“To our Class of 2020 graduates: Congratulations! You’ve made it! It may not feel like it right now, but you may actually be the luckiest senior class in American history. You are graduating at the cusp of unprecedented events that will have a significant impact on the way we’ll live our lives for decades to come. If you choose to engage and fight for the things that you care about—and we know you will—you will have a much better chance at having a lasting impact than any other class that’s graduated before you. You will be at the center of a movement to bring people together in pursuit of values and ways of being that will change lives for the better. You’ve learned a lot about yourself over the years, and especially over the last part of your senior year. Knowing who you are and what you care about will set you on a path toward a life that’s fulfilling, meaningful and hopeful … and you’re ready. The world needs your guidance, your empathy and your compassion now more than any other time.”
– Chris Bright, Head of School
How did you make your socially distanced graduation special?
“With the help of parents and the production companies they work with, we were able to create an amazing ‘red carpet’ set for the students to take a celebratory processional to music they each chose individually, receive their diplomas, virtually high-five the head of school and toss their mortarboards—all while their families looked on and celebrated from their cars. All the footage has been turned into a joyous graduation video that communicates the honor, congratulations and love our graduates deserve. We also celebrated in early July with our virtual graduation ‘watch’ party.”
What are some of your graduates’ proudest achievements?
“The Class of 2020 is an incredibly creative and talented group. More than 75% have been involved in creative arts while at Vistamar. A number of students are planning to study engineering, pre-med or finance and business as their next step. Normally, seniors spend the last three weeks of the school year in a capstone experience working with off-campus mentors in L.A., across the U.S. or abroad to explore a vast array of personal interests, possible career paths or something entirely new. This was the first class to have to design and implement their own senior projects with their only mentors being their own imagination, drive, and willingness to dive into something new and learn it for themselves. Some have written scripts, stories and begun their novels. They have designed clothing, made jewelry, composed and produced music, made films, learned to sew, crafted marketing plans, created websites, designed a coffee table photography book, written and coded a ‘text adventure’ game, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. They more than rose to the occasion, exhibiting ingenuity and resourcefulness that shows just how resilient they are.”
What are some of your students’ fondest memories while at Vistamar?
“Vistamar has granted me thousands of incredible experiences—some of my favorites were the music and theatre productions and the incredible friends I have made. I am grateful for the incredible education I’ve been given by my fabulous teachers and cannot wait to continue to learn, grow and better myself as an actor and human in New York City.” – Tali P.
“My favorite Vistamar memory is definitely the birth of ‘banjo time’ and all the Vistamar basketball practices. I’ve enjoyed four years playing a great sport while playing with greater teammates. Congrats to my classmates for their successes.” – Damari N.
“My favorite Vistamar memory is when our varsity boys basketball team made it to the CIF semifinals and state playoffs my final season.” – Michael E.
“My favorite memories are making it to CIF finals with the girls volleyball team and working with the freshmen at their first school retreat.” – Sofia C.
“My last season with the girls soccer team. Much love to everyone who made my high school experience special.” – Grayson M.
“My favorite memories from Vistamar include every moment from jazz band, preparing me for this journey I’m about to embark on.” – Logan P.
What schools were your students accepted into for the fall?
“The 67 members of the Class of 2020 were accepted into 430 schools across the United States and abroad.”
737 Hawaii St., El Segundo | 310-643-7377 | vistamarschool.org
