Every year at Venice High, the school takes the time to honor its graduating seniors by hosting a Senior Awards Night. 

For the Class of 2023, their ceremony took place on Thursday, May 25 in the newly renovated auditorium.

According to Mark Gudani, the Class of 2023 adviser, the Annual Senior Awards Night at Venice High is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of each new graduating class. 

“Each year at Venice, students are awarded scholarships as well as certificates indicating their achievements in a variety of fields,” he said on stage.

According to principal Cynthia Headrick, the Class of 2023 has been awarded the most awards in the history of Senior Awards Night at Venice.

From Boy and Girl Scout Awards to the Alumni Association scholarships—even Department Awards—seniors are able to be recognized for their hard work over the past four years.

For this year’s graduating class, senior Julissa Alvarado won the Aves Family Memorial Scholarship, giving her $16,000 worth in college funds for what she needs after graduation.

“I applied for that specific Venice Alumni scholarship because my dorm room wasn’t covered, and I still had to pay that, so I was like ‘let me apply to see if I get any scholarship to help me pay my dorm’ and I won it,” Alvarado said.

“When my name was called for the award, I honestly didn’t get up right away because I just couldn’t believe it.”

“I was in shocked when I was walking up there, and till this day I just can’t believe it,” she said.

Alvarado will be majoring in business administration with an emphasis in real estate at California State University, Northridge in the fall, and according to her, the worry of future college expenses will also be alleviated with the help of the $16,000 scholarship.

“I actually think I won’t have to worry a lot about money for the next two years or even more years depending on how everything might go in college.”

Another senior who won awards this year was Taylor Mah. She received multiple awards such as the Gold Volunteer Service Award, and two scholarships, including one from the Venice Alumni Association.

According to Mah, she applied for the scholarships to help ease the burden of college expenses on her family.

“The money also helps cover expenses I’ll need for my art major in college,” Mah added. “Art supplies in L.A. are very expensive and that on top of what I’ll need for my general classes would be overwhelming without financial support.”

As she heard her name called on stage, Mah said that it was a surreal experience.

“As I looked off the stage, all I could think about was the end of high school and the start of something bigger.”

Mah will be majoring in Art at the University of California, Irvine in the fall.