GRaduationH A L F M O O N B A Y A N D P E S C A D E R O H I G H S C H O O L S

2011

PRESENTING SPONSOR:CABRILLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

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Pillar Point Harbor (4 miles north of Half Moon Bay) | (650) 726-CRAB | www.princetonseafood.com

Wishing our graduatesan ocean of opportunities!

Three Fins up!

Hannah Kuendig, Magnus, Viviana Reyes, Vanessa Miramontes

Calling all Graduates!Come take your photo standing next to Magnus while wearing your cap & gown.Tag Magnus Johnson on your Facebook post and get a free meal ($10 value).

Show the post on your smart phone or print us a copy. Kinders and 8th graders welcome too! Expires 6/23/11.

Three Fins up!

Photo Courtesy Dian Costello

700 Mill Street, Half Moon Bay 726-2179

Congratulations Graduates!

FROM ALL OF US AT REAL ESTATE FUNDING

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c l a s s o f2 0 1 1 graduation

•HALF MOON BAY AND

PESCADERO HIGH SCHOOL

•4 Class pHotoGRapHsThe graduating class of 2011 from Pescadero and Half Moon Bay High Schools

10 pesCadeRo GRaduation pHoto essay

11 Half Moon Bay HiGH sCHool GRaduation pHoto essay

12sCHolaRsHip and ColleGesTake a look at where the recent graduates may be bound for next year.

14top studentsCoastside graduates ready for next chapter

18staR atHletesTop athletes from Pescadero and Half Moon Bay high schools

Cover: Half Moon Bay High School graduates celebrate their achievement.

Half Moon Bay Review proudly presents the

From One Cougar To AnotherCongratulations Emma and McKenna,

My Two Favorite WaitressesBest of Luck, Cameron

Congratulations!

726-5505 111 Main Street, Half Moon Bay M-F: 7am-7pm, Sat: 8am-6pm, Sun: 9am-5pm

726-5505111 Main Street, Half Moon Bay M-F: 7am-7pm, Sat: 8am-6pm, Sun: 9am-5pm

Congratulations!Good Luck in College!

Sarah Ahern Julia Garcia

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• p e s c a d e r o H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Alberto Amaya Jovany Arias Brydon Brancart Ricardo Cabrera Jose Castro Chavez Daniel Caughey Jr

Jesus DeHaro Elizabeth Flores Giovanni Flores Caroline Graham Barbara Guzman Yessenia Herrera

Veronique Hodgkinson David Hope Ana Victoria Lopez Hector Lopez Mariela Lopez Maria Macias

James Nowland Raul Rodriguez Flor Rogel Ana Maria Sumano

Congratulations Class of 2011!from Duarte’s Tavern“Where Friends Meet”Since 1894

For reservations call (650) 879-0464202 Stage Road, Pescaderowww.duartestavern.com

Crab Cioppino Artichoke Soup Olallieberry Pie

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• H a l f M o o n B a y H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Beatrice Acevedo Salvador Acevedo Jose Acosta Estefania Acosta Laura Acton Lilian Aguilar Sara Ahern Jose Ahumada Cruz Michelle Alvarez

Hannah Anderson David Applegate Christian Arella Agustin Arroyo Juan Ayon Elizeth Bahena-Gonzalez Emma Barr Scott Battey Holden Bell

Ashley Belo Jeffrey Berner Liana Brinkmeier Kaitlin Brinton Scott Brovarney Mary Ann Bulosan Connor Burke Noemi Calixto Gomez Courtney Callan

Edgar Camacho Max Campagna Diana Angel Cariaga Anthony Carlevaris Natali Carrillo Miguel Carrillo Julian Carroll Myra Lee Casamina Jenna Casey

Daniel Chavez Aaron Chavez Sandy Chavez-Ramos Jared Cilia John Claitor Antonio CoColetzi Brian Costa Daniel Cowart Aundrea Cozzolino

705 Purissima Street | Half Moon Bay, CA | 726-6321235 N. San Mateo Drive #300 | San Mateo, CA | 342-4171www. GotToSmile.com

Graduating Class of 2011Graduating Class of 2011Dr. Alexa Alborzi and Staff Congratulates the We wish you much success

in your future endeavors!Congratulations!!!

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• H a l f M o o n B a y H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Daniel Custer Michelle Daher Lauren Davison Lindley Dobbrow Myles Donahue Kyle Draper Kathleen Dull Jeanette Emerson Brenda Estrada

Dominic Fama Evan Farbstein Liana Felde Efren Flores Jr. Colleen Flynn Emma Francis Jessica Fresquez Amanda Gandolfi Julian Garcia

Julia Garcia Hallie Garcia Diana Garcia Yesenia García Hernández Jocelyn Gatson Joseph Gaytan Samuel Giese Yareli Gijon Rhiana Gonsalves

Alejandra Gonzalez Jackson Graham Benjamin Gresham Franklin Hagarty Vincenzo Hagiperos Joseph Haight Marisa Handel Emmanuel Herrera Trevor Herron

Ethan Hofmayer Silvia Huerta Michelle Humphrey Larissa Hunter Alejandro Infanzón-Marin Taylor James Claudia Jaracuaro Maricela Jarquin Sanchez Peter Jennings

Joseph Angelini Insurance Agency435 Johnston Street, Half Moon BayBusiness: (650) 726-4818jangelini@angeliniinsurance.comLic. #0567500

Our Best Wishes tothe Class of 2011!

