Lopez remembered at Samohi ceremony
By ALICE OLLSTEIN Special to the Daily Press
SAMOHI Last night, thousands of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends crowded into Santa Monica High School’s Greek Theater for the graduation of the class of 2008. Enthusiastic audience members waved signs, screamed their graduates’ names, shed tears and cheered as the blue-robed senior class descended the stone steps. Emotions ran especially high as speakers paid tribute to one who could not walk the stage — would-be senior Eddie Lopez, who was murdered in 2006 by a suspected gang member still awaiting trial for the crime.
Throughout the ceremony, the graduates lived up to Principal Hugo Pedroza’s description as “the class that refuses to be mediocre” as they performed classical and folk music, gave stirring and humorous speeches and hurled a contraband beach ball into the air. Students quoted everyone from Dr. Seuss to JFK, broke into chants of “Oh-eight! Oh-eight!” and thanked their parents, teachers and each other.
In his speech, Pedroza cited the class’ many accomplishments, including the unprecedented number of valedictorian candidates — 24 — the Science Bowl team winning nationals, the SAGE entrepreneurial team flying to represent Samohi in Nigeria, the boy’s soccer team winning the state CIF championship, the orchestra touring Eastern Europe and each AVID senior being accepted to several four-year universities.
Other speakers lauded the class for initiating both the Racial Harmony Retreat and Bike to School Day.
Class president Ilan Ben-Meir focused on the class’ “fierce determination not to be afraid” despite growing up with the World Trade Center attack and Lopez’ murder.
“In a better world, he would be standing on stage with us today,” he said.
Josh Miller, a friend of Lopez, added:“The spirit and smile of Eddie Lopez resonates within us.”
Later, Pedroza asked the audience to observe an 18-second moment of silence to honor what would have recently been Lopez’ 18th birthday. The audience, dressed in everything from T-shirts to cocktail dresses, fanned themselves with their programs in the late afternoon heat.
“We’re the proudest grandparents,” said Barbara Jackson, who boasted a large pin with a baby photo of her grandson. When asked if she had arrived early to secure her front row seat, she laughed.“No, I just had to make a few people mad.”
Another proud grandmother, Claire Richker, had flown from Texas to see her grandson, Alec, graduate. When asked how the family felt, the mother burst into tears while the father explained that the day had been emotional because their son is leaving for far-away Middlebury College come fall.
The graduates, as class president Dana Sigman noted, had been waiting 13 years for this moment, and when the band finally played the march from “The Great Escape” to signal the ceremony’s end, it seemed to be just that.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 20, 2008. Read the original PDF.