Indian Hills Graduation: An Intimate Affair

held its graduation ceremony on the Agoura High sports field for 17 students Tuesday evening, reports the Ventura County Star.

This intimate affair marked a milestone for these students of this alternative school who have not always had a feeling of acceptance, as Jane Spaulding said in her commencement address, said the Star.

"To the teachers of Indian Hills, thank you," said the 17-year-old student, reports Star. "When we arrived, we felt unwanted, uncared for and forgotten, but you made us feel a part of and worth something. When we needed help you came to us; you were our supporters when we had none. We know that as teachers, you want to make a difference. Well, you've made a difference in our lives. We may not thank you now, or in a way you can understand, but you have certainly made an impact."

Because of that difficulty fitting in, sometimes these students fell through the cracks at other schools, said Principal Larry Misel, according to the report.

"For most kids, the instruction is more humanistic, it's smaller and it takes them where they need to be," said Misel in the story. "The pressure is different. It's there, but it's a more subtle, do-it-on-your-own, at-your-own-speed, attitude, and for a lot of these kids, that works beautifully."

According to the Star, Misel told the graduates that though they could not change what has been, this evening marks a new chapter in their lives.

School board Vice President Lesli Stein also addressed those gathered, said the Star, saying, "As you receive your diploma this evening, you will cross a threshold and embark on the next stage of your life, a fresh start."

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