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• H a l f M o o n B a y H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Edmundo Jeronimo Warren Jolley McKenna Jones Michael Joshua Ivan Juarez Tohma Judge Melissa Kalkin Haixing Kehoe Connor Kemling

Emily Killingsworth Lena King Katherine Koerper John Krueger Hannah Kuendig Erin Laface Cayley Larimer Jenna Lemberg Julie LoCoco

Rose Logan Kyle Long Josue Lopez Daisy Lopez Marcos López Laura Lowman Charlette Madriaga Erin Manishin Eric Marchi

Alejandra Marin Fernando Mariscal Martha Martinez Melissa Mateyka James McKusick Kevin McMahon-Kingshill Conner McMillan Jasmyn McVey Daniel Mello

Giselle Mendoza Justin Meyer Annaliese Mickelsen Conness Miller Jessica Minasi Vanessa Miramontes David Moody Kelsey Moore Ryan Moran

We’ve watched you grow up ...and we couldn’t be prouder of your achievements!

TOYS | HOBBIES |CYCLERY

445 South B Street Downtown San Mateo(650) 931-8100

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• H a l f M o o n B a y H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Evelyn Moseley Spencer Murphy Hannah Murray Haley Nazar Madeleine Neapolitan Taylor Nichols Kelly Noland Makalani Norman Casey O'Connell

Caitlin O'Connor William O'Daly Tatum O'Driscoll Anita Oettel-Flaherty Rachel Oldham Tyler Olson Oscar Orozco Brenda Ortiz Joseph Overcashier

Alexander Paap Alberto Palma-Vásquez Brenda Palomino Teresa Passen Jonathan Perez Sabina Perlsweig Zachary Perry Dimitry Picchi Rachel Pierceall

Julia Post Erik Procopio Sonia Procopio Garcia Noemi Ramirez Cynthia Ramirez-Pulido Madeleine Rea Katelyn Reed Santa Reyes Adam Riddell

Anna Robertson Cecilia Rodriguez Alondra Ruiz Jesus Sahagun Jr Rodrigo Sanchez Brenda Sarabia Thomas Schuster Kerstin Segervall Dominic Sena

510 A Kelly Avenue | Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 License #751718

ABSOLUTE FLOORINGABSOLUTE FLOORING650.726.8141 www.absolutefloors.com

Our new Saturday hours are 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.After normal showroom hours we’re available by appointment.

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We’re continuing our carpet sale for the month of May. With an extra-long weekend this month, come in and check out our low-VOC carpeting, wools, sisal and grasses, as well as our huge selection of patterned carpets. We’re sure you’ll find the perfect floor covering to meet your needs.

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Congratulations and Best of Luck to the Graduates of Pescadero and Half Moon Bay High Schools!

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• H a l f M o o n B a y H i g h s c h o o l • p r e s e n t i n g t h e c l a s s o f 2 0 1 1

Veronica Sención Diana Sención Caroline Shimeld Samuel Skelton Ashley Soult Geena St Andrew Molly Strasser Kelly Sullivan Noemi Tejeda

Anna Terry Maria Torres Sinead Trautman Graciela Ucan Stephanie Valle Simone Vandroff Miguel Vasquez Jose Vasquez José Vásquez- Morales

Miguel Vazquez Jose Villalobos Lorena Villegas Tyler Wallace Jeffrey Warshauer Charlotte Waugh Anthony Webb Kory Welsh Colin Williams

Hailey Winnen Katherine Winter Hannah Wolk

Not Pictured:

Lucia Acevedo

Juan Amezcua

Morelia Andrade

Jessa Bacanto

Skylar Banner

Jovani Contreras

Carlos Contreras

Diana Correa Magana

Yaritza Corro Vidrio

Nicolette Cussins

Nicole Demienne

Rafael Diaz

Blanca Figueroa

Ted Fitz

Austin Gruhn

Megan Hogan

Jose Huerta

Timothy Jurado

Emily Kelley

Patrick McGee

Joshua Miller

Greg Molina

Nicole Moriarty

David Partida

Isac Perez

Danielle Santiago

Pedro Sarabia

Sergio Silva Gudiel

Devon Stiles

Natalie Swanton

Sammy Turner

Two months unlimiTed Tanning for $99Strawflower Village Shopping Center, Half Moon Bay | Tel: 650.726.8666

Must purchase by 7.15.11

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picture perfect graduation Pescadero High School

La Honda Country Market8875 La Honda Road, La Honda 747-9722La Honda Country Market8875 La Honda Road, La Honda 747-9722 Groce

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Pescadero High School graduates moved on to the next phase of their lives with a graduation ceremony Thursday at the high school. Nineteen students received diplomas at the tight-knit South Coast school.

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picture perfect graduation Half Moon Bay High School

1 1 8 8 1 S a n M a t e o R o a d | H a l f M o o n B ay | 7 2 6 - 4 3 0 7

Cozzolino Farms congratulates the Class of ’11

Half Moon Bay High School’s Class of 2011 assembled as a group at the football stadium one last time on June 8. Commencement was a joyous affair and it seemed everyone wore a smile for the occasion.

