As the crowd filed in to Engel Field at Memorial Stadium in Escalon, there were plenty of jackets and sweaters brought along, as the Thursday night chill was more reminiscent of early April than late May. But the weather on May 28 didn’t impact the festivities, as the eighth graders at El Portal Middle School celebrated their Promotion Ceremony in front of family, friends, teachers, school board members, administrators and classmates.
The Class of 2026 Panthers were saluted for a variety of achievements, from Teacher Recognition to the Panther Physical Fitness Award, Exemplary Citizenship to ELD Reclassification. There were also honors presented for Exceptional Growth and Academic Excellence.
The El Portal Band provided the Processional as the members of the class walked in, on either side of the track surrounding the football field, passing each other at the midway point so all graduates walked past each set of bleachers, on both the home and away sides. Student Body President Dylan Borges provided the welcome, with graduate Kalina Emerson then singing the Star-Spangled Banner, to cheers and applause from the crowd and her fellow graduates.
El Portal Principal Suzette Berhorst presented the Teacher Recognition awards and the Academic Excellence awards during the evening, while Assistant Principal Alexandria Reeves highlighted those students chosen for Exemplary Citizenship.
Middle School staff members Kaitlynn Spani – Panther Physical Fitness, Danielle Bertchtold – ELD Reclassification, and Jason Jericoff – Exceptional Growth, also took their turns at the podium to present honors to selected students.
Student speaker at the promotion ceremony was Dylan Borges, who returned to the stage a second time, having previously welcomed everyone as the Student Body President.
His address was titled “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and he shared about the class journey from beginning at El Portal as sixth graders to reaching their promotion ceremony and getting ready to move on to Escalon High School as Cougars.
“I like to think of El Portal as building with snow; we got here and everything around us was snow, just sitting on the ground,” Borges began. “We rolled in feeling scared and anxious … the first part of the snowman didn’t have to be perfect, it just had to be big enough to put the final two spheres on.”
He added that, in sixth grade, the students had “nothing to lose” but seventh grade was a bit different.
“We were happy to not be the smallest on campus but this is where it got hard,” Borges explained. “The snowman had to be precise, with little wiggle room.”
He also indicated that seventh graders are somewhat forgotten, as everyone seemed to be more focused on helping the sixth graders adapt to the middle school system and working to make sure the eighth graders met all their requirements for promotion.
However, when he and his classmates reached eighth grade, they found it to be a much more rigorous experience.
“Work, behavior, responsibility were held to a way higher standard,” Borges told the crowd. “No more multiple-choice answers, you had to write in complete sentences … our snowman had to be precise, no messing up.”
Borges said he was grateful that El Portal provided students with opportunities to “make multiple types of snowmen” and he also asked for a round of applause from the crowd for not only the eighth graders but also for “teachers, parents, guardians and staff who helped us get here.”
Principal Berhorst addressed the graduates prior to the formal awarding of the diplomas.
“I consider it to be a privilege to mentor and teach the young adults of our community,” Berhorst said. “A responsibility that should not be taken lightly and truly one of the greatest blessings.”
She offered her thanks to the eighth grade Class of 2026 and what they have meant to El Portal.
“Over the past 179 days each one of you has taught so many lessons and given so many gifts,” Berhorst told the students. “You each represent an amazing story that has yet to be completed.”
The principal noted that the class members have provided “a warm smile on a dreary day” and brought “a flow of energy that is contagious” to the middle school campus.
“You are the purpose … the purpose for doing some of the most challenging work that exists; that is to guide you, educate you and adore you as you make your way through middle school,” Berhorst said. “Hold your head up high and be proud of your accomplishment … thank you for being you.”
With Escalon Unified School District board members Travis Cardoza, Nick Caton, Martha Coelho, Kate Powell and Sal Reyes presenting the diplomas, there were plenty of cheers, applause and the occasional pop of streamers from the stands. Once the diplomas were awarded, Principal Berhorst presented the class, officially promoted from eighth grade and ready for their freshman year.
They were introduced as the Class of 2030 for Escalon High School and then had a chance to share hugs, smiles and photo opportunities with the friends and family members spilling out of the stands to celebrate their achievement.
