More than 550 students graduated from Morgan Hill’s three public high schools this June
Published in the June 10-23, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
The 38 graduates from Central High line the stage at the Downtown Amphitheater June 3.
Photo by Marty Cheek
To the cheers of family and friends, senior students in caps and gowns received their diplomas last week at Morgan Hill Unified School District’s three high schools. Two hundred sixty-eight graduated from Sobrato High School, 272 graduated from Live Oak High School and 38 graduated from Central High School.
Many speeches were given at each graduation, but among the most heartfelt was one by Central’s Francisco Ruiz who received the 2015 Senior of the Year honor.
Central Principal Ann-Marie Cobarrubias described Ruiz as arriving at Central in the middle of his sophomore year as the king of the “monosyllabic conversation,” with the backbone of his vocabulary consisting of the words “What!,” “Huh?,” “No,” “Why?” and “Naaa.”
“Hunkered down in his chair, cap pulled down low, arms crossed defiantly across his chest, daring you to get close and know the real person sitting there, staring you down, challenging you to teach him,” she said. “That person no longer exists.”
In his talk to the audience, Ruiz explained the transformation of his life at Central:
“I always hated school since the beginning. Never liked it, never saw no point of it. But when I came to Central, I liked it. Everyone there knew each other or knew a little bit about each other. But then again, things are different at Central. The teachers have a different way of teaching and a different way of communicating with the students – they went at it at a more aggressive way. They make us focus on our goal – to graduate. They never let us forget our goal. They believe in us and help us believe in ourselves.”
A student receives her diploma from Morgan Hill Unified School District board member Ron Woolf. Five-hundred-fifty-three seniors graduated from three public high schools last week.
Photo by Marty Cheek
Ruiz acknowledge the dedication of the staff at Central who go above and beyond the educators at the traditional high school he attended:
“I like going to school. I never thought I would say that. But things are different at Central. Before Central, there were always arguments in and out of the classroom. I was one of those students who was always arguing with everyone. I was not happy about going to school. School was pointless. There was no place for my future. I had no where to go, and wherever I ended up, I wouldn’t need school. School was just a waste of time for me.
“Going to Central, I decided it was going to be the same as any other school – boring and whatever. So I brought the same attitude, the same outlook to Central. I knew coming to Central was going to be a waste of time, but it wasn’t. It was my only option, so I came. I didn’t care where I went to school because I knew it was all going to be the same. But things are different at Central. I’m so happy I came to Central. I feel that if I never came, I would never have had the chance to graduate or continue life. I’m glad I came to Central to put focus on my life and get me back on track.”
