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Amistad High School awards diplomas to 118 graduates; scholarships total $10,700
Summary
Amistad High School in Indio celebrated its Class of 2025 graduation, awarding diplomas to 118 students, presenting more than $10,700 in scholarships and recognizing student achievements and community partners.
Amistad High School held its commencement for the Class of 2025 in Indio, with school and Desert Sands Unified School District leaders, community partners and student speakers honoring 118 graduates.
Principal Pimentel opened the ceremony and introduced the Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education members in attendance, including Board President Dr. Kylie Watson and Vice President Michael Duran. Student speakers Francisco Vargas and Jaylene Martinez described personal journeys of resilience; Vargas said, “What I found was a school full of people who genuinely care,” and Martinez credited school staff and family support for helping her return to school and graduate.
The ceremony included recognition of staff retirements, top scholars and civic-engagement honorees. The school announced 22 MSF students received scholarships totaling $10,700 this year; named awards included the $2,000 Walter Clark Legal Group Scholarship presented earlier to Jaylene Martinez and a $1,000 Harry Muñoz Jr. Memorial Scholarship to Francisco Vargas. Other awards named in the program included the Bob Lincoln Saab family scholarship ($250 each to Anthony Lopez and Elizabeth Hassell), the Bob Blankensop Perseverance Award ($500 to Natalia Perez) and various pathway scholarships for automotive and career-technical programs.
Michael Duran, vice president of the Desert Sands Board of Education and the evening’s keynote speaker, urged graduates to keep character and compassion at the center of their choices, telling the Class of 2025, “You are a diamond.” Dr. Kelly May Volmar, superintendent of Desert Sands Unified School District, formally recognized the graduates and said, “By the power vested in me by the state of California and the Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education, it’s with great pride that I officially recognize this class… as graduates of Amistad High School.”
Board members and district staff joined faculty in presenting diplomas. The program also acknowledged students who earned the state seal of civic engagement and military-bound students who received enlisted stoles. The ceremony concluded with senior Priscilla Casillas leading the traditional turning of tassels and instructions for guests to remain seated until graduates exited.
The evening highlighted community participation: city officials and representatives of the offices of Congressman Ken Calvert and Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez were on the program, and members of the U.S. armed forces presented stoles to students entering military service. Several staff retirements were publicly acknowledged, and a range of scholarships and awards were presented by school staff and local partners.
