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Take 5+2 - Bright Spots & Promising Practices - June 2025 Graduation Edition
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 13
This is our annual "Graduation Edition" to highlight the different types of students graduating at county offices of education across the state. Featuring students overcoming adversity to those forging their career path, you do not want to miss a single story featured below! In fact, they were so good, we had to add a few extra feel good stories to this edition. What a highlight of the year for our county superintendents to be able to celebrate success with students on to the next chapter in their lives.
Graduation Focus:
Juvenile Court and Community School
Supporting students in juvenile court school takes compassion, consistency, and a belief in their potential. These students often just need to know that someone genuinely cares. The dedication of the Shasta County Office of Education and their Probation Department partners has made a real impact—helping students believe in themselves, and reach the milestone of graduation.
This year, eight students overcame the odds and celebrated their graduation from Juvenile Court School with family, friends, and staff. Sixty-nine Juvenile Court School students completed college courses this school year, and one even made the Dean's List at Shasta College this semester.
Graduation Focus:
Adult Come Back Diploma Recovery
“Come Back Butte Charter wasn’t built to fit students into a mold. It was built to meet students where they are and help them reach the same goal: completing high school."
A full house of family, friends, and educators filled the Oroville State Theater to celebrate the achievements of 64 graduates from Come Back Butte Charter School, operated by the Butte County Office of Education (BCOE).
Created in 2016 by BCOE, Come Back Butte Charter School (CBBC) offers a pathway to a high school diploma for students seeking a flexible and supportive alternative to traditional school settings. Graduates ranged from ages 16 to 50, all with unique circumstances and life challenges to overcome en route to earning their diplomas. Some students even graduated having completed college units through Butte College, signified by black and gold cords.
Graduation Focus:
Adult Education
The Lake County Office of Education proudly announces that nearly 100 students have earned their high school diplomas through the Lake County Adult School during the 2024–25 academic year.
This significant achievement underscores the program’s commitment to providing accessible and flexible educational opportunities for adult learners across the county.
The Lake County Adult School, established in September 2023, offers free, in-person high school diploma completion programs for adults aged 18 and older, with classes held at both the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College and Mendocino College Lake Center.
The program’s success stories include individuals like Tom Willis, who earned his diploma at the age of 71. Willis was the student speaker at the graduation ceremony and exemplifies that it is never too late to earn your diploma. Inspired by his daughter and granddaughter who are both previous graduates of the program, Willis’s achievement highlights the program’s impact on families and the broader community.
Graduation Focus:
Fire Academy Cadets
Colusa County Office of Education Adult School proudly celebrated the graduation of 21 cadets from its Fire Academy, marking a decade of preparing future firefighters for service. The ceremony honored the dedication and hard work of the cadets in CCOE Academy 10, the tenth graduating class of the program.
The Fire Academy is led by Benjamin Mayes, who also serves as a Captain with the Williams Fire Department. Under his leadership, the program has continued to grow in scope and impact, helping students develop the skills, discipline, and knowledge required for careers in fire service and emergency response.
Graduation Focus:
Students with Disabilities
The Shelly Baird School, run by the Kings County Office of Education celebrated a truly unforgettable moment as 27 students crossed the stage at their graduation ceremony—each one a shining example of perseverance, growth, and unbreakable spirit.
For the families in attendance, the day marked far more than just a ceremony; it was the culmination of years of dedication, sacrifice, and love. Every diploma handed out symbolized a journey filled with unique challenges and incredible triumphs.
“This is a milestone we’ve dreamed of,” said one emotional parent. “To see our children celebrated for who they are and everything they’ve achieved—it means the world.”
The graduation was a moving reminder of the power of community, resilience, and the limitless potential of every student.
Graduation Focus:
New Award Shines Light on Unsung Student Achievement
This year, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office introduced a new award aimed at recognizing students who may not always find themselves in the spotlight. The Superintendent’s Award honors one 8th grade and one 12th grade student from each of the Valley Oaks Charter School campuses in Bakersfield and Tehachapi.
These are students who, according to Kern County Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Mendiburu, embody perseverance, kindness, and a strong work ethic, even if they aren’t at the top of their class.
“These are the students who consistently show up, give their best, and make a positive impact on those around them,” Mendiburu said. “They deserve to be celebrated.”
Graduation Focus:
Alternative Education National Guard Cadets
For most, if not all, it marked the end of a hard-fought chapter — and the beginning of a new path forward. 171 cadets were recognized during the Orange County Department of Education Sunburst Youth Academy’s Class 35 commencement ceremony, celebrating five-and-a-half months of grit, growth and personal transformation. Among them, 15 students crossed the stage not only as program graduates but as newly minted high school diploma holders, a milestone that once felt out of reach.
The event drew families, educators, military leaders and elected officials who gathered to honor the resilience of Sunburst’s most recent class and the life-changing program that helped them turn things around.
Sunburst Youth Academy is a partnership between the California National Guard and OCDE that serves students ages 15½ to 18 who are at risk of not graduating from high school. Through a structured, military-style environment, the voluntary program offers academic instruction, mentorship, physical training and life skills development, all with the goal of helping cadets reset their education and reclaim that lives.
Those who earned their diplomas wore purple caps and gowns, while their fellow cadets stood proudly in khaki fatigues. All received certificates of completion, recognizing their full participation in the program and the personal growth that came with it.