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scholarships & Colleges Post-Secondary Plans, Class of 2011Institution # of students

Arizona State University 1Army 1Baylor University 1Brandeis University 1Cabrillo Community College 3Cal Poly 4Cañada 13Chico State 3Clemson University 1College of the Siskiyous 1CSM 41CSU Stanislaus 2DeAnza Community College 1Duke University 1Foothill Community College 5Georgia Tech 1Hampshire College 1Humboldt State 2Johns Hopkins 1Marinello School of Beauty 1Musicians Institute 1New York University 2Northeastern University 1Notre Dame de Namur 1Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech 1San Diego State University 2San Francisco State 6San Jose State 5Santa Clara University 1Seattle University 1SF City College 9Skyline 12Sonoma State 1Southern Oregon Universtiy 1Suffolk University 1UC Berkeley 4UC Davis 3UC Los Angeles 2UC Merced 1UC San Diego 1UC Santa Barbara 6UC Santa Cruz 3University of Arizona 1University of Colorado, Boulder 1University of Hawaii, Manoa 1University of No. Arizona 1University of No. Colorado 1University of Oregon 1UTI 3Vassar College 1

157 of 210 Graduates responded

Blue Blanket Improv — Peter Max JenningsBob Breen Science Scholarship — Anna Terry, Jeff WarshauerBradley Royer Memorial Math & Science Scholarships — Juan Ayon, Liana BrinkmeierCabrillo Unifi ed Teachers Association Scholarship — Franklin Hagarty, Hannah Murray, Hannah WolkCalifornia School Employees Association Scholarship — Stephanie ValleCañada Cove Scholarship — Mary Ann Bulosan, Sonia Procopio, Alondra Ruiz, Diana SencionCoastal Arts League — Issac Mojica, Kerstin SegervallCoastal Community Action Scholarship — Makalani Norman Coastside Girl Scouts Scholarship — Kelsey MooreCoastside Gymnastics Scholarships– Emma Barr, Noemi Calixto, Joseph Gaytan, Anita Oettel-Flaherty, Teresa Passen, Kelly SullivanCoastside Running Club Scholarship — Alejandra Marin, Dimitry PicchiCoastside Women’s Club Scholarship — Michelle Daher, Myles Donahue, Vin-cenzo Hagiperos, Isac Mojica, Sabina Perlswig, Geena St. AndrewCollege of San Mateo Scholarships Friends of CSM Scholarship — Alejandra MarinMaría I. Cárdenas Scholarship — Brenda OrtizMassole-Schroter Scholarship — Charlotte MadriagaDavid Ward Washington Memorial Scholarship — Joseph GaytanFriends of Cougars in Concert Scholarship — Warren Jolley, Hannah Murray, Casey O’ConnellHalf Moon Bay Airport Pilots Association Scholarships — Scott Brovarney, Conner Burke, Julian Carroll, Thoma Judge, Haixing Kehoe, Lena King, Daniel Mello, Casey O’Connell, Tyler Olson, Thomas SchuesterHalf Moon Bay Beautifi cation Committee ScholarshipsDolores Mullin Memorial Scholarship — Geena St. AndrewPatsy Dutra Memorial Scholarship — Agustin ArroyoLorraine Valladao — Danielle SantiagoMel Mello Memorial Scholarship — Sinead TrautmanHMB Beautifi cation Scholarship — Daisy Lopez, Hannah MurrayCommunity Service — Emma Francis, Sonia ProcopioHalf Moon Bay Brewing Company Scholarship — Jenna Casey, Daniel Chavez, Jared Cilia, Daniel Custer, Liana Felde, Colleen Flynn, Jessica Fresquez, Hallie Garcia, Yareli Gijon-Ramirez, Michelle Humphrey, Maricela Jarquin, Katherine Koerper, Hannah Kuendig, Caitlin O’Connor, Tatum O’Driscoll, Rachel Oldham, Julia Post, Rodrigo Sanchez, Jose Vasquez-Morales, Katherine WinterHalf Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau Half Moon Bay High School Parent Advisory Council ScholarshipsAcademic Scholarships — Melissa Mateyka, Caroline ShimeldOvercoming Adversity — Elizeth Bahenna-Gonzalez, Yesenia GarciaMost Improved — Sandy Chavez-Ramos, Veronica Sencion

Local scholarships bestowed on high school studentsDuring an annual scholarship night in May, Coastside families, businesses and other groups recognized more than 120 students from Half Moon Bay High School with roughly $121,000 in scholarships. The May 26 event at Half Moon Bay High School was the 49th annual Local Scholarship Night. The scholarships provide students with much needed fi nancial assistance and they also convey the important message to our youth that we believe in them, said high school counselor and scholarship program chair Kira Gangsei. The following awards recognized Coastside students:

