‘We’re the Lucky Ones,’ Grad Tells Canyon Crest Academy Class of ’13

Story and photos by Ken Stone

Taimur Rehan may have said it best at Canyon Crest Academy’s graduation Friday afternoon.

Despite crises in the news and leaving high school in a year ending with an unfortunate number, “We’re the lucky ones of 2013,” he said.

Rehan, one of three student speakers, continued: “You all can and will change the world. I know this because you changed me. I came out of Canyon Crest a better person.”

With hundreds of family members and friends seated only yards from the graduates—on a breeze-cooled basketball court near the ballfields—about 450 CCA students celebrated commencement.

But many of the grads wore mortarboards adorned with the names of colleges and universities where they’ve been accepted.

Friday was a finale for Principal Brian Köhn as well.

Although he never mentioned it during his remarks, he’s leaving CCA after 12 years, half as principal, for the same job at Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.

Other Raven student speakers were Jess Tierney and Jack Conway. 

See videos: Principal’s Parting Words of Advice to Canyon Crest Academy Grads