‘This Is Only The Beginning Of Our Paintings’: Castaic High School Honors 2nd Graduating Class

Castaic High School awarded diplomas to its second-ever graduating class Monday night.

Approximately 330 Castaic High School Coyotes walked the stage at the College of the Canyons football field during the 2024 graduation ceremony on Monday, only the second graduating class in school history since its founding in 2019.

The 2023 school year ended with the handing out of approximately 307 diplomas, only a fraction smaller than the size of this year’s class.

As a part of the ceremony, Principal Vince Ferry presented William S. Hart District Superintendent Mike Kuehlman with a custom Castaic Coyote quilt, “so he never feels too far from the pack” as he leaves to take a new role in northern California after 28 years with the District

“We thank Mr. Mike Kuhlman for his service and dedication, and we wish him and his wife, Cindy, the best of luck on their excellent adventures,” Ferry said.

Castaic Principal Vince Ferry gifting Hart Superintendent Mike Kuhlman a custom Coyotes quilt. (Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News )

Monday was a night to reflect on the past and look expectantly to the future as students who started their high school careers in the midst of a global pandemic now took their first steps into the next chapter in their lives.

“The magical thing about paint is it allows you to leave a mark somewhere, allows you to leave a piece of art showing where you have been and what you have done. So with some orange, gray and all the other colors of paint you have used so far in your life, take some hodgepodge right now and paint over those memories so you don’t forget them,” said Senior speaker Katherine McGaffee. “They made us into the young adults we are today. The young adults who can stand here and be proud of all the work we have put in to be here…. This is only the beginning of our paintings.”

The evening was accompanied by performances from the Castaic High School Concert Band and Choir, who performed the classic musical accompaniments and an arrangement of “Colors of the Wind” from Disney’s Pocahontas.

Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News

Among the 330 graduates sitting on the field, there were 83 honors scholars, 60 career pathway completers, 56 National Honor Society members, 51 California Scholarship Federation members, seven California Syllabi Literacy recipients, 27 AP Scholar Award recipients, one national merit scholar, four film and television National Award winners, eight national dance champions, two CIF track champions, one CIF track record holder, eight CIF baseball champions and 14 CIF basketball champions, according to Ferry.

The Guiding Howl Award, chosen by a student-led vote, was bestowed upon history teacher Jon Welch.

“This teacher stands out due to his undying passion and enthusiasm for teaching students about history, his openness and empathy with students who are having difficult times, and most importantly, feeling like a friend and a role model to myself and my peers,” said senior Chloe Coffey. “He stands out for his passion for history and making the complications of history understandable, enjoyable and entertaining. He has accomplished all these things with ease and continues to go above and beyond for all students to create a positive atmosphere in his heavily Penn State-decorated classroom.”

Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News

Student Isabel “Izzy” Calabrin-Tribble performed a reading of her poem, “Sunsets on the Hills.” The final stanza is as follows:

Sunsets on the hills.

Our time here is ending

With new beginnings starting, and our realities bending.

We came here as students, not knowing what the future held,

But tonight, we leave a family

We leave a pack

We have excelled.

Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .