This year Palisades High School’s Class of 2025 had its graduation ceremony at the Hollywood Bowl.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Graduating Palisades High School seniors marched into the Bowl. Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
By HENRY KAMER
On June 4, 2025, upwards of 740 PaliHi seniors of the Class of 2025 graduated not at the Stadium by the Sea, but at the Hollywood Bowl. Yep, you read that right.
The Class of 2025 is unique not only because they graduated at the Hollywood Bowl, an iconic venue for concerts and other events that was jokingly referred to as “Pali East” by Nick Melvoin, Los Angeles School Board Representative, but because of the historic events they’ve experienced during their high school years.
The Class of 2025 started at Pali High (“The Original”) in 2022, amidst the slow global recovery from the enormous COVID-19 pandemic. They had just transitioned out of Zoom in middle school, and luckily, were able to start freshman year in-person, albeit while wearing masks and taking cotton swabs up the nose every week for routine testing.
The next two years seemed to mark a return to normal life, but that normalcy would completely disappear as the Pali High campus and surrounding community was devastated by the January Palisades Fire.
All of a sudden, seniors went from enjoying the events their year held for them, including Senior Tie-Die Day and Senior Pool Party, to going back on zoom once more for three months before finishing out the year in a redone department store that was nothing like the original Pali campus.
Everyone was smiles at the graduation.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
The class of 2025 will be remembered as having one, if not the most unique and unexpected high school experience. Even though so much trauma and disaster had been thrust onto these seniors, they have grown more mature and resilient, and have tested the idea of what it means to be a thoughtful human being through their response to everything, a key development that was echoed by many throughout the ceremony.
After graduates had entered and took their seats, Principal and Executive Director Dr. Pam Magee gave a welcoming speech.
She addressed the graduates, families and press saying the graduating class actually overwhelmingly chose the Hollywood Bowl as their venue for graduation when asked by the administration post-fire.
Magee thanked various people and groups for their tremendous help in guiding the entire school to an in-person site as well as making sure this could enjoy their traditional events such as the Senior Movie Night.
Then ASB (Associated Student Body) President Charlie Spieser took the stage and commended the class of 2025, while also delivering a tribute to the late Levi Braun, a former Palisadian, who tragically lost his life to a drunk driver.
After Speiser paid his respects, California Governor Gavin Newsom made a pre-recorded virtual appearance on the huge screens on either side of the stage. He congratulated the class and delivered his respects for their determination and grit through devastation, as they realized that “what stands in the way becomes the way.”
Melvoin followed, delivering the corny yet impactful phrase of 2025 seniors going “Pali High” (high meaning upwards).
NBA Coach Steve Kerr, a Palisades High School alum spoke at the ceremony.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Next Pali High alum and renowned NBA basketball coach Steve Kerr commended the class of 2025 as he explained that he had gone through the same route that many seniors had done themselves: Pali Elementary to Paul Revere Middle School to Pali.
The Golden State Warriors coach detailed how he had been in the same spot of anxiety and fear of the unknown as the graduating seniors when he himself graduated 42 years ago, but with access to generous opportunities along with self-awareness and emotional intelligence, he was able to become successful.
Even with Coach Kerr losing his childhood home in the Palisades Fire, he emphasized the importance of being a decent human being no matter what happens.
Echoing that message of empathy, was former Co-Honorary Palisades Mayor and actor Billy Crystal. He delivered a solemn yet sweet message to the senior class. Crystal explained that he and his wife, Janice, had chosen to come to graduation for their 55th wedding anniversary. He sent his respects to the class that finished their “studies in a building where I once bought a washer-dryer.”
Crystal said that even after losing his home of 46 years in 15 minutes and being asked if he needed Ozempic when he asked for a completely new wardrobe from a salesman, he has emerged triumphant.
In classic graduation movie style, Crystal concluded his message by asking the class to “call us when you get there.”
Pacific Palisades resident, comic, former honorary mayor and star Billy Crystal addressed students. Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Acapali, PaliHi’s own a capella group, took the stage, singing a beautiful and well-crafted collection of songs from very talented individuals. After the pleasant musical interlude, Senior Class President Taylor Beljon-Regen left a lasting impact on the class of 2025 by drawing a parallel between her goal on the first day of high school to know the names of 500 people to actually knowing the story behind those names and truly understanding others.
President Beljon-Regen made an additional appearance in the montage that was presented on the two screens depicting what Pali’s senior life was like and what memories they carried with them.
A perfect memory was detailed by Valedictorian Annalisa Hurd who stated that it is important to be open to every opportunity and to not be laser-focused, contrary to what she wrote in an earlier letter to herself for graduation written in Steven Burr’s AP World History course. (Ten years after students complete the class, Burr mails the letters to the students, so they can see how their earlier life reflects with the present.)
Student Speaker Anthony Haladjian championed the idea that life is about failing and rebounding.
Next on the large screens was Jennifer Coolidge who sent previously recorded respects in a very humorous way, saying she lived in the town, too.
Other student speakers were Sam Jacobson, who spoke about hardship being “ephemeral” and Cryus Hemmens who emphasized a focus on the importance of the people around an individual.
Before the roll call of seniors to the stage, a musical interlude titled “Grad Medley” was played by senior musicians led by Henry Jamison.
Salutatorian William Schwartz spoke before the naming of all graduating seniors. The final moment of united triumph came when all seniors tossed their caps in the air, before running to celebrate with friends and family.
Even though Pali High’s graduation couldn’t be at the Stadium by the Sea, it was still a tremendous success as the Class of 2025 was able to celebrate their hard and unprecedented four years and relish in lots of well-deserved praise.
The joy was palpable as seniors walked the stage to received their dimplomas.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
The graduation’s overall themes of determination, perseverance, and humility resonated with every person in attendance and made a community even stronger. The graduation was especially influential for this reporter, who bid farewell to many of the seniors he knew from track and field and came to realize that next year he would be moving the tassel from the right to the left side.
Congratulations to the grads.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN