Union High, Bridges High, and CLASS program celebrate graduates in 2023 commencement ceremony

Bridges High School, Capistrano Union High School, and CLASS program seniors gathered Thursday, June 1 at Union High for a commencement ceremony and to celebrate their graduation as the Class of 2023.

The ceremony began with a welcome by Principal Brittany Casey of Union High School and by Principal Luci Coppola of the Bridges/CLASS program. The graduates entered to “Pomp and Circumstance” by Edward Elgar. Union High student Madison Bailen led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Union High Guidance Tech Felix Hernandez announced the scholarships and awards, and the two principals introduced the faculty and staff members of the schools.

Union High student Jessenia Ramirez was the Commencement Speaker. CUSD Board of Trustees Clerk Amy Hanacek, and Board Trustees Judy Bullockus and Michael Parham presented the diplomas. Casey and Coppola presented the Class of 2023, and Hanacek provided the Acceptance of the Class of 2023.

Bridges student Adeline Seiler, and Union High School Students of the Quarter Kevin Cruz and Hailey Peterson led the turning of the tassels.

Congratulations, Bridges High, Union High and CLASS program graduates of the Class of 2023!

See below for photos from the commencement ceremony. Scroll to the bottom to view a list of the graduates.

*Union High School’s Madison Bailen leads in the Pledge of Allegiance.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Graduates stand for the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the Bridges & Capistrano Union High Commencement Ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Malani Mills holds her 2-year-old son, Luca Garcia, during the Bridges & Capistrano Union High commencement ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Carlos Sotelo receives the Chautauqua Scholarship and the Paige Halbert Memorial Scholarship.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Carlos Sotelo gets a hug from Shannon Halbert as he receives the Paige Halbert Memorial Scholarship.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Hailey Peterson and Madison Bailen receive the San Juan Capistrano Rotary Scholarship from Shannon Halbert, left, and Union High Principal Brittany Casey.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Catalina Dunn gets a hug as she receives the Achievement Award for Perseverance.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Lizze Hernandez and Catalina Dunn receive the Achievement Award for Perseverance.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

Receiving the Achievement Award are, from left, Lizze Hernandez, Catalina Dunn, Jade Salinas, Kaila Louie, Jessenia Ramirez, Taryn Perrone, Adam Krueger, Kevin Cruz, Justin Lopez, Brendan Hemp, Camila Gomez, Quinn Burnett and Isabella Anderson-Kinney.
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Kevin Cruz receives a Perfect Attendance Award from Principal Brittany Casey.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Jessenia Ramirez of Union High, who was also the Commencement Speaker, receives her diploma from Principal Brittany Casey.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Students received their diploma from Principal Brittany Casey during their commencement ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Malani Mills receives her diploma from Principal Brittany Casey as she holds her 2-year-old son, Luca Garcia.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Union High Graduate Arthur Silva Dos Santos receives his diploma from Principal Brittany Casey while proudly wearing a Brazil flag.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Catalina Dunn after receiving her diploma with Cleopatra, 4, left, Xander, 1, and Stella, 3.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Kevin Cruz, left, Adeline Seiler and Hailey Peterson has the Class of 2023 move their tassels at the conclusion of the Bridges High School & Capistrano Union High School’s Commencement Ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Bridges and Capistrano Union High graduates participate in the traditional Turning of the Tassels at the conclusion of their commencement ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*CUSD School board members and teachers give a standing ovation to the graduates at the conclusion of the Bridges High School & Capistrano Union High School’s commencement ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Graduates toss their caps in the air in celebration at the conclusion of the Bridges High School & Capistrano Union High School’s commencement ceremony.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

*Natalie Cazares of Union High School.*
*Photo by Steven Georges/CUSD Insider*

Bridges High School graduates

Lizze Hernandez

Roxy Santos

Adeline Seiler

Yara Sheet

CLASS graduates

Catalina Dunn

Daniel Espada

George Espada

Casandra Medina Jimenez

Gregory Pappas

Union High School graduates

Fabian Abella

Isabella Anderson-Kinney

Amirhossein Akbari

Jose Arreola

Madison Bailen

Aidan Brummett

Quinn Burnett

Samuel Buzzetta

Elias Calderon

Natalie Cazares

Ashley Cirilo

Diego Cisneros

Kevin Cruz

Cooper DeCair

Marcos Diaz

Arthur Silva Dos Santos

Brayden Engelerdt

Michael Ernandes

Kevin Escobar-Vasquez

Alan Garcia

Isabella Giha-Sandoval

Camila Gomez

Ian Gutierrez

Jonathan Gutierrez

Brendan Hemp

Thomas Inkmann

Genaro Juarez

Terah Kerwin

Lucas Klinger

Adam Krueger

Cameron Lang

Joseph Leach

Justin Lopez

Kaila Louie

Alejandro Lugo

Esmeralda Marin

Kyleigh Marroquin

Malani Mills

Melissa Monroy

Alberto Muñoz

Eric Osorio

Ignacio Palacios

Alondra Pelaes

Roberto Perez

Hailey Peterson

Taryn Perrone

Jessenia Ramirez

Marikza Rangel

Luke Rice

Grant Robertson

Donavan Rodriguez

Loukas Runneboom

Raul Salazar Villa

Jade Salinas

Eduardo Santana

Brooke Seaver

Ana Segura-Figueroa

Diego Solis

Carlos Sotelo

Neyda Velazco

Analiese Wall

Corinne White

Michael Wirth

Bradly Wray

Scholarships and Awards presenters

Ad Astra Per Aspera: Rich and Rosalin Bellante

Simon Youth Foundation: Kiki Banuelos

Chautauqua Scholarship: Shannon Halbert

Paige Halbert Memorial Scholarship: Shannon Halbert

Capistrano Unified Management Association: Felix Hernandez

San Juan Capistrano Rotary: Felix Hernandez

Achievement Awards: Brittany Casey and Luci Coppola

State Seal of Biliteracy: Brittany Casey, awarded to Diego Cisneros

CCA Senior Pathway Completion: Brittany Casey, awarded to the following students: Isabella Anderson-Kinney, Food Service and Hospitality; Quinn Burnett, Food Service and Hospitality; Cooper DeCair, Systems Diagnostics, Service, and Repair

Union HS Students of the Quarter: Brittany Casey, awarded to the following students: Michael Wirth, Quarter 1; Madison Bailen, Quarter 2; Cooper DeCair, Quarter 3; Kevin Cruz and Hailey Peterson, Quarter 4