Community Service — Lindly Dobborw, Julie LoCocoWork Ethic — Michelle Alvarez, Alberto Palma-VasquezHalf Moon Bay High School Swim Scholarship — Warren Jolley, Emily KelleyHalf Moon Bay High School Sunshine Club — McKenna Jones, Miguel VazquezHelen Gammon Memorial Scholarship — Erin Manishin Joe Olivera Memorial — Daniel MelloI.D.E.S. Scholarship — Brian Costa, Aundrea CozzolinoJennifer M. Borges Memorial Scholarship — Haley NazarJobs for Youth Scholarship — Diana CorreaJoe and Judy Zilber Scholarship — Jeanette EmersonKings Mountain Scholarship — Kelsey Moore, Hailey WinnenLori O’Connell Memorial Scholarship — Haixing KehoeThe Matthew Scholarship — Dianna CorreaMaureen Elliott Memorial Scholarship — Kelly NolandMilagro Scholarship — Estefania AcostaNancy Kinghorn Memorial ScholarshipAcademic — Molly StrasserArtistic — Madeline ReaGreen Studies — Emma BarrTrade School — Sandy Chavez-RamosNaomi Patridge ScholarshipsFemale Scholar Athlete — Courtney Callan, Kelsey Moore, Evelyn MoselyNaomi Patridge Leadership Scholarship — Melissa KalkinNurserymen’s Exchange Scholarship/Ernst Weiner Fund — Lucia Acevedo, Salva-dor Acevedo, Noemi Calixto, Diana Garcia, Santa ReyesOdd Fellows Book Club: Laura LowmanOdd Fellow Rebekah Scholarship for Performing Arts — Peter Max Jennings, Sabina Perlswig, Madeline Rea, Miguel VasquezOdd Fellow Jill Forrester — Erin Laface, Alberto Palma VasquezOur Lady of the Pillar Parish ScholarshipsKnights of Columbus Scholarship — Franklin HagartySt Vincent De Paul — Noemi TejedaParson Andersen CPA Scholarship — Graciela UcanRyan James Kelley Memorial Scholarship — Tohma JudgeSara Boddinghouse Memorial Scholarship — Alejandra Gonzalez

Seth Koller Creativity Scholarship — Laura Acton, Hannah Anderson, Julian Carroll, Peter Max Jennings, Laura Lowman, Justin Meyer, Anna Robertson, Jesus Sahagun, Thomas Schuster

Spanish Immersion Parent Association — Conness Miller

Steve Imamura Memorial Scholarship — Daisy Lopez

Ted Bregy History Scholarship — Alberto Palma Vasquez

Woodlake Scholarship Fund (Marta Drury) — Vanessa Miramontes, Maria Torres

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picture perfect graduation Half Moon Bay High School

Congratulations Class of 2011 and Best Wishes Mark T. Heath, D.C.

Heath Family Chiropractic | 339 Main St., Half Moon Bay | 650.726.5265

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Half Moon Bay High School valedictorian Cayley Larimer, bottom right, addressed her classmates during graduation ceremonies at the school on June 9. When the speeches were through, graduates hurled their mortar boards in the air.

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ayon will study mechanical engineering in collegeLove of math began with cars

Juan Ayon grew up in Half Moon Bay and now, due to his own hard work and ambition, he’s about to grow right out of it.Ayon has come a long way on his journey through Cabrillo Unified schools. He started

as a kindergartener at Farallone View Elementary School who was unsure of his English. Consequently, he was shy and more apt to sit and quietly listen than engage in classroom discussions. Now, as a graduating senior at Half Moon Bay High School, Ayon has been known to help his fellow classmates with their calculus.

Ayon says local schools and teachers brought him out of his shell.“In a different school, I may have had a tougher time getting extra help,” he said. Ayon

says Janice Burke’s pre-calculus class was a breakthrough for him. His teacher asked if he would come in over lunch and help classmates who were struggling with assignments he had already mastered.

“That really helped me socially,” he said. “And teaching it to someone else helped me bet-ter understand the work too.”

Ayon plans to put years of math to work. After a summer visiting family in Mexico, he will attend San Jose State University in the fall and plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

His love of math began when he realized that working on cars — something he loves to do with his father — involved mathematical principles. It led to algebra, geometry, pre-cal-culus and advanced-placement calculus. He’s gone as far as he can go in the field as a stu-

dent at Half Moon Bay High.It hasn’t been all work for Ayon. He was a member of the 2011 Half Moon Bay High

School baseball team, which won an unprecedented 23 games this year. He says he is con-sidering trying out for the Spartans team once he gets to college.

Ayon is most proud of his 3.8 grade-point average. He smiles when he mentions it, not-ing that it does leave room for a sliver of improvement.

“I am getting a B-plus in English,” he says. “There is always that one grade!”— Clay Lambert

Each year, high schools from Alaska to Florida celebrate the accomplish-ments of valedictorians and salutatorians and perhaps a couple other nota-ble graduates. The truth is that each graduate has a story to tell and many of them are enlightening and enriching.

This year, for the second year, the Half Moon Bay Review asked admin-istrators at the two local schools — Half Moon Bay and Pescadero high schools — for the names of three accomplished graduates. They didn’t have

to be award winners, though some of the students featured in these pag-es certainly are. There was nothing magical about asking for three, we just wanted a sample.

