LAHAINA — Despite the ominous cloud of the pandemic, the Lahainaluna High School graduating Class of 2022 illuminates a sunlit passage to success for the 220 seniors who walked the line at the ceremony held at Sue D. Cooley Stadium on the historic West Side campus on May 22.

Senior class Advisor Jackie Ellis described them as “… Resilient and persevering in the face of very tough obstacles. These seniors worked through some very difficult learning situations and came through to graduation in a most honorable way.”

The ceremony was an in-person event that was limited to eight invited guests for each graduate. Masks were required during the lei ceremony, and photos were allowed to be taken without masks.

Over 60 percent of the class received academic honors, highlighted by the 26 Valedictorians as well as the 58 Summa Cum Laude, 26 Magna Cum Laude and 47 Cum Laude honors recipients.

The Class of 2022 Valedictorians included Lorraine Joyce Aguilar, Karleina Bettencourt, Maile Cacal, Julianna Beatrix Cruz, Kameleonalani Detweiler, Dawson Doan, Ryunosuke Hattori, Almarie Idnay, Jasmyne Imamoto, Amy Khoang, Hailey Killett, Julius Lagazo, Julie Anne Limon, Mark Rey Marine, Asiale McKenzie, Alexis Nordblom, Charles Orville Onate, Josh Andre Pagdilao, Piper Pascua, Tricia Pascua, Kalolaine Pasikala, Allison Rante, Angie Serna Lopez, Arabella Silao, Dreyson Anthony Valiente and Colton West.

Academic honors were awarded to Raiden Baraoidan, Maile Cacal, Maxx Cherry, Cruz Cosner, Juliana Beatrix Cruz, Kameleonalani Detweiler, Dawson Doan, Ryunosuke Hattori, Nephi Hong, Almarie Idnay, Howard Van Ilustre, Jasmyne Imamoto, Rea Nicole Ingan, Jeremy Jimenez, Julius Jimenez, James Aubrey Johnson, Amy Khoang, Hailey Killett, Liana Labrador, Julius Lagazo, Angelina Lai, Julie Anne Limon, Asiale McKenzie, Kailani Medeiros Sodetani, Adrian Josh Munar, Jacqueline Nguyen, Alexis Nordblom, Josh Andre Pagdilao, Emily Partridge, Piper Pascua, Tricia Pascua, Kaloaine Pasikala, Ma Eugene Pineda, Allison Rante, Arabella Silao, Mei Mei Welch Bernasek, Colton West and Joseph Winkie.

Some 46 graduates — many of them on the academic list as well — received STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and Career Technical Education recognition.

Varying fields such as clinical health, automotive technology, culinary arts, digital media, management, marketing, plant design and maintenance, retail marketing, design technology, and engineering exemplified the accomplishments of this senior class.

Special attention was given to three graduating seniors in the biliteracy program at Lahainaluna. Juliane Beatrix Cruz (English, Tagalog), Emely Lopez (English, Spanish), and Galilea Rendon (English, Tagalog) all received the Seal of Biliteracy Recognition during the ceremony.

Across the board, the Class of 2022 excelled in the athletic arena as well. The Lunas dominated the Maui Interscholastic League in football, girls basketball, wrestling, water polo, cheerleading, and swimming, and they made impressive runs at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association tournaments as well.

All of these accomplished efforts did not go unnoticed by the scholarship committees locally and beyond.

Some 60 awards went to members of the Class of 2022 and represented the genuine care and generosity of the West Side community, the State of Hawaii and national organizations across the county.

Particularly in these unprecedented times of challenge, we recognize the strength and perseverance of all involved in the higher education in the community. To one and all, congratulations and malama pono.