#image_title
Students and families displaced by the Pacific Palisades wildfires were given a special shout-out to kick off the 172nd graduation ceremony at Santa Monica High School on Wednesday afternoon.
“We faced an unimaginable tragedy last January when the fires broke out,” Senior Class President Gelila Mihret told the audience in the Memorial Green Theatre. “But our community, our neighbors showed up. Food drives, clothing drives… Everyone lent a hand. And from that, we even gained some new students.”
Quite a few, in fact, from Palisades Charter High School who found a new home in the Samohi community midway through their junior year.
“And though being a Viking may not compare with being a dolphin, we are so glad and so proud to have you all here with us today,” Mihret said. “The empathy and perseverance we observed in those months following the fire proves that we are all equipped with the strength we’ll need once we receive our diplomas and leave this campus for good.”
The Class of 2026 included more than 600 students — 51 of whom qualified to be considered as Valedictorian, Principal Marae Cruce noted. In the end, the honor went to Matthew Tigrak. Rosalie was chosen as Salutatorian. Both will be attending UCLA..
In all Santa Monica High School will be represented on more than 100 different college campuses this fall including Harvard, Cornell, University of Michigan, UCLA, USC and NYU.
“The experiences ahead will help shape the person you become,” Cruce told the graduates. “And no matter where life takes you, please know that you Samohi family will always be here to welcome you home.”
Santa Monica High School is part of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
Never miss a single story!
- Samohi graduation recognizes students displaced by Palisades fires - June 11, 2026
- Downtown Santa Monica gets World Cup pop-up shop, watch party - June 8, 2026
- Raising Cane’s— Can chicken fingers revive the Promenade? - June 5, 2026