June 7, 2007

Cathedral City High holds graduation ceremony

By SANDRA BALTAZAR MARTÍNEZ
The Press-Enterprise

CATHEDRAL CITY - Adriana Marie Torres had mixed feelings Thursday night.

As she got ready to walk into the football field at Cathedral City High School where hundreds of parents and friends cheered, she felt nervous and happy.

Dressed in a blue cap and gown, the 18-year-old graduate walked proudly, carrying several medallions, sashes and cords that speak of her academics and school involvement.

This fall Torres will attend Cal State Fullerton and plans to major in criminal justice to become a prosecution lawyer.

"I'm a pretty determined girl," said Torres, who spent her summers volunteering at a local museum and participating in Girl Scouts. "I try to get everything done because I want to become a good lawyer."

In the near future, though, Torres wants to return to her Cathedral City home.

As she and more than 500 of her fellow students walked to the graduation ceremony, cameras were flashing and applause and whistles greeted the graduates.

Among the joyful was Daisy Lopez's family. Her mother, Maria Lopez, said her daughter is the first in the family to graduate.

"I'm so proud of her because she graduated with good grades and she's going to College of the Desert," the mother said in Spanish, holding a bouquet of red roses.

Nearby, Dan Cornell and his family waited in line to get into the field. They all wished Zachary Cornell good luck on his biology career at UC San Marcos.

Desert Hot Springs High

At Desert Hot Springs High, Nicole Baker is anticipating her graduation Saturday.

She will be attending UC Santa Barbara in the fall and is considering a biology or math major.

After Santa Barbara she will continue with a master's degree and then a doctorate, she said.

"I just really like school," Baker said and laughed.

The class valedictorian earned a 4.3 grade-point average. This year she also juggled two jobs to save money for school.

Before working, Baker spent her days volunteering at Guide Dogs of the Desert, doing everything from cleaning the facility to bathing the dogs.

"It was a lot of dirty work but I liked it a lot," said Baker, minutes before jumping on the school bus that would drive the seniors to Disneyland for Grad Night, where she planned to spend the night dancing with her friends.

Palm Springs High

For Palm Springs High School student Vivian Valencia, graduation means being a step closer to her dream of becoming a trauma surgeon. She graduates June 14, becoming the first in the family to obtain a diploma.

Valencia will start her pre-med courses at UC Berkeley in the fall.

"I want to set a good example for my brothers and sisters," said Valencia, the oldest of six children. "I set the bar high and hopefully they can surpass me."

Living in the Coachella Valley has taught Valencia to appreciate the good and the bad, she said. She's grown up seeing the disparity, and it only motivates her to return to help the needy.

But her ultimate goal will be to live in a big city such as New York or Los Angeles.

"Then I want to buy a house in Italy and live there," Valencia said.