Again this year, we were blown away by the stories of achievement that we heard. Without further ado, here are Geena St. Andrew, Noemi Tejeda, Juan Ayon, Brydon Brancart, Mariela Lopez and Caroline Graham.

— Clay Lambert

top of the class Six who are ready for next phase

g r a d u a t i o n 2 0 1 1

Congratulations 2011 Graduates!STRAWFLOWER ELECTRONICS: 160-E San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay 726-8181 “Call us — your local Authorized DIRECTV dealer”

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lopez will be first in family to go to college

Mariela Lopez is a bilingual star student, committed volleyball player and a role model for three younger sib-lings. And she is about to become the first from her family to enter college.

For all those reasons, this graduation day is a celebration for the entire family.Lopez plans to attend California State University, Monterey Bay, in the fall. She is looking forward to living in the

dorm and getting some breathing room for her dreams.“It’s far enough away, but close enough too,” she explained. “I still don’t know what I’m going to go into, but I have

some ideas.”Lopez is considering a career in law, architecture, math or perhaps something that makes use of her facility for lan-

guages. She can see herself traveling, maybe to South America, where she could use her bilingual skills to help oth-ers. She has done just that over the last three years while working for the South Coast nonprofit Puente de la Costa Sur.

At first, she struggled when asked to name a favorite teacher — one who made a particular difference in her education.“Every teacher I took had something to give to me,” she said.Finally, she settled on someone deserving of note: Wayne Johnson, who taught her physics and coached her volley-

ball team.“He’s always pushing me to work harder and I really appreciate it,” Lopez said.Lopez said that she considers growing up in a tight-knit community like Pescadero to be an advantage. She remem-

bers how helpful her teachers have been when she has made occasional trips to visit relatives in Mexico, answering her every e-mail and keeping her on target toward graduation.

“I have a relationship with my classmates and teachers,” she said.

— Clay Lambert

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the world awaits st. andrewThe first thing you notice about Geena St. Andrew is a smile

that can light up a room. Then you are struck by a confi-dence and ease that belies her age.

St. Andrew credits her years spent in Coastside schools for helping to prepare her for a life in which anything is possible. The next steps will take her to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she plans to study international relations in preparation for a possible career in the diplomatic corps.

If that seems like a lofty goal, consider that her mother, Mayra Centeno-St. Andrew, was Nicaragua’s consul general for San Francisco.

“There are just under 1,000 people at Half Moon Bay High School,” she noted. “The school I would have attended (had she stayed in her childhood home in Southern California) has about 2,500 kids. Here the people are just more laid back, but the cur-

riculum is still tough.”St. Andrew has conquered most of the toughest courses the

school offers. She has taken advanced courses in English, cal-culus, world and U.S. history and marine ecology. She cred-its math teacher Amy Treanor with helping her to achieve her goals.

Like other students who excel at Half Moon Bay High School, St. Andrew makes time for more than simply reading, writing and arithmetic. She is active in the Interact Club and participated on the tennis team.

She is also a big music fan. She and her friends make their way to San Jose to hear up-and-coming bands, she said.

She plans to spend the summer helping her father, David St. Andrew, with the family business: Café De Mi Abuelo. The company wholesales coffee grown in the tradition of Geena's grandparents in Nicaragua.

“I’ll be helping bag the coffee and working at farmers mar-kets,” she said, flashing that smile again. “It’s a lot of fun!”

— Clay Lambert

CONGRATULATIONSto the Class of 2010!

Dr. Pamela CarringtonBoard Certified Family PhysicianMain Street Medical Practice

725 Main Street | Hal f Moon Bay | 726-1200

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CONGRATULATIONSto the Class of 2010!

Dr. Pamela CarringtonBoard Certified Family PhysicianMain Street Medical Practice

725 Main Street | Hal f Moon Bay | 726-1200

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Congratulations 2011 Cougars !!“Beo Fada Agus Rathúil!” (Irish for “Live Long and Prosper!)

Dr. Pamela Carrington | 725 Main Street | Half Moon Bay | 726-1200

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pescadero has prepared Brancart for wider world

Brydon Brancart isn’t the first young man to grow up with long roots woven into the fertile Pescadero soil. But he may

be the first 17-year-old on the South Coast to drive the very same car his parents piloted to the maternity ward all those years ago.

“It’s a ’93 Toyota Camry,” he said. “It’s still my car.”Brancart carries a lot of personal history around in that old car.

He is the Pescadero High School Class of 2011 salutatorian and an articulate supporter of the South Coast way of life. He finds opportunity in miles of open space and security in friendships forged over a lifetime.

“There is a lot less going on here just in terms of sheer quantity,” he said. “So you get to know people and places very well.”

He says that at larger schools students can find themselves boxed in — as the athletic one or the nerdy student. But, at a sup-portive place like Pescadero, people are considered for all they have to offer. As an example, he noted that he has played baseball since he was 8 years old. But, in order to fill a full team, he and his friends make room for others who have little or no experi-ence. The win-loss record may suffer, but he and his teammates gain so much more from the experience.

Ask Brancart about the future and prepare for “my five-year plan.”The first year will be spent at the Boomerang Language In-

stitute in Beijing, China. That follows a recent semester spent in Nepal. “I saw how my Napoli changed over time and how that changed my relationship with the people,” he said. Bran-cart hopes that foundation in Mandarin will prepare him for any number of career opportunities.

