Caps and Eagles soar at Eldorado graduation

Pomp and Circumstance filled the air as family and friends, dressed to the nines, filed through the hallways of Tingley Coliseum Friday afternoon on their way to watch the Eldorado High School Class of 2022 Senior Graduation.

More than 300 seniors sat in neat rows, white caps and gowns pristine, wrapped in orange sashes, waiting for their loved ones to pack the stadium seats.

The ceremony kicked off with a welcome speech from school principal Martin Sandoval. The tall, always-smiling principal was hardly off the stage before the Eldorado High School band started up with the official rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance” that marked the start of the ceremony.

Next came the Presentation of the Colors and the national anthem (flawlessly executed by the Eldorado High School Marine Corp Junior ROTC) as is customary at graduations, followed by guest introductions by Student Body President Audrey Dixon, Student Body Treasurer Abby Spillers and Student Body Secretary Sydney Moore.

Then it was time for the valedictorian and salutatorian speeches.

Both Valedictorian Gustav Bourdon and Salutatorian Shaylen Fugate gave rousing speeches, touching on the trials of the last few years and the promise and hope that lay ahead.

If there was still a dry eye in the house, that all changed when Kaitlyn Reiley quietly took the stage and sang a version of Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 classic “Landslide” that would make Stevie Nicks weep.

Next came speeches from Senior Class Secretary Caroline Burrell and Senior Class Treasurer Jamie Harvey that lifted the mood a bit, adding laughs to their messages of hope, inspiration and gratitude.

As the crowd was still recovering from the previous musical interlude, the Eldorado choir sang “We’ve Only Just Begun,” which has become a standard at graduations. But the harmonizing of the choir with the added voices of its senior members, who took the stage to sing along, added a fresh sound.

Sandoval took the stage once again for a quick speech and presentation followed by the reading of the names, which began with the Top 20 GPA achievers.