BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — There were a handful of high school graduations throughout Bakersfield on Wednesday. Dozens of families and friends gathered to celebrate their loved ones reaching a major milestone.
23ABC caught up with a few of these grads to learn what this day means to them.
"It was really fun," said West High School graduate Vanessa Roads. "I'm definitely going to miss all the people that I had made friends with and all that."
Roads goes on to say she had an amazing 4 years at West High and is excited for her next chapter in life as she goes on to Fresno State where she plans to major in forensic behavioral science.
Other West High grads also expressed their excitement for the day, including Jordan Davis.
"I think this is a big moment. It's a big chapter in my life," said Davis.
April Henderson is the mother of Diondre Hunt, another 2023 West High graduate. She says her son is nonverbal and autistic, and making it to Graduation Day means everything to their family.
"This is a very emotional day for all of us because he is such a good kid and has a bright future," said Henderson.
At Mira Monte High School, the 2023 Class Valedictorian gave her fellow graduates inspiration for the future.
"The future relies on us to challenge the thinking of the present in order to explore the unknown of the future. My fellow graduates of 2022 and 2023, we will strive to train our hearts and brains to capture our dreams."
All of us at 23ABC and throughout the Scripps Network send our congratulations for today and best wishes for tomorrow to all our Kern County grads.
