As Mission Bay High School (MBHS) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, its 59th annual graduating class is preparing for the time-honored pomp and circumstance ritual on Tuesday, June 11 at 5 p.m. on the Buccaneers’ football field. The gates will open at 4 p.m., according to school officials. There will be about 270 graduates in this years’ class of 2013, including four valedictorians: Derreck Pham, Kyanna Tambrini, Thomas Schoettle and Bret Linley. Schoettle lettered in the school’s Academic League team and also played football, soccer, golf and ran cross country during his time at Mission Bay High. Linley served as the captain of the Academic Team, played golf and ran cross country, and was a member of Interact and Link Crew 9, monitoring a mentoring club for freshman. Tambrini was also a member of Interact, Link Crew 9, served as a volunteer at the Birch Aquarium, played volleyball for Mission Bay High and was a member of the Art Club and St. Brigid’s Youth. Pham also participated in Academic League and was on the MBHS swim and water polo teams. All four of the MBHS valedictorians will be moving on to college this fall. Schoettle will attend the University of Southern California Business School with a focus on finance. Linley will be up the road at UC Santa Barbara with a focus on pre-law, while Tambrini will be traveling west to attend Hawaii Pacific University with an emphasis on marine biology. Pham will be at UCLA with a focus on pre-med and biology. Here are some of the accomplishments of the Mission Bay High Scool class of 2013: • 160 percent growth of students registered in the international baccalaraureate (IB) program the last four years. • 350 percent growth of full IB diploma candidates • Listed in Newsweek and the Washington Post as one of America’s Best High Schools • This year’s graduation rate exceeds both the state and district average • The dropout rate is lower than both the state and district average • An increase in proficiency for English, math, science and social studies, as measured by the California Standards Test • An increase in the “pass rate” for the California High School Exit Exam in math and English MBHS principal Fred Hilgers said he asked the class of 2013 as freshmen to reach its potential. “I challenged this group of students four years ago to make the bold step to change this school,” said Hilgers. “I believe their work is the beginning of the transformation of MBHS. I am very proud of each and every one of them. I wish them the joy and happiness in their future and look forward to seeing what they do in the future.”