The 110th graduating class of Victor Valley High School included 450 Jackrabbits receiving diplomas before leaping into future endeavors.
The ceremony on Thursday, May 21, at Ray Moore Stadium also included the celebration of the first boys basketball CIF championship in the school’s history, and first in the High Desert in 73 years.
Victor Valley Union High School officials said this year’s class also applauded the Jackrabbit football team that defeated rival Apple Valley High to reclaim the coveted Bell for the first time in the past 12 tries.
Class standouts in the classroom were also recognized, including Valedictorian Valeria Medinam, who posted a 4.58 GPA. Also, co-Salutatorians David Mendoza, Karen Camarena and Arlene Rojo Rojas, who each achieved a 4.52 GPA.
Other notable grads included Xavier Hudson, who was awarded a prestigious $200,000 Marine Corps NROTC scholarship, recognizing his academic achievements and well-rounded involvement on campus. Nikolas Blocker earned a full-ride scholarship to play Division I football at UC Davis. Terion Mathis received a full ride to play Division I football at Weber State.
Blocker and Mathis were part of a Jackrabbits football team that defeated Apple Valley to reclaim the bell.
“Success is not defined only by the career you choose, the degree you earn, or the money you make,” Principal Victor Garnica told the class during his speech. “True success is defined by the impact you have on other people, so be kind, work hard, stay humble, take care of others, stand up for what is right and never forget where you came from.”
Creating, and losing Jackrabbit legends
In 2026, Victor Valley High School experienced the loss of two memorable coaches, including Leland Eudy, 72, a lifelong pillar of the school’s football program whose influence spanned generations of players, colleagues and rivals. He died on April 26, 2026.
Oliver “Ollie” J. Butler, 95, the legendary boys’ basketball coach, died on Feb. 23, 2026. He led teams from 1962 to 1990, and amassed 505 victories and 13 league titles.
In 2016, Victor Valley High School celebrated a milestone as it witnessed its 100th graduating class from the city’s oldest high school.
Established in 1915, Victor Valley High School began as a one-room schoolhouse in a private home and has since graduated nearly 35,000 students.
Some notable graduates over the decades have included John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, The Boston Globe newspaper, and Liverpool Football Club; Rochelle Calhoun, Vice President for Campus Life at Princeton University; and former Olympic wrestler and mixed martial arts Hall of Famer Dan Henderson.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Like a bell, Jackrabbit pride rings at Victor Valley High graduation
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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