Delano’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show arranged by the Kiwanis Club of Delano with the aid of a $15,000 donation by the city of Delano will take place the night of July 3.
The $33,000 fireworks display, the cost of which nearly doubled from a year ago, will start at dusk or about 9 or 9:15 p.m., reported event chairperson Steve Kinsey of the Kiwanis Club.
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At the 17th annual Cesar E. Chavez High School commencement, addresses were delivered by valedictorian Karambir Sunner and teacher Daniel Alegria.
Student body president Katherine Cardenas was mistress of ceremonies with Angeleen Silva leading the national anthem and principal Justin Derrick delivering the welcome and address.
Graduates earning summa cum laude honors for achieving a 4.0 or better grade average were Karla Alanis Jimenez, Alnawwar Saleh Alhassan, Efrain Arredondo Trevino, Keilin Arrieta Raya, Emily Avalos, Bryan Jonathan Avelar, Osvaldo Guadalupe Beltran, Gurnoor Kaur Bhatti, John Louie Sencil Capalac, Gisselle Castro Lopez, Juan Carlos Centeno, Alyanna Angel Cooper, Ruben Rodrigo Cortez, Rachel Joy Cubangbang, Morrison Carino Dobere, Rick Jaden Ecijan, Madison Makayla Evans, Jorge Daniel Flores, Patrick Marcos Fontanilla, Wilfredo Idica Francisco III, Matthew Alexander Garay, Carolina Guerrero Diaz, Andrea Mateo Guinto, Sam Qayed Hassan, Jetzabel Hernandez, Wendy Hernandez Maravilla, Celeste Hernandez-Azanza, Josuany Herrera, Ezekiel Monje Ignacio, Evelyn Jaime, Samara Janae Idolyantes King and Dave Bryle Polon Layam.
Others with the highest honors were Kevin Lopez Oropeza, Teloin Macario, Samuel Macias, Karyme Mariscal, Tiffard Ann Mistoyo Mata, Jonathan Medel-Perez, Emily Christine Melero, Alan Manuel Menchaca Caldera, Gabriella Sifuentes Mendoza, Katia Yoana Navarro, Yaqoob Arel Obeid, Sebastian Alexander Orozco, Yly Iraola Paraiso, Jasmin Figueroa Perez, Fegimar Juanito Pinoliar, Lauren Wai Damo Rigucita, Ryan Raydel Rojas, Aubrey Pamiza Ruanto, Fernando Gabriel Sanchez, Julissa Rizo Sanchez, Lucas Serda, Trisha Silva, Daniella Suarez, Karanbir Singh Sunner, Andrew Banzon Uclaray, Calvin Nichollas Uclaray, Adrian Mendez Uribe, Lucero Vanessa Valencia, Sarahi Guadalupe Velazco and Hannah Marie Villaruz.
Earning 12 years of perfect attendance were Karyme Mariscal, Rachel Cubangbang and Adriana Rivera. Jorge Daniel Flores gained an Associate of Arts degree from Bakersfield College.
The Delano Lions Club presented eight semester honor roll plaques to 79 graduates.
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At the June meeting of the Delano Joint Union High School District board of trustees, some employees were reported to be leaving the district and others accepting positions with the district.
The board approved Shirden Prince, assistant principal at Cesar Chavez High, as director of special education for the district and approved posting his past position.
Elias Renteria, instructor at Valley High School, was granted a leave of absence due to a family emergency.
The district accepted resignations from Cesar Chavez English teacher Christine A. Carter and science teacher Elizabeth Gonzalez.
Christine Alvarez has been OK'd as a mathematics teacher at Cesar Chavez.
The board accepted the resignation of math teacher Elizabeth Arceo at Delano High.
The board approved Robert Avila moving from site supervisor at Delano High to director of maintenance operations and transportation for the district.
Julio Villarreal was approved as male campus security for Cesar Chavez High.
The board approved Robert F. Kennedy High cheerleaders and chaperones attending a cheer camp in Manteca July 13-16. Also OK'd was coach Roden Leynes and basketball players and chaperones taking part in a summer league at Pismo Beach July 14-16.
For Delano High, adviser Ernesto Marciel and students and chaperones were approved to attend an FFA officers retreat at Lake Nacimiento in Paso Robles in late July.
The board approved purchasing a replacement bleacher seating at Cesar Chavez High at a cost of $471,815.53.
Donations approved were $3,000 by Louis Pandol to Delano High cheerleaders and nearly $400 in product donation by Central Valley Office supply to Delano High cheerleaders.
The Wonderful Co. and participating employees donated $1,500 to Delano High. A donation from Charities Aid Foundation and Wonderful Co. gave $500 to the district Adult School. A $1,000 donation from Tesoro Properties Inc. was made to the Samuel Esparza Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The OK was given to expend $14,250 to SchoolWorks Inc. for demographics and boundary study services. Findings will be evaluated by the school board and could determine a change in boundaries for the three comprehensive high schools of the district.
Approved for the 2022-23 staff at Delano High were several coaches: Sean Cacal, head varsity boys soccer; Mary Joe Sanchez head JV girls soccer; Nayib Rivera, head JV girls tennis; Guillermo Rivera, head varsity girls tennis and volunteer varsity boys soccer; Roberto Sandoval, head JV boys soccer; Victor Diaz, volunteer varsity boys soccer; George Mateo, volunteer varsity volleyball; Sharena Gonder head cheer coach; Jocelyn Jacquez, head varsity volleyball; and Sergio Barajas, assistant varsity football and head freshman boys basketball.
Instructors approved for Robert F. Kennedy High were Nicole Bentley and Darryl Bellis, English teachers, and Jessica Villalobos, special education teacher.
Coaches for the next school year approved by the board for Kennedy High were Natalie Fragoso, cheerleaders; Ron Coronado, girls golf; Andrea Romero, head JV cross country, Roden Leynes, head varsity boys basketball; Celeste Carcha, volunteer for cheer; Edward Gines, head varsity girls tennis; Roden Leynes, head JV girls tennis; Miguel Sanchez head varsity volleyball; Ivan Sanchez, head JV volleyball; Jasmine Guerrero, head freshman volleyball; Stephanie Tafoya, volunteer varsity volleyball; Julissa Servin, volunteer JV volleyball; Arlin Hill, volunteer JV volleyball; Maribel Flores, volunteer freshman volleyball; Mariano Balbuena, head JV boys basketball; Mike Picar, head freshman boys basketball; Jordan Delarosa, head varsity girls basketball; and Briana Leal, head JV girls basketball.