He plans to attend Reed College in Portland, Ore., the follow-ing four years. He hasn’t chosen a focus for his studies, and he knows that isn’t a priority.

“The beauty of the liberal arts education is I don’t have to de-cide right now,” he said.

Brancart says Benjamin Ketchum, who taught English early in his high school career, had a big impact on him. He said Ketchum ar-ranged for Socratic seminars on a variety of topics and that taught the possibilities of forming collaborative ideas.

Spoken like a young man who has grown up with the same classmates for a dozen years.

Though he has big plans in the coming years, Brancart says he could see himself returning home at some point.

“I can see myself coming back at some point,” he said. “Right now, I’m restless.”

— Clay Lambert

g r a d u a t i o n 2 0 1 1

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Congratulations to all the 2011 Cougar Graduates!

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tradition of service leads toward nursing

Perhaps it isn’t surprising that Noemi Tejeda showed up for her interview with an empty plastic container, still sticky with what remained of a cake she brought to share

with classmates. It isn’t the first time the Half Moon Bay High School senior has fed a crowd.

In fact, each Saturday she and her mother help serve breakfast for all comers at Senior Coastsiders. As often as not, more than 200 people come for the free meal. She and her mother augment that with a food giveaway once a month.

It’s just part of a tradition of service that is important in her family, she said.It may also help explain why she is planning a career as a nurse. After graduation, she

will attend Cañada College to get prerequisites necessary for an education in obstetrics. She would like to be a nurse in a delivery room some day. She even made the subject the topic of her senior exit project — dressing up as a nurse and teaching classmates the steps necessary for a successful emergency delivery.

Tejeda is a dynamo. She is the English Language Development delegate in the school’s Leadership group. She is active in Puente, a high school club dedicated to promoting the Latin culture of many of her classmates. Under the auspices of Puente, she hosted a Cin-co de Mayo bash that administrators called among the most successful such events in the school’s recent history.

While some teenagers can’t wait to escape their hometown, Tejeda sees a future here.“I really do want to come back to the coast and give back what it gave to me,” she said.She has a word of advice for incoming freshmen at the high school:“Always give it your all and don’t give up,” she said. “And get involved in as much as

you can.”— Clay Lambert

Graham set to take wider stage

Caroline Graham meets a reporter at the Cañada College campus, over the hill and up the road from Pescadero High School, from which she graduates this spring.

She’s a little giddy at the moment. The reason?“I just pulled my very first college all-nighter,” she says with a laugh. “I am so excited!”With that, Graham unfolds the flaps on a small cardboard box stamped with the

words: “CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM.”Inside is the focus of her late-night energy: a miniature stage set she created for a

class project.“Definitely not a carbon monoxide alarm,” she says with a grin.Like the mini set in the box, Graham is not exactly as she appears. At 16, she has

been taking college-level courses for more than a year. She graduates this spring as the school’s first National Merit Scholarship finalist in recent memory.

Graham, who grew up in La Honda, credits her tight-knit small-town upbringing with her academic and social success.

“In a small school, you have a lot of really strong relationships,” she said. One of those was with now school system Superintendent Amy Wooliever. She said Wooliever, who was the high school’s principal for much of Graham’s time there, was instrumen-tal in keeping the talented young student on target and challenged.

Graham is a year or two younger than most of her classmates. She skipped a grade early in her academic career. “I was in a kindergarten and first-grade classroom for my first year, and the next year I just sort of started in second grade,” she explained matter-of-factly.

Part of her education has come from the Coastal Repertory Theatre and other local production houses, which helped teach her dramatic arts and give her a path to follow. In the fall, she will attend the University of New Mexico, where she plans to study the-ater and design for production. Graham wants to act.

The thoughtful, soft-spoken teenager says she loves to express her own emotions through the characters she has played.

“I don’t know when it happened,” she says with the kind of smile that can be handy in a dramatic production, “but I just fell in love with the stage.”

— Clay Lambert

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Isabelle Pisani plays all three girls sports offered at Pescadero High School.

Nothing against basketball or soccer, the sopho-more just adores playing volleyball.

“There’s never a dull moment there,” she said. She gives the same effort to volleyball as she

does to the other sports. More importantly, she has a good time playing those sports.

She caught the attention of plenty of people at Pescadero.

Pisani is the Pescadero High School Girls Athlete of the Year.

The award stays in the family as older sister Caro-line shared the award with Lindsey Curran last year.

Isabelle Pisani was surprised to be the recipient of the award this year.

“I guess it goes to prove that hard work pays off,” Pisani said.

With volleyball, it’s not just the physical part of the game that requires solid preparation. There is also the mental part.

“You are constantly moving around, hitting from different angles,” Pisani said. “I liked this game.”

She also plays for a club volleyball team in Santa Cruz.

Sports have been a part of her life since she played her first soccer game when she was 4.

She continued to play sports from elementary school to middle school to now. She has no desire to stop.

“I’m happy when I am playing sports,” she said. “I like to play. I am not looking for awards.”

