Graduate Salvador Gallegos was one of 37 students awarded High School Diplomas from Rancho Cielo Youth Campus in partnership with John Muir Charter School on Wednesday, June 14th, 2023. The Commencement ceremony was held in Rancho Cielo’s Sally Hughes Church Amphitheater. Rancho Cielo’s Vocational Training Programs are high-skill career technical programs for Monterey County students seeking a Vocational Training Certificate to earn their high school education.
Joe DeRuosi, Director of College, Career, and Career Technical Education at Rancho Cielo, welcomed the students and their friends and families, “Rancho grads have learned to make outstanding choices while building amazing futures,” he commends the students.
Rancho Cielo CEO Chris Devers addressed the graduates next: “Whatever your path is, make it strong with integrity—hard work, dedication, and good character will take you very far in life. Hopefully, you have learned these lessons at Rancho Cielo.”
Next, the Founder of Rancho Cielo, Hon. John Phillips, stepped up to the podium and said, “I think they are walking away with all the tools they need to be successful in the next stage of their life.” Then he reflected, “People say, ‘Well, is all that work you did worth it?’ And I say, ‘Yeah, one day a year, it’s all worth it – these kids.’”
Keynote speaker Jacqueline (Jackie) Cruz, Member of the Rancho Cielo Board of Directors and Hartnell College Executive Director, gave a moving testimony of her journey to receiving her High School diploma. She shared a few words about what has helped her along the way. “The most important thing for me was gratitude.” She continued, “Probably the best advice I can give you is to find a way to give back to others.”
Student Speaker Salvador Gallegos addressed friends, family, and students with his own account of dropping out of high school at 14 to help his parents. Years later, he was ready to complete his education and take a hard look at his future for the first time in years. The mentorships and relationships he created while at Rancho Cielo brought him to graduation, and he reflected on how much he has grown.
Special guests included:
- Hon. John Phillips, Founder of Rancho Cielo
- Chris Devers, Rancho Cielo CEO
- Jeanine Chicourrat, Chair of Rancho Cielo’s Board of Directors
- Jacqueline (Jackie) Cruz, Member of Rancho Cielo Board of Directors
- RJ Guess, CEO of John Muir Charter School
- Dawn McConnell, COO of John Muir Charter School
- Gary Vincent, John Muir Charter Schools, Principal
- Joe DeRuosi, Director of College, Career, and Career Technical Education, Rancho Cielo
- Gabriela Manzo, Lead Case Manager, Rancho Cielo
