CFW Foundation: Nicholas Paschini
Ripon Grange – ($250): Kayla Keating
Ripon Rotary Club – ($500 each): Matthew Mohler, Anna Pedersen
Ripon Lions Club – ($500 each): Jennica Baldwin. Ian Flanders
Ripon Quarterback Club – ($500 each): Jack Nelson, Jennica Baldwin
RUDTA – ($250 each): Sabrina Schmier, Danielle Poortinga
Ripon Garden Club – $2,000: Steven Kirkpatrick
Ripon Livestock Booster Club: Kayla Keating, $1,000; Riley Gillihan, $500
Manteca Educators Association Scholarship - $1,000: Matthew Mohler
Sober Grad – ($250 each): Jack Nelson, Janelle Huskey
Gary Simas Agricultural Scholarship - $500: Kayla Keating
YLI – Our Lady of Fatima – $300: Daniela Rodriguez   
Splawn Scholarship - $750: Kayla Keating
National Defense Transportation - $1,000: Kayla Keating
John Cambra Ag/Mechanics - $750: Ian Flanders
Thelma Stewart Scholarship - $500: Kayla Keating
San Joaquin Farm Bureau, Foundation (Robert J. Cabral Memorial) - $2,000: Haley Moulyn
Men of Saint Patrick’s Memorial Scholarship – $500: Patrick Maragos
San Joaquin-Stanislaus Cattle Women Scholarship - $500: Kayla Keating
Youth Police Advisory Committee -$250: Hoku Lee Hana aloha Lee
Farm to Fork Scholarship - $1,000: Kayla Keating

Memorial Scholarships
Tony Cardoso ($250 each): Julian Brooks, Devon Denhart
Marissa Alexandria McLeod  ($500 each): Janelle Huskey, Robert Briggs
Bob Winget Public Service – $250: Janelle Huskey
Richard Stevens - $200: Brandon Gunnarson   
Robbie Taberna FFA Memorial - $250: Steven Kirkpatrick
Clifford Dale Wunsch Memorial - $2,500: Kayla Keating
Robert J. Cabral Memorial Junior College Scholarship - $1,000: Kayla Keating
Juan Salas Memorial Youth Scholarship - $100: Kayla Keating


Gold Tassels- CSF Lifetime Membership Award: Jennica Baldwin, Morgan Brown, Diego Franco Carreno, Zachary Hansen, Amanda Hawrysz, Aiyana Herrera, Rhet Herrin, Janelle Huskey, Alisha Kelly, Audrey Koreski, Lexis Meyer,  Matthew Mohler, Amanda Mulder, Summer Osborne, Nicholas Paschini, Anna Pedersen, Sabrina Schmier, Claire Wever, Kendra Yanak
Pending Gold Tassels: Mary Cavanaugh, Devon Denhart, Gianna Dodgion, Jamie Sparano, Samantha McCreath
Honor Roll (Silver Tassels): Shania Adams, Adriana Alejo, Makayla Avila, Melissa Baca, Kevan Baird, Jennica Baldwin, Joel Boersma, Robert Briggs, Justin Brito, Julian Brooks, Sabino Brooks, Morgan Brown, Quieanna Burton, Jasmine Caldwell, Anthony Campbell, Isaiah Cane, Vanessa Carmona, Mary Cavanaugh, Felicia Ceja, Liliana Cerna, Aaron Cuthbertson, Jared Chatas, Devon Denhart, Gianna Dodgion, Makenna Duncan, Andrew Durrer, Ashlyn Eisenga, Rebekah Esteves, Amanda Evans, Mikaela Ferreira, Ian Flanders, Megan Flory, Kyra Foley, Kayley Foster, Nicholas Gagnon, Diego Franco Carreno, Riley Gillihan, Jaqueline Gonzalez, Brandon Gunnarson, Alejandra Gutierrez, Zachary Hansen, Montana Haug, Amanda Hawrysz, Noah Hernandez, Aiyana Herrera, Rhet Herrin, Janelle Huskey, Joelle Hylton, Cory Jacobo, Andrade Bailey Joachim, Alisha Kelly, Steven Kirkpatrick, Audrey Koreski, Adam Lawlor, Hana aloha Lee, Hoku Lee, Patrick Maragos, Niruvick Macias, Campos Andria Martin, Ana Martinez, Aneica Martinez, Alonzo Mejia, Lexis Meyer, Madison McCreath, Matthew Mohler, Haley Moulyn, Samantha McCreath, Amanda Mulder, Luis Munoz, Austin Near, Jack Nelson, Nitika Nitika, Rebecca Norman, Summer Osborne, Jasmine Parra, Christine Pamplona, Nicholas Paschini, Anna Pedersen, Christian Pelaez, Isaiah Reyes, Danielle Poortinga, Daniela Rodriguez, Brooke Rogers, Sabrina Schmier, Parker Smith,  Jamie Sparano, Cole Stevens, Maciah Strickland, Kylie Varelas, Avery Villalobos, Rio Villalobos, Claire Wever, Lauren Wiebe, Laura Williams, Kendra Yanak