Promises and remembrance highlight Middle College High School's annual graduation rites

While there were plenty of cheers and almost as many tears, the normally celebratory mood was tempered somewhat by the death earlier that day of a beloved former administrator and teacher, Jim Bennett.

Bennett’s illness in the past few weeks – and his untimely death – was a shock to his students and his fellow staff members, including many who worked with him while he taught and served as an administrator for 40 years at Lemoore High School.

Lemoore Middle College High School enter Friday's graduation ceremony via the bleachers to Pomp and Circumstance.

Bennett retired from Lemoore High School in 2008 after having served as the school’s principal since 2003. The popular educator, known for his uplifting adage “chop-chop” and his long-serving phrase, “throw you a fish,” served Lemoore High School – first as a science teacher, then as an assistant principal and finally as the school’s principal. The popular educator served Lemoore High School for 40 years.

He retired in 2008 only to take a part-time job with the Middle College High School teaching science. He taught up to a few weeks ago when he became ill. He was planning to retire – for a second time – at the conclusion of this school year.

All totaled, the talented teacher and administrator served the Lemoore Union High School District for 51 years.

During the ceremony, students dedicated one of its songs, “Faithfully,” a tune penned by Lemoore alum Steve Perry and performed by Perry and the band Journey.

“We lost a great administrator today,” said Middle College High School’s principal, Charles Gent, who announced that the school held open an empty seat for Bennett on the stage and then offered up a moment of silence.

Newly-minted LMCHS grad, Toni Rocha, celebrates with mom Kalli Rocha who teaches English at Lemoore High School.

What followed was a mix of speakers, some celebrating their experience at LMCHS and others envisioning a bright future for school’s soon-to-be grads. “We all made a decision to come here,” said LMCHS President Isabella O’Brien. After citing the students’ accomplishments throughout their high school careers, including earning national Academic Decathlon championships the past two years, she predicted a bright future for the school’s graduating seniors. “We are making the most of this experience,” she said.

Middle College Online Valedictorian Tyler Blanks promised a bright future and thanked all those who supported her during the past four years. “We look forward to our future, and it is bright,” she said energetically. “Can we take a moment to thank those that supported us?”

Middle College High School valedictorian, McKenzie Jeffery, praised the school and its staff. “My time in high school has been the most significant part of my life,” she said proudly. “I would like to thank all my teachers.”

Gent presented the “Panther Award,” an annual award given to a student who typically embodies all that is positive about Middle College High School, to Nikolas Valentino, who helped lead his Academic Decathlon team to two national championships the last two years.

Gent also rattled off a few statistics revealing a few of the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class. He announced that 16 of the 65 grads also earned community college degrees and accepted them the previous evening during West Hills College Lemoore graduation ceremony.

He also said that 16 members of this year’s class earned California Scholastic Federation (CSF) cords, signifying life membership.

The evening ended as the 65 graduates filed across the stage, accepting their hard-earned diplomas. Soon they would join family and friends to begin the next round of their promising lives.