Santa Ana High School valedictorian sends off class of 2020 with a message to give back to community

Priscilla Arceo’s face is plastered on banners hanging from city light poles across Santa Ana. She also made an appearance on a televised prime-time special celebrating high school graduates in early May.

Not too shabby for an 18-year-old student who is part of the generation whose high school years will be marked by words like “COVID-19,” “virtual” and “protests 2020.”

The banners are part of Santa Ana Unified School District’s alternative celebrations for the class of 2020. Billboards and 170 street pole banners were installed across the city in addition to lawn signs on student homes and local businesses.

When Arceo was chosen to give a speech at her school’s virtual commencement as Santa Ana High School’s valedictorian, she immediately reached out to Sal Tinajero. He runs the school district’s speech and debate program.

“He is known to be a pretty good speech coach,” said Arceo.

Tinajero said he’s sent hundreds of kids to college over the years through the program, and one Santa Ana middle school student in the program is a two-time National Speech and Debate Assn. winner.

The Le Bron James Family Foundation and XQ Institute reached out to nine different coaches around the country, including Tinajero, to have students audition nationwide for the “Graduate Together: American Honors the Class of 2020” special featuring a list of celebrities and noteworthy figures, including former President Barack Obama.

He encouraged her to apply. About three days after the audition, she received a phone call letting her know she was chosen.

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“She was in tears,” said Tinajero. “Her family is very low income. Mom only speaks Spanish. She’s taken on two to three jobs to help her daughter get ahead. Talk about validation.”

In her speech, Arceo talked about being raised by a single mother.

“All that she did for me wasn’t always seen or appreciated by others,” said Arceo in her speech. “That’s my biggest motivator because when I’m successful and one day come back to help my community, her hard work will be for something bigger than the two of us.”

Santa Ana Unified live-streamed virtual graduation videos for eight school campuses from May 26 to June 3 on cable, the district website, YouTube and Facebook. Santa Ana High School’s ceremony received almost 7,000 Facebook views.

Arceo said traditional in-person graduation was a milestone she looked forward to during her entire academic life, especially as a first-generation student. But she’s also understanding of the health crisis circumstances.

Her family threw her a surprise drive-thru graduation. Family and friends honked and cheered as they rode cars through her street with balloons and posters.

Arceo picked up her diploma and yearbook from campus this week. Now she is UC Santa Barbara bound.

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