Slipping in between the rain, Ignacio's "Ele-high" seniors received their diplomas Saturday outside on the IHS football field.
Superintendent Rocco Fuschetto assured the seniors and their families that there was a Plan B if needed, although district staff set up on the football field the day before.
The graduates spent their senior year at the old elementary school downtown while major parts of the high school were demolished and re-built. Fuschetto invited them to come back on Aug. 15 for the ribbon cutting on the new high school and see what they are missing out on.
"This year was a bit difficult at 'Ele-high,' but you were flexible and you did just fine," he said with a quavering voice.
Kathy Herrera, longtime 7th and 8th grade English language arts teacher and now the new principal at the elementary school, gave the graduation address.
"Teaching English language arts to this group was very interesting," she said. "I decided I better read the Twilight series."
She continued, "Time has gone too fast from the time you entered school until now. Twenty-seven years ago, I was sitting where you are today, and I'd give anything to go back. The time went too fast, and I didn't enjoy the moments as they came. I was always in a hurry. Now I'm an old principal."
Herrera urged them not to repeat her mistake. "Some of you may have entered the phase of 'I know it all.' I did. Try really hard to listen to the people around you. They aren't trying to boss you. They're trying to offer advice."
She urged them to set goals, dream big, and have faith in themselves, although she indicated some discretion might be appropriate as she recited words to a song about a boy with a flour sack cape who jumped off the garage roof, sure that he could fly.
"Don't take this literally," she said.
Valedictorian Tyler Riepel and Salutatorian David Cooper Jr. gave a joint address. They thanked parents, friends, and teachers who helped them out in some way.
Sky Cotton, Miguel Perez, and Alicia Naranjo gave the dedication to parents before the graduates went up into the stands to give flower bouquets to parents and others who have been there for them.
Thirty-six seniors were awarded diplomas.
