Around 450 young men and women joined a distinguished legacy of graduates as Point Loma High School (PLHS) presented diplomas during its 85th commencement on June 18. Under azure-blue skies, class members appeared from afar, their maroon-colored caps and gowns shimmering in the sun. As students in the PLHS orchestra played the first notes of “Pomp and Circumstance,” an overflow crowd at Pete Ross Stadium strained to find sons, daughters, grandchildren and nephews. Walking two-by-two under a lacy arch, the procession entered Bennie Edens Field at 3 p.m. Many of the graduates sported dark glasses and several waved to family members. The scholars split into two groups, taking their places in a field of white seats slightly behind both sides of a raised podium. The soon-to-be graduates, who had taken finals just days before, seemed to be struck with the realization that this long-awaited moment had finally arrived. Associated Student Body President Ayanna Diaz welcomed the crowd, asking visitors to stand as PLHS’s choir joined the orchestra to perform a stirring version of “America the Beautiful.” Next, members of the school’s NJROTC color guard marched forth with the colors and the orchestra performed the National Anthem. Class of 2010 co-valedictorians Ashley Barclift and Miles Murphy — along with salutatorian Kevin Laube — were presented plaques by Capt. Paul Marconi, commanding officer of Naval Base Point Loma. Barclift and Murphy will attend Princeton, while Laube will enter Stanford. In her commencement speech, Barclift called graduation “one of our first steps toward independence.” Murphy elicited laughter from the audience as his address satirized the teens’ mysterious and magical overnight change from confused young people to those who had “all the answers to everything.” PLHS Principal Bobbie Samilson began by asking students to wave to their families and give them a standing ovation for their nurturing and help through the years, before requesting a show of appreciation for the 130 faculty members at the school. Samilson noted that 90 percent of the class of 2010 planned to further their educations, landing $600,000 in scholarship awards. She urged graduates to “go beyond expectations. Surprise your parents, teachers, friends and yourself.” Newly-appointed District Superintendent Bill Kowba accepted the class, and the parade of graduates began. School counselors read each student’s full name as they walked up ramps to receive their long-awaited certification from Samilson, who shook each graduate’s hand, as did Kowba. Senior Class President Josh Morse led his classmates in the traditional moving of their tassles from the left side to right, wished his classmates well and then beckoned them to meet in the center of the field. The throng quickly assembled and, at precisely 4:40 p.m., hundreds of maroon caps were flung skyward to mark the ceremony’s end. Family members rushed onto the field, armed with digital cameras, flowers and balloons, to greet their new graduates. For many, though, the ceremony was just the beginning of a longer celebration.