Nearly 440 young men and women will receive their high school diplomas on Friday, June 10, during commencement ceremonies at Point Loma High School (PLHS). Leading them onto Bennie Edens Field at 3 p.m. in a white cap and gown will be class valedictorian Justo Caballero. Caballero earned the honor after making an ‘A’ in every class he took — in all four years. With final grades due soon, Caballero said, “I should have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 4.9.” Advanced placement and honors courses now carry a weighted point scale of five points for an ‘A,’ versus four points in other courses. Several required classes during Caballero’s ninth and tenth grade years awarded only four points for his ‘A’s, meaning a 5.0 GPA over four years was impossible to earn. As a result of his efforts, Caballero will enter prestigious Stanford University to major in either biomedical or chemical engineering or biology and premedicine, he said. Caballero, who will be the first in his immediate family to attend a four-year university, lives in North Park. As a second-grader at Florence Elementary in Hillcrest, his high score on an intelligence test led school officials to offer his parents a choice of schools to attend. They selected Dewey Elementary. Since then, he has followed the path of others in the Point Loma Cluster, attending Dana and Correia Middle Schools before enrolling at PLHS for ninth grade. “Point Loma High School has great teachers,” Caballero said. “They really understand the needs of students and work with you to build on your strengths and correct your weaknesses. They create an environment that is very healthy for students and helps everyone succeed. They also have great programs to help you expand on your areas of interest.” The accomplishment is no accident. “I decided as a sophomore that I wanted to be valedictorian,” Caballero said. “I played football my freshman and sophomore year, but decided to stick to school.” Caballero said the class of 2011 has distinguished itself in other ways at PLHS. “This class has a lot of school spirit, more than I’ve seen in any other class,” Caballero said. “There’s definitely great diversity in the class and I feel like I’m right there with them. We have fun.” “There are many outstanding students who have been accepted at great universities or have received athletic scholarships,” he said. The class salutatorian role will be shared by Stephanie Navarro and Hannah Robertson. Navarro will join Caballero at Stanford, while Robertson is headed to Cal State Pomona. The three will be featured speakers at commencement, which takes place from 3 to 5 p.m.