Del Campo Graduates Celebrate New Beginning

By Victor Calderon

Del Campo High School graduates walked across the stage in their royal blue caps and gowns to receive their diplomas on Tuesday during a ceremony at Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium.

The graduating class for the Fair Oaks school that also serves Carmichael had about 285 students, who will attend colleges and universities including Santa Clara University, the University of San Diego and Boise State University.

"No hour-and-a-half movie can show what we did at Del Campo," graduate Reid Commack told his classmates.

"Never forget what you did at Del Campo and remember, you only live once. That's the motto. YOLO," Commack said, quoting the rapper Drake.

The two-hour ceremony was the last one for Vera Vaccaro as principal. Vaccaro has announced she is retiring, to little fanfare, and Brett Wolfe has been named as her replacement.

"We Del Campo staff hope we have instilled in you a sense of confidence... that others may know Del Campo Cougars are a force to be reckoned with," Vaccaro told graduates. "Collectively, you have enriched Del Campo and its surrounding community."

Graduates than walked the stage from Hrach Gagikovich Abgaryan to Donald Lee Woodward, although not in alphabetical order. Once they were done, they did the graduation custom of tossing caps into the air.

Afterwards, graduates embraced their family and friends and posed for photos.

"It's amazing, I feel like our dreams have come true," said Lulu Saraba.

Other Carmichael and Fair Oaks-area schools have commencement ceremonies coming up later this week but Tuesday was Del Campo's turn in the spotlight.

"It's a good feeling today," said Christina Tarango, who said she plans to attend and go into counseling or sociology. "I just want to go to Disneyland (the site of Del Campo's senior class trip)."

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