The countdown until graduation is on!
Graduation is at 10 a.m. on May 17 in the BJHS gym. Many seniors are excited to graduate but sad to leave high school behind.
“I’m excited for graduation because I get to go to college and be an adult,” senior Jake Van Horn said.
More and more opportunities seem to open up after you graduate.
“I am excited to graduate from high school because I get to meet new people,” senior John Francis Onyenagubo said.
This year’s featured speaker at graduation is BHS alumni Andreas Brandenberger. He attended BHS and was very involved in school activities and high school life, despite having to live life overcoming a physical disability.
Brandenberger was born with phocomelia, a birth defect that caused undeveloped arms. Though only having arms that go to where his elbows would be, Brandenberger gets along quite well. He graduated from Baldwin High in 2005 with our BHS principal, Kelly Haeffner.
“It’s a great honor to be asked to come back and speak at commencement 20 years after I graduated from Baldwin,” Brandenberger said.
In high school, Brandenberger participated in sports as often as he could, and got involved in wrestling all four years of high school, going to 4A State his senior year.
“Some of my fondest memories revolve around my wrestling career,” Brandenberger said. “Making it to State my senior year and keeping that promise I made when I first started wrestling in my freshman year. Honorable mention memories were watching the football games on Friday nights.”
Brandenberger had many coaches and teachers in high school. His wrestling coach, Kit Harris, had a big impact on him.
“The coach that had the biggest impact on me was Kit Harris, wrestling coach. He instilled the confidence in me on day one and knew I could be a great wrestler,” Brandenberger said. “He believed in me before I did. And my favorite teacher was Charles Holvet. He could tell the best stories.”
Wrestling is a tough sport, even more with a disability. Brandenberger accepted the challenge and fought through.
“Living is hard and living with a disability can be even harder – my advice to anyone with a disability is to write your own story, don’t let anyone dictate your life to you,” Brandenberger said. “Just because life is hard doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Enjoy the little things in life. Do what your heart leads you to do and do it to the best of your ability.”
In his life, Brandenberger has not let his situation set him back. He has done snowboarding, water skiing, run road races, and one of his favorite hobbies is golf. The golf company PING created a special set of clubs for him to use. Brandenberger is about to run in a marathon soon.
Brandenberger was born in Athens, Greece before coming to America. He has been back to his hometown before and had a good experience.
“I have had the great fortune to travel – both across America and to Europe a few times. Going back to my native Greece was my absolute favorite so far,” Brandenberger said. “My advice to anyone is to travel as much as you can and see what the beautiful world has to offer.”
For Brandenbereger, doing regular things that we do in our everyday life can be challenging.
“Being born with a disability has proved to be my biggest challenge – everything in life requires a little bit more effort to accomplish,” Brandenberger said. “From chores around the house to working out at the gym and even playing golf. I have adapted well over the years and can manage everything life throws at me.
Brandenberger lives in San Diego, California. He has worked with many golf companies and programs.
“I’m proud that I have made it this far in life- I recently turned 38, I have a good job, I live in San Diego, a 5-minute walk from the beach, I have the best dog in the world, get to work with amazing golf companies and programs and lead adaptive golf events. And very shortly will complete my first ever Marathon,” Brandenberger said. “A lifelong bucket list that I made while I was in High School. I have lots more goals to go and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”