Graduation ceremonies held at several Santa Maria Valley high schools

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Pomp and Circumstance was the song of the day across the Santa Maria Valley on Thursday as four area high schools held graduation ceremonies.

Santa Maria High School kicked off a full day of graduations with its 131st commencement ceremony beginning at 9 a.m.

"Today is a new step in life," said graduate Brian Gonzalez. "I am a first generation student in my family. I'm the first one to graduate high school and the first one to be attending college, so it's it's really important, and it brought my family joy."

Dressed in all red gowns, the number of Saints who received diplomas in Ralph Baldiviez Stadium on Thursday totaled 700 graduates.

Olivia Venegas-Hernandez (Santa Maria High School Graduate)

"Today is truly life changing," said graduate Olivia Venegas-Hernandez. "It's a new step forward into adulthood. I think Class of 2024 is definitely filled with resilient people, leaders and very bright students. We are all very prepared for the future."

In Orcutt, both Righetti High School and St. Joseph High School each held their graduate ceremonies at nearly the same time, with St. Joseph beginning 10:30 a.m. and Righetti following suit an hour later.

St. Joseph handed out 106 diplomas to their green and white robed Class of 2024 during its ceremony held on the field in Jay Will Stadium.

"Today means to start of something new," said graduate Paige Beal. "It is also the the end. you know, my, high school career, but it's the start of something great. I'm just excited to start this new journey. This is the beginning."

Across the street at Righetti, 537 purple-clad graduates received their diplomas in front of a packed Warrior Stadium during its commencement ceremony.

"The Class of 2024 is, I would say, very passionate and we're very dedicated," said graduate Evan Troesh. "We're raising today's today's future for tomorrow. We're passionate, we are dedicated and we're tenacious to accomplish what we want to do, and it's going to be amazing to see what we do in the future. I'm excited for it!"

The fourth and final graduation took place in the afternoon at Pioneer Valley, where the area's biggest class of 737 students, who were wearing teal and black gowns endured warm temperatures during their ceremony in Panther Stadium.

"I'm really excited," said Pioneer Valley valedictorian Leslie Gonzalez. "We've been waiting for it for so long, and now it's finally here. I just want to congratulate everyone in the Class of 2024."

Including Delta High School, which held its graduation ceremony on Wednesday, more than 2,300 seniors received diplomas from the four Santa Maria Joint Union High School District campuses.