Ben Duarte likes soccer and basketball. However, baseball is his passion.The Pescadero High School junior has

been playing that sport for most of his life.It started as a simple game of catch with

his dad. It developed into playing Little League, where he was a member of several Junior All-Star teams.

He plans to play baseball during the summer.He not only loves the game, but he is pretty

good at it. He can pitch and play first or short-stop. He can also hit the ball real hard.

No matter the sport, he puts his heart and soul in the game.

He was stunned to learn that he was named Pescadero High School Boys’ Ath-lete of the Year.

“A lot of other guys could have gotten it,” Duarte said.

No matter what happens, he will always

have baseball. It’s the sport that he has been playing for the longest time. He just loved playing Little League baseball.

“On Saturday mornings, I would be up, dressed and ready at 6 for a 9 o’clock game,” Duarte said. “We would play a lot of our games at Pescadero. I liked all the teams I played for.”

There is something special for him about baseball.

“There are times when you can stop and think about the game for a few moments,” Duarte said. “You try to outthink the other player, either when you are hitting or pitch-ing.”

One other benefit of the years of playing is the friendships he has made.

“I have played with some of those guys for so long they are like family,” Duarte said.

star athletesg r a d u a t i o n 2 0 1 1

stories and photos By Mark Foyer

Pisani never bored on volleyball court

Duarte has fondness for baseball

Wishes all of you aSPARKLING future!Wishes all of you aSPARKLING future!

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Half Moon Bay Building and garden Supply119 Main Street | 650.726.6696 | www.hmbbg.com

Congratulationsthe andreini family congratulates

the Class of 2011 and wishes you the best.Congratulations also to the 8th grade students entering

Half Moon Bay High School this fall.

Have fun, work hard, enjoy!

Congratulations David!

Dad, Stacey,Robbie, Rachel,

Ava, and Jake

We are so proud of you!

Congratulations to the Class of 2010You’ve paved your way to future success

800-541-5559 | www.americanasphalt.com

Breaking out of your shell into the big world

Half Moon BayFeed & Fuel

331 Main St. • 650-726-4814

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CONGRATULAITIONS!

EXCITE. ENRICH. EMPOWER.SEA CREST SCHOOL

from our class of 2011 to yours

outstanding k–8 independent education www.seacrestschool.org

Congratulations on your achievements!

Susan Hayward School of Dance496 6th Street, Montara 728-7519 | www.SHaywardDance.com

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.

If you can dream it, you can become it

Congratultions, Lena Lowman, Salutatorian

Congratultions to our graduating dancers,Helen Holmlund and Shannon Walsh.

CongratulationsRyan Moran

on your Graduation!Thank you for being a valued member of the FLAVOR team.

10151 N Cabrillo Highway, El Granada | 650-726-8000www.flavoronthecoast.com

Open 7 days a week Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerMon.-Sun.: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

2380 S. Cabrillo Highway Half Moon Bay (650) 560-9260

Congratulations to the class of 2011 from family and friends at

Half Moon Bay Joe’s!Half Moon Bay

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HMB honorable mentionsIt’s always a challenge to pick the Half Moon Bay High School athletes of the year. There are

always good choices. This year, Half Moon Bay teams won six league titles. Some of the players from the winning teams are listed. Here are some of the athletes who made big contributions to the success of the Cougars.

Boys:Agustin Arroyo, football, basketball; he was a first-team all-league pick on both teams. Arroyo

was a hard hitter on the football team. As a four-year member of the varsity basketball team, he could make plenty of big plays to help the Cougars.

Miguel Vazquez, soccer; he was named the PAL Ocean Division Offensive Player of the Year. A key scorer, he scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to defeat San Mateo and two in a five-minute span in a 3-1 win over South San Francisco. He scored the first goal against Hillsdale in the title-winning match.

Ivan Juarez, soccer: Juarez led a defense that limited opponents’ scoring. When it was time for a play in the back, Juarez led the charge.

Dominic Fama, football, baseball; He made the move from tackle to tight end with ease, and made some key catches for the Cougars this year. He was a key player for the baseball team, making the all the necessary plays in right field.

Julian Garcia, football, baseball; he was the No. 1 pitcher for the Cougars, being named for the league’s coaches at Pitcher of the Year. He tossed a one-hitter against Jefferson. He also made some key catches as a wide receiver.

Girls:Kelsey Moore, volleyball, basketball, softball; a key hitter and rebounder, Moore was an all-

league selection in both volleyball and basketball. Haley Nazar, volleyball, basketball, softball; a setter on the volleyball team, she was an all-

league for the sport. She also made contributions for the other teams.

Cariaga was tough on the court

No one could ever question the mental toughness of Diana Car-iaga on a basketball court.

Cariaga, a four-year player on the Half Moon Bay High School team, was never afraid to drive the lane, looking for contact. There was a game at Carlmont one time, where she was knocked down, and was out of the game for a short time.

Upon returning to the court moments later, she once again drove the lane, like nothing happened.

That toughness carried Half Moon Bay to Central Coast Section playoff spots all four years and a league title this season. She was named the league’s most valuable player.

The title came a few months after she was part of a volleyball team that won a co-league title and advanced to the playoffs.

She was a second-team, all-league selection.

Her success leads her to be named the Half Moon Bay High School Girls’ Athlete of the Year.

