Deer Valley High graduates 600, selfless students leave positive legacy

Excited Deer Valley grads prepare to receive their diplomas. By Luke Johnson

Excited Deer Valley grads prepare to receive their diplomas. Photos by Luke Johnson

Families celebrate their graduates.

Families celebrate their graduates.

By Luke Johnson

The largest high school in the Antioch Unified School District, Deer Valley High School, held its annual Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2016, honoring approximately 600 graduates in its newly resurfaced football stadium, Thursday evening, June 2nd. These diploma recipients have left a lasting impression according to Vice Principal Blair Wilkins.

“The Class of 2016, as a whole, are some of the most selfless students I have worked with in my 10 years in the AUSD,” Wilkins said. “In conversations I have had with students, they spoke about the legacy they wanted to leave so that the students behind them inherited a better school.”

Students and faculty alike feel that Deer Valley High School receives unfair and out of perspective negative criticism from the public on a regular basis. But this year, students decided to stand up for themselves and conducted a positive protest in October. They stood in front of the campus, waving signs that read, “Stop the Hate,” and “This is the real Deer Valley,” among several other messages.

Deer Valley girl grads stand for their turn to receive their diplomas.

Deer Valley girl grads stand for their turn to receive their diplomas.

Student speaker and Senior Class President Emma Hamilton said what she will remember most about her high school experience is the diversity to come out of Deer Valley.

“We have a huge variety of personalities,” Hamilton said. “We have people who achieve well in school, people who want to pursue a rap career and all of the above. It’s just amazing.”


the attachments to this post:


DVHS girl grads


family Abby & Gabby


DVHS boy grads


students celebrate


One Comment to “Deer Valley High graduates 600, selfless students leave positive legacy”

  1. Samantha Sargent says:

    Congratulations Brett and the entire class of 2016!!!

Leave a Reply to Samantha Sargent