Seniors and their mentors celebrated at annual AVID Stole Ceremony
15th annual event marked by moments of whimsy and acts of kindness as seniors honor those that supported them
Ms. Daisy Contreras is overjoyed at the tribute she received from senior Mercy Mgbemere at the annual AVID Stole Ceremony on Apr. 26.
Colton, CA—The Rivera MPR room of Colton High School was filled with excitement and pride as the 15th Annual AVID Stole Ceremony celebrated graduating seniors from the school’s AVID program on Wednesday, April 26, at 5:00 pm.
This event marked a significant milestone for the students who had completed the AVID program, as well as the families and teachers who had supported them along the way.
After a celebratory video, in which students revealed their college commitments, each of the upcoming graduates took to the stage with their selected mentor and shared a speech as to how their mentor had impacted their lives for the better.
The mentor then presented the graduate with a commemorative stole to be worn with their graduation gown at the graduation ceremony on May 25.
“It’s a way to celebrate students’ accomplishments,” said AVID program advisor, Daisy Contreras.
Before students presented their speeches, some were nervous and doubtful about their ability to perform in front of a crowd. Luis Padilla, a senior at CHS, shared his initial doubts, wondering what would happen if he made a mistake and embarrassed himself. Despite his initial nervousness, he knocked it out of the park with an amazing speech about how welding instructor Chris Barta taught him how to have a good work ethic and be successful in adulthood.
After the ceremony, Luis shared that the experience “wasn’t as bad as I had initially thought”.
Mercy Mgbemere took over the audience with her charisma, giving the audience one of the biggest laughs of the night as she poked fun at her mentor, Daisy Contreras’s insistence her students do the AVID clap. “That doesn’t make any sense,” Mercy said, to which Contreras clapped back, “You don’t make sense!”
The emotions and humor were also offset by a moment of tenderness and community. During Jonathan Resendiz’s speech, art teacher Emmanuel Lopez—presenting stoles to three students—helped a mother in distress as she struggled to calm her crying baby. Lopez quickly stepped in and gave the mother a fidget toy he kept on his keychain to cheer the baby up.
“Small acts of kindness can make a difference,” Lopez said as he recognized how difficult it is for parents in moments like that.
The stole ceremony was initially started at Colton High 15 years ago, and it has since become a tradition across the school district. The event is similar to a graduation ceremony, as students arrive in professional dress, and their families and friends show up to celebrate their accomplishments.
Contreras noted that the ceremony provides a sense of accountability for students. They now have someone who asks them about their plans for college or what they intend to do after high school. It creates a sense of responsibility and encourages them to take ownership of their futures.
The ceremony was kicked off by Principal Abbott, who welcomed the audience and recognized distinguished guests from the CJUSD district office, including Dr. Eric Mooney, Director of Secondary Educational Services, Dr. Anthony Ortiz, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, and Bertha Flores, CJUSD board member.
Recently, the CHS Publications Department experienced a major theft as over $20,000 in photography equipment was stolen from our studio over Spring Break. This included all cameras. Any amount you donate will help rebuild our program. Thank you!
Meet Brandon, a senior at CHS who's always up for an adventure. When he's not acing his studies, you'll find him immersed in the world of video games,...