Whatever happened to her on the basketball court was easy com-pared to the big change she made in December 2001.

That’s when she, along with her family, joined her father to live in the United States, moving from the Philippines. It helped that her dad knew some people with children Cariaga’s age.

One of the first people she met was Haley Nazar. They became friends in gym, when the two started playing basketball in their third-grade year. They have remained friends since.

“My whole family is into sports,” Cariaga said. “My mom and sister played a lot of volleyball. I played for Cunha (Intermediate School) in seventh and eighth grade.”

While sticking with basketball upon her arrival to Half Moon Bay, she didn’t play volleyball her freshman year. She resumed playing volleyball in her sophomore year, and played both sports since.

Cariaga isn’t sure if she’s going to play competitive basketball in college. She’s still deciding where to go.

“I might play in some adult league,” Cariaga said.

Personal honors go to team

Dominic Sena never looked for honors or accolades while playing football.

“I didn’t put in all the work just to get awards,” Sena said. “I put in the hard work to win football games.”

At the same time, he wanted to have some fun with his friends.

Half Moon Bay finished the season with an 8-4 mark and came within a whisker from playing for the title.

Following the season, the acco-lades poured in. He was named the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Divi-sion Offensive Player of the Year, San Mateo County Offensive Player, Cen-tral Coast Section Offensive Player of the Year and All-State.

He’s also the Half Moon Bay Boys Athlete of the Year.“I’m always surprised by the awards,” Sena said. “I’m a football

player. It’s a team sport. I’m just one of 11 guys. The running back is nothing if the other 10 guys don’t do their job.”

Sena holds just about every Half Moon Bay rushing record. He rushed for 2,101 yards this year, scoring 34 touchdowns. He picked up 274 yards in a win over Terra Nova. All those are records along with his 4,402 career rushing yards. Thanks to putting up all those numbers, he was talked about. The All-State honor caught him by

surprise.That honor, like all the others, was

not about him, he says.“It’s nice to get recognition for

Half Moon Bay and the Coastside,” Sena said. “It’s a great way to put Half Moon Bay on the map.”

After much searching and research, Sena will attend Rose-Hulman Insti-tute of Technology in Terra Haute, Ind.

“I looked at a bunch of different schools,” Sena said. “I liked that one the best. It’s a high-quality school with full-time teachers.”

He plans to study mechanical engi-neering and play football. He’s happy with everything.

He’s come a long way from his first year playing Pop Warner football. He played right guard that year, be-fore moving to running back.

“That first year, I fell in love with football,” Sena said. “I was always happy when I was on the football field.”

g r a d u a t i o n 2 0 1 1

RICE TRUCKING

2119 Hwy. 1 South | Half Moon Bay | Mon-Fri 7-5, Sat 7-4 | 650-726-0100 or 726-4354

Congratulations Class of 2011!

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Congratulations McKenna! ...and class

of 2011

We are so proud of you!

HALF MOON BAY VETERINARY HOSPITAL

� Small animal medicine and surgery � Quality, comprehensive veterinary care to the Coastside Community

719 Main Street, Half Moon Bay 726-9061

Mon. through Fri.: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat.: 8 a.m.to 4 p.m. and by appointment

Congratulations toHelen Holmlund!!!

Wishing youthe greatest success

in your next endeavor.

Half Moon Bay Veterinary Hospital 719 Main Street, Half Moon Bay

726-9061

Congratulations Pescadero High School

Class of 2010

We’re Proud

of You!From your

teachers, staff and the community

of Pescadero.Go Vikings!

Congratulations to the class of 2011.We wish you all the best!

650.726.6080270 S. Cabrillo Hwy.

Half Moon Bay

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Here’s to the future!

These businesses wish to congratulate the Pescadero High School and the

Half Moon Bay High School Class of 2011

Alena JeanAll Animal Mobile Vet ClinicAndroc Business ServicesAngelo’s Muffler & Auto RepairAnimal Care UnlimitedAra CroceBay World TravelBeach House HotelBob’s Car WashCabrillo Family DentalCastellammareCoastside Eye Care, Dr. Bette GouldCoastside Land TrustCypress Meadows/Cypress Flower FarmDudley Perkins Co. Harley-DavidsonEl Granada HardwareEmpowered FitnessEscapadesHalf Moon Bay Art GlassHalf Moon Bay BakeryHalf Moon Bay ChamberHalf Moon Bay Fish MarketHalf Moon Bay Yacht ClubHumphrey Lu, M.D.

Ink Spell BooksJae b Real Estate,

Kirsten & Brad JaebJazzerciseKibbles ‘N GiftsLa Di Da CafeLighthouse WaterMillie Golder, Alain Pinel RealtorsNot For Sale Freedom StorePalladino Painting Paulo’s Auto CarePicasso PaintingPowerlines ProductionsPumpkin Patch HallmarkRubie’s Rooter ServiceShamrock Ranch KennelsShely Pack DancersTeresa Adam, US BankThe Paper CraneThe Posh MoonTokenzUnited American BankUPS Store

“I hope your dreams take you... to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most

special places your heart has ever known.”

637 Main Street, Half Moon Bay | 712-0340