SAN JOSE, CA – JUNE 4: Los Altos High School graduates throw their mortarboards into the air at the conclusion of their graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Donning their caps, gowns and masks, Los Altos High School’s 2021 graduating class sat socially distanced from each other in the sprawling bleachers at PayPal Park on Friday. The limited members of family and friends, four per graduate, did the same in pods on the opposite side of the major league soccer stadium.
With a seating capacity of 18,000, PayPal Park, home of the San Jose Earthquakes, allowed the classmates to graduate together instead of being split into multiple smaller ceremonies.
Graduates walked single file onto a stage in the end zone and received their diplomas. The graduation was broadcast on the video scoreboard and live-streamed by KMVT for others unable to attend.
The soccer stadium hosted two socially distanced graduations on Friday, the second for Mountain View High School students.
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Los Altos High School graduate Bianka Bogdanic smiles as she walks across the stage after receiving her diploma during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Amanda Le gives the Student Speech during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Los Altos High School graduate Omar Contreras Sanchez hugs a classmate during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduates sing “Seasons of Love” during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Sahire Gomez-Pacheco waits with classmates to walk out and receive her diploma during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduates socially distance themselves from each other during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Aiden Elpedes waits with classmates to receive his diploma during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate and Master of Ceremony Evan Fine addresses his graduating classmates as Mistress of Ceremony Jessica Dooley watches, during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) A decorated mortarboard is photographed during Los Altos High School’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduates walk to their seats after receiving their diplomas during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduates, from left, Hikaru Kurusu, Johan Guyomard, and Wyatt Conroy exit PayPal Park after their graduation commencement ceremony in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) A decorated mortarboard is photographed during Los Altos High School’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Blake Brinsfield sports “Go Cougs” sunglasses during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Jamie Shin adjusts her mortarboard before walking out to receive her diploma during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) A decorated mortarboard is photographed during Los Altos High School’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Shreya Juneja, left, helps classmate Rebekka Kabel untangle her tassel from an earring during their graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduates celebrate as they exit PayPal Park after their graduation commencement ceremony in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) Los Altos High School graduate Roya Bouzari gives the thumbs-up gesture after receiving her diploma during the school’s graduation commencement ceremony at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
