Cesar Valencia has come a long way — literally. Born in Mexico 18 years ago to Heliodoro and Yalila Valencia, he is the oldest of three children. The Valencias have lived in Santaquin for 10 years and Cesar has attended Payson High School for three.

“It’s been a good experience — the last three years,” Cesar said. “I’ve changed. I’ve become more involved with my peers. I love my school.”

His involvement at the high school includes president of Latinos in Action, member of debate and yearbook staff, part of the school’s TV show and volunteering with the HOPE Squad.

Cesar is one of the speakers at graduation on May 27; his theme is “Preparing Now for the Future.”

“I will reminisce about high school, what it has been like,” he said about his talk. “My message to the student body will be to make the best of every day so we can become what we want to be in the future.”

His first goal in his future is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon his return he plans to attend college and major in law enforcement or “law in general.”

The young man said he is cautious about the future.

“I want to live it day-by-day,” he said. “I know my capabilities, so I want to try to make the best out of life. There’s always going to be conflict and trials.”

Courtesy

However, he is excited for the eye-opening experience to be out in the world and explore.

As with all the graduating seniors, Cesar still has a long way to go, but his future looks bright.

See below for a listing of the graduation information for high schools across Utah County.

PROVO SCHOOL DISTRICT

Timpview High School, 7 p.m. May 22 at Utah Valley University

Valedictorian: Emma Tueller-Stone

Salutatorian: Karl Edward Ringger

Motto: “It’s not in our stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare

Number in class: 420

Provo High School, 7 p.m. May 26, UVU

Valedictorian: Aisha Lehmann

Salutatorian: Haley Gordon

Motto: “We are here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.” – Robin Sharman

Number in class: 386

NEBO SCHOOL DISTRICT

Maple Mountain High School, 1 p.m. May 27, UVU

Valedictorian: Anthony Scoma

Salutatorian: Samuel Dallon

Motto: “If you can imagine it you can achieve it. If you can dream it you can become it.” – William Arthur Ward

Number in class: 392

Springville High School, 10 a.m. May 27, UVU

Valedictorian: Ian Taylor

Salutatorian: Rebecca Morrison, Cassidy Erickson

Motto: “Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one’s time for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams we plant the seeds of our future.” – Anon.

Number in class: 435

Payson High School, 4 p.m. May 27, UVU

Valedictorian: Catherine Havens

Salutatorian: Olivia M. Fordiani

Motto: “It’s never too late or too early to be whoever you want to be.” – Eric Roth

Number in class: 361

Spanish Fork High School, 7 p.m. May 27, UVU

Valedictorian: Nathan T. Nelson

Salutatorian: Alyssa Cable

Motto: “Rock Solid”

Number in class: 340

Salem Hills High School, 10 a.m. May 28, Salem Hills football field

Valedictorian: Devri Adams

Salutatorian: Sariah Lee

Motto: “Que sera; When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way implicitly and unquestionably.” – Walt Disney

Numbere in class: 422

Landmark High School, 7 p.m. May 26 at Spanish Fork High School

Theme: “Dream, believe, achieve.”

Number in class: 165

Legacy High School, Springville, 7 p.m. May 28, Grant Building, Springville

Theme: “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Henry David Thoreau

Number in class: 14

ALPINE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Alpine Transition and Education Center (ATEC) East, Lindon, 4 p.m. May 27, ATEC campus

Motto: “Be brave. Leave your mark.”

Number in class: 15

ATEC West, Saratoga Springs, 9:30 a.m. May 27, ATEC campus

Valedictorian: Nick Lott

Sal: Kanal Elmadhoun

Motto: “Teamwork works BRAVE”

Number in class: 7

Dan Peterson School, American Fork, 1 p.m. May 27 at the school

Theme: “Fired up about learning.”

Number in class: 8

Polaris High School, Orem, 6:30 p.m. May 27 at Mountain View High School

Theme: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

Number in class: 110

American Fork High School, 9 a.m. May 28, UVU

Valedictorian: Brinley Clayton

Salutatorians: Ashton Jensen, Thomas O’Reilly, Frankie Urrutia

Number in class: 659

Lone Peak High School, 12:30 p.m. May 28, UVU

Valedictorian: Jacob Warner

Salutatorian: Katelyn Jaggi

Motto: “One Senior Year”

Number 761

Pleasant Grove High School, 4 p.m. May 28, UVU

Motto: “Loyal to our G”

Number in class: 644

Lehi High School, 7:30 p.m. May 28, UVU

Motto: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Number in class: 700

Timpanogos High School, 9 a.m. May 29, UVU

Speakers: Kayla Asay, Ansalee Morrison, James Merrell

Motto: “There is no passion to be found in playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela

Number in class: 436

Westlake High School, 12:30 p.m. May 29, UVU

Motto: “How Far We’ve Come!”

Number in class: 586

Orem High School, 4 p.m. May 29, UVU

Valedictorian: Amaya Bickmore

Salutatorian: Nathan Woolley

Theme: “Success occurs when desire, emotion, and knowledge drive action.”

Number in class: 342

Mountain View High School, 7:30 p.m. May 29, UVU

Top speakers: Keaton Carlson, Jeanette Gritton, Sabrina Jex

Motto: “Wherever you go, go with all your heart”. – Confucious

Number in class: 380

Merit College Preparatory Academy, Springville, 4 p.m. May 28, Merit Academy

Valedictorian: Christian Moody

Salutatorian: Joy Petrucka

Theme: “U Knighted”

Number in class: 57

American Heritage School, American Fork, 4:30 p.m. May 22 at school

Co-Valedictorians: Hyeweon Kang, Emma Brady

Salutatorian: Ellie Woo

Motto: Jacob 2:19, Book of Mormon

Number in class: 19

Rockwell Charter High School, Eagle Mountain, 6 p.m. May 28, Thanksgiving Point, Lehi

Valedictorian: Sierra Caryanne Nelson

Salutatorian: Alexis Danielle Meld-Orr

Motto: “There will be haters. There will be doubters. There will be non-believers. And then there will be you, proving them wrong.”

Number in class: 106

Karl Maeser Preparatory Academy, Lindon, 1 p.m. May 29, Alpine Tabernacle, American Fork

Valedictorian: Travis Anderson

Salutatorian: Alexander Hooper

Motto: “The Courage to Become”

Number in class: 67

Pioneer High School for the Performing Arts, American Fork, noon May 29, American Fork Amphitheater.

Valedictorian: Jason Bledsoe, Isaac Gardner, David Hampton

Salutatorian: Sarah Thompson

Number in class: 44

Utah County Academy of Sciences, Orem, 10 a.m. May 21, UVU

Theme: “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

Number in class: 126

Walden School of Liberal Arts, Provo, 5 p.m. May 23, Aspen Grove, Provo

Valedictorian: Elana Mitchell

Salutatorians: Kendall Jacoby, Finn Christensen, Terisita Naurro-Hartridge

Motto: “Be resolutely and faithfully what you are: be humbly what you aspire to be.” – Henry David Thoreau

Number in class: 36

Independence High School, Provo, 5 p.m. May 28, Independence H.S. campus

Number in class: 50