As this year's graduating seniors don their caps and gowns to receive their diplomas, the commencement ceremonies will mark the successful completion of four years of high school that were unlike any the students could have predicted.

The Class of 2023 were only freshmen when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered school campuses in March 2020. The students then navigated online classes during their freshman and sophomore years before schools generally returned fully to in-person learning in the fall of 2021.

With graduation season underway locally, the Palo Alto Weekly wanted to hear from students about the experiences that defined their high school careers. Below you will find Q&As with graduates from four Palo Alto high schools.

Henry Kofman

Kehillah Jewish High School

What is your favorite memory from high school?

One of my favorite memories from high school was in senior year. We were fortunate enough to take a trip to Argentina. On this trip, near the end, we visited Iguazu Falls, which is one of the natural wonders of the world. I had never seen anything like it and it was truly mind blowing. Getting to experience this magical place with my classmates I have spent four years with was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will never forget being there and seeing this remarkable place.

What's a word that describes your senior year?

Zealous. What a year it’s been but full of energy and excitement. From our senior overnight at the start of the year to the chaos of college applications and the kicking in of senioritis, there was always something to be zealous about in this final year.

What song defines your senior year?

"Step Out" by José González from the soundtrack to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). Apart from the great soundtrack, it is an amazing movie that I highly recommend!

Which class do you think prepared you most for life after high school?

Introduction to Economics with Ms. Nahum, an excellent second-semester senior class that will leave a lasting impact on me. The year ended with a project called our "Finance Portfolio" where we had to plan our monthly spending 10 years from now based on our desired job, and accounting for everything from rent, savings, utilities, groceries, entertainment and well … truly everything. A class that will stick with me and I really believe I will utilize in my future.

Finish this sentence: "In 10 years I'm going to be ..."

Making movies, telling stories and making magic on the big screen. Filmmaking has been my life for as long as I can remember (for anyone really committed you can find shorts I made in 2014 online) and I am so excited to make it my life. Georges Méliès was a magician turned pioneer filmmaker in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but I really believe he just stayed a magician even when he was a filmmaker. Movies are magic.

What's the top piece of advice that you would give to incoming high schoolers?

"Carpe diem! Seize the day. … Make your lives extraordinary!" – John Keating from Dead Poets Society.

Take the reins and make what you want to see happen. Take advantage of the opportunities you have, have an absolute blast and don’t be afraid to be embarrassed.

What are you most proud of accomplishing or overcoming in high school?

Above the excessive extracurriculars, artistic accomplishments and academic achievements, the thing that I am most proud of among everything else is the friendships I have made. The wonderful people who I have had the pleasure to meet and know are the highlight of my four years. They have helped me through the hard times while also being there in the good to celebrate with me.

Va'inga Mahe

Palo Alto High School

What is your favorite memory from high school?

My overall favorite memory from high school would be meeting Mr. Berkson, one of the vice principals. He's the one that's helped me a lot throughout high school.

What's a word that describes your senior year?

Entertaining.

What song defines your senior year?

This is one of my favorite songs from a Polynesian artist. It's called "Just Believe" by Cuuhraig. There are two specific lines from this song that say, "Want to tell you that God is great for everything he done for me," and I love these lines because I feel like all these things I've achieved and all the obstacles I've overcome were because of God.

Which class do you think prepared you most for life after high school?

One specific class that I think will prepare me for life after high school would be my Ethnic Studies class. We dive deep into the issues each race or ethnic group deals with, and we also have deep conversations that help us better understand these issues. I feel that it has best prepared me because of the racial problems we deal with today.

Finish this sentence: "In 10 years I'm going to be ..."

In 10 years, I'm going to be playing in the NFL while doing photography as a side hobby.

What's the top piece of advice that you would give to incoming high schoolers?

Some advice I would give is that kids should really build up a relationship with your teachers and counselors. It's just going to make a lot of things easier for you. If you're struggling with things, they are more likely to lend a helping hand. Also, Go To Class.

What are you most proud of accomplishing or overcoming in high school?

Well, I am most proud of myself for pushing through to the end and graduating. I am most proud of my athletic achievements. From All League honors to winning a CCS championship for the first time since 2011 for football. Academically, being able to pass my classes and going to college is a big accomplishment for me.

Kaley Mendoza Pineda

Castilleja High School

What is your favorite memory from high school?

I'm not sure if I have just one favorite memory, but the best part of high school for me was spending my free periods with my friends where we did anything but our homework. Our free period adventures ranged from having breakfast at iHop to going on long drives with no certain destination in mind. Our free periods were not only fun and spontaneous, but we enjoyed the idea of using our free time together to do things we wouldn't normally do due to school work and commitments.

What's a word that describes your senior year?

Rollercoaster. This year was a wild ride, filled with laughter and fun but also stress and anxiety. At times I would grow impatient, counting the days till graduation, but the closer that day came, the more I wished it would slow down. My senior year was a rollercoaster of emotions. I've laughed and I've cried at the same time.

What song defines your senior year?

The best song to define my senior year is "Good Days" by SZA. At first listen this may seem like too depressing of a song, especially since I wouldn't describe my entire senior year as depressing. But I chose this song because of its ability to find hope in the darkness.

During my senior year, I dealt with a lot of stress that came from juggling classes with extracurriculars with college applications along with family responsibilities. It became really easy to fall into the cycle of prioritizing school over oneself.

