Some students choose a path less traveled, finishing high school a semester early. This year, seniors Aurora Shermer, Izabel Jauregui, and AJ Soto did just that.
For Shermer, graduating early meant gaining precious time with her younger brother before she leaves for military service.
“My plans for after high school are to get a job until June, and then in June I get shipped off to finish the military training I’m already signed up for,” said Shermer. “I wanted to spend more time with my younger brother because he is only going to be three when I leave for the military.”
Jauregui had a very different experience. She had not planned on graduating early at all.
“I decided really late junior year,” said Jauregui. “I just didn’t want or need to be at school anymore, and the idea of starting community college sooner made more sense.”
For her, early graduation represents an opportunity to move forward academically.
“I’ve enrolled in Cerro Coso and will be taking four classes up there,” said Jauregui. “I’m mainly going to stay focused on school and transfer to a University of California campus in hopefully a year or less.”
Soto’s choice was shaped by both career ambitions and military preparation.
“I want to graduate early to work a full schedule and save money, and also free up time to go to the gym every day to train for special forces in the military,” said Soto. “My plans after graduation are to cut more hair to further improve my barbering, work more hours at my job to save money, and ship out to boot camp for the Navy on July 14.”
Although the three students ended up at the same milestone, each reached it in a different way.
“I took extra classes my sophomore and junior year,” said Shermer. “I maxed out my classes for three years in a row so I took at least six classes every year from freshman to junior year.” For her final Economics requirement, she took summer school between junior and senior year.
For Shermer, Jauregui and Soto, graduating early wasn’t simply about finishing school faster — it was about creating space for the futures they envision. With high school now behind them, each steps into the next chapter prepared for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
