Students Celebrated High School Graduations in Santa Barbara

By Santa Barbara Unified

Pomp and Circumstance played throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta Wednesday and Thursday at four high school graduation ceremonies.

1,536 students graduated from Santa Barbara Unified high schools this week.

The first ceremony was held Wednesday evening for La Cuesta Continuation and Alta Vista Alternative High Schools. 72 students proudly received their diplomas at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens.

Graduation ceremonies were held for 1,464 students at Santa Barbara, San Marcos, and Dos Pueblos High Schools on Thursday evening.

Santa Barbara High School Dons 2023 Graduation

Class of 2023 graduates will attend prestigious universities in the Ivy League, CalTech, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, NYU, Northwestern, and more. In the Tri-County area, students are attending these colleges:

Santa Barbara City College: 691
UCSB: 33
Westmont College: 23
Cal Poly: 36
Cal Lutheran: 4

Additionally, nine members of the Class of 2023 are enlisting in the military.

Dos Pueblos High School 2023 Graduation

“We are so proud of the Class of 2023. These students were just starting their high school careers when the pandemic hit. They had to set up remote learning in their homes while facing unprecedented challenges brought about by COVID. However, the Class of 2023 is resilient and overcame the obstacles to return to the classroom and finish high school strong. We also know this class has an energy and passion that will be a huge benefit to our community, country, and world. The class of 2023 is full of leaders who are not afraid to speak their minds when they feel there’s inequality that needs to be addressed,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent.

Thursday morning, Santa Barbara Unified held junior high school graduation ceremonies as well. Of note, Santa Barbara Junior High School celebrated its 90th graduating class. A mural to commemorate the milestone was unveiled on the campus in May.

Promotion ceremonies for TK, Kindergarten, and 6th grade were held at District elementary schools Wednesday.