During my second semester senior year I grew to identify with this song even more, especially with the lyrics, "All the while, I'll await my armored fate with a smile/Still wanna try, still believe in/Good days (good days on my mind)."

Although a part of me is scared about the journey that lies ahead after my senior year, I still like to see the good in every new experience/opportunity and keep in mind that the best is yet to come!

Which class do you think prepared you most for life after high school?

My Intro to Calculus course was my hardest class, but also the one that prepared me the most for life after high school. Intro Calc was my first lecture-heavy course that forced me out of my comfort zone and forced me to reach out to my teacher. I developed important study habits and learned how to organize my time better. Going through that difficult course has made me a better student, and I will take those skills into my college education and beyond.

Finish this sentence: "In 10 years I'm going to be ..."

In 10 years I'm going to be a mom of two cats. I know this sounds silly, but hear me out. I currently own a cat, and he is my best friend. I love cats so much, and my dream is to live in a cozy apartment in the city with two cats. But having cats is expensive. Having two cats and living in an apartment in the city is even more expensive, which is why when I say that in 10 years I am going to be a mom of two cats, I really mean I hope to have completed my educational journey and to have found an occupation that is exciting, challenging, interesting and obviously pays enough for me and my cat family.

What's the top piece of advice that you would give to incoming high schoolers?

A piece of advice that I wish I had started doing when I first started high school was to meet with my teachers regularly, especially for classes that you know are more challenging for yourself. In freshman year I was terrified of meeting with teachers (still am sometimes) because I either didn't want to be a bother or I was scared the teachers would think I wasn't smart enough to be taking this class. But over the years I have learned the importance of asking for help.

I have been told by many of my teachers that they want to help us and want to meet with us whenever, but I never thought it was true until I actually started meeting with them. Whether it be help on one question of a homework assignment or going over studying tips for next week's test, meeting with your teachers is an amazing way to make sure you are getting the support you need to thrive in your classes, and I will definitely be taking that skill with me to college!

What are you most proud of accomplishing or overcoming in high school?

The first thing that comes to mind is graduating high school and soon being the first in my family to attend college. Both of my parents never graduated/attended high school, not because they didn't want to but because they didn't have access to the same resources and opportunities that I have.

My parents have always stressed the importance of an education. They have encouraged me to take risks and to seize every opportunity given to me. Not only am I graduating high school, but so are my parents because they have helped me and supported me through this entire journey making sacrifices of their own for the future of my siblings and I.

Madison Yue

Gunn High School

What is your favorite memory from high school?

When I competed in Anaheim with Gunn's Varsity Dance Team at Nationals this year. Despite being on the team since freshman year, it was the first time I had competed at Nationals due to the pandemic. It felt rewarding to finally perform in front of a live audience and showcase a dance we had been working on for months. Our team created many memories and is now a nationally ranked team.

What's a word that describes your senior year?

Gratitude: In my senior year, I realized the amount of support I've gained from teachers, friends and family. I've shared many laughs and bonded with many people. Being on Homecoming Court, participating in Gunn Swing Dance and attending prom are just some of the memories I'm thankful for and will always cherish.

What song defines your senior year?

High School Musical's "We're All in This Together" should be the senior's class theme song, as it embodies our school's community, togetherness and uniqueness.

For our senior class airbands, I, along with three other students, choreographed a dance that ended with this song and incorporated people with different skill sets: a float member created the costumes, a gymnast showcased their flips and a videographer, who was filming, joined our dance.

For Gunn Theatre's spring production of High School Musical, it included different groups on campus such as the cheerleading team, dance team and basketball players. As a dance team member, I was welcomed into the theater community through the pre-show traditions and people.

Which class do you think prepared you most for life after high school?

My school's newspaper/journalism class was the most important class to me. It taught me to think about an issue analytically and how to communicate complex topics in an easy-to-understand manner to a targeted audience. Some of these issues were not necessarily black and white, which challenged me to see views from all different angles. It taught me the balance between being unbiased yet empathetic at the same time.

Finish this sentence: "In 10 years I'm going to be..."

In 10 years I'm going to be a community-based journalist. Local reporting is important to engage the community in relevant news largely ignored by mass media. It provides opinions and ideas that are important to everyone in the local area while also holding local officials accountable for their actions. After that, I would like to be a community engagement reporter that showcases a major city's diverse thoughts and opinions from many social and racial classes whose voices readers seldom hear.

What's the top piece of advice that you would give to incoming high schoolers?

Take the time to get to know your classmates. A simple question of "How are you doing?" or "What are you doing these days?" can go a long way to learning about someone's interests and passions. Some of my most valued friendships come from the pure curiosity in the desire to learn about others. Make friends to bond over the struggle of a class, share laughs with and have a good time. Who knows, your best friend could be the person who's sitting right next to you!

What are you most proud of accomplishing or overcoming in high school?

I'm proud to be a contributor in making a more equitable and inclusive place at our school and beyond our school's community. Through co-leading Gunn's Student Equity Committee, under the guidance of Assistant Principal Courtney Carlomagno, other administrators and faculty members, we planned school-wide events to increase awareness of equity issues.

We also hosted all day equity trainings with guest speaker Dr. Lori A. Watson from Race-Work, where students had conversations about their racial experiences and identities. I, along with other members, visited Fletcher Middle School three times this year to mentor them in creating their own equity committee. I was overjoyed to see their ability to understand what needed to be changed at such a young age.

For more graduation coverage, go to Graduation central: Class of 2023 marks its milestone