Santa Maria area high schools celebrate the Class of 2022 with full graduation ceremonies

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Pomp and Circumstance was the song of the day all throughout the Santa Maria Valley on Thursday.

The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) wrapped up the 2021-22 school year by holding graduation ceremonies at its high schools, Santa Maria, Righetti and Pioneer Valley.

In addition, St. Joseph High School also held its graduation ceremony on Thursday morning, handing out diplomas to 105 seniors.

For the Santa Maria area schools, it marked the return to full-scale graduation ceremonies for the first time in three years.

"It means that I made it," said Pioneer Valley graduate Michelle Figueroa. "It means that I passed and I worked hard to make this dream come true and I made it all the way."

"It's a huge day," said Righetti graduate Ava Garcia. "I've been waiting for this pretty much my whole life, so it's really nice and I feel very accomplished and very proud."

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 event was modified into a drive-through format, while in 2021, graduation ceremonies had limited guests.

This year, at the SMJUHSD schools, all three ceremonies are being held in their traditional location and format, in the athletic stadiums with full capacity.

“It feels good," said Righetti graduate Joseph Diaz. "It feels like finally everything is going back to normal.”

"We went through a pandemic and everybody went through their struggles and to make it to this day," said Santa Maria graduate Maria Reyes. "It's something that everybody should feel accomplished and feel proud."

On Wednesday, SMJUHSD held its first graduation of the year, for Delta High School at Santa Maria High School.

More than 2,000 SMJUHSD seniors received diplomas, including 717 at Pioneer Valley, 635 at Santa Maria, 572 at Righetti and 307 at Delta.

The 717 graduates at Pioneer Valley was a record for the school, which opened in 2004.