On Friday night, Downieville High School honored the graduates of the Class of 2023. Most of the town gathered for this staple community event to proudly celebrate our three graduates, Mia Martinelli, Riley Pearmund, and Landon Jackson. Mia Martinelli was introduced as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2023, and Riley Pearmund as the Salutatorian. Superintendent James Berardi welcomed the audience and introduced the graduates, reflecting on their accomplishments and inspiring them for the challenges ahead. Berardi addressed the graduates with a speech based on one by Admiral William H. McRaven, saying, “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to accomplish another task, another task, and another task. By the end of the day, that one task completed will turn into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. And if, by chance, you have had a miserable day, you will have come home to a bed that is made, a bed that you made. A made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. Buckle up. You have good times and rough seas ahead. It is just part of life. Enjoy your ride and laugh along the way!” Paul Douville, the guest speaker, then gave an entertaining and encouraging speech imparting advice and several maxims to live by, wrapping up by performing a song he wrote in the graduates’ honor. Mia, in her Valedictorian speech, emphasized the strengths of a small school. The graduating class worked together, encouraging and supporting each other. Mia also recognized Natalie Rust, the only junior at DHS, as a crucial part of their team. The graduates could not get lost as they might in a class of hundreds of students, and as Superintendent Berardi pointed out, there was no place to hide. Such a tight-knit community helped foster the leadership, poise, and maturity we see in our graduates from Downieville. While Downieville may be small, the impact of these three graduates has been phenomenal. All three students were recognized for their achievements by the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to recognize and encourage academic achievement and community service among California middle and high school students. There are approximately 1500 CSF chapters throughout the state, each comprised of student members who meet eligibility requirements. Eligible students become members by submitting applications based on their report card grades, and students who maintain a high GPA for four of their last six semesters in school are considered lifetime members. All three graduates achieved this honor. In addition, every high school is allowed to submit two students to be considered for CSF’s highest honor, the Seymour Award. Mia Martinelli and Riley Pearmund were selected as two of only 50 finalists for the award statewide. Scholarship support from the community was incredible, with fourteen organizations awarding more than $15K to the three graduates. Mia, Riley, and Landon will head off to college with plenty of funding to see them through their first year. All three graduates will start their college journeys in the Fall. Mia will be joining her brother at Middlebury College in Vermont. Riley will attend UC Santa Cruz, and Landon will stay closer to home, attending Chico State. Congratulations to the Class of 2023 as you go on to represent the future of the Downieville community!
(Left to Right) Riley Pearmund, Landon Jackson, and Mia Martinelli, Photo by Alicia Berardi
Crowd watching the ceremony at Tin Cup Diggins Park