LOS FELIZ—On June 11th 22 8th grade students graduated from Our Mother of Good Counsel School in Los Angeles.

Congratulations: Marcus Droz, Alexia Gradford, Brooke Roth, Ryan Elias, Arlene Gonzalez, Stephanie Droz, Ryan Miranda-Cacdac, Eric Sweasey, Andy Ovakimyan, Kailey Martinez-Ramage, Francis Laborte, Diana Petrosyan, Michael Datuin, Aaron Wada, Amy Noochlaor, Gabriela Chaparro, Janet Shin, Madeleine Grillo, Kevin Huerta, Sooji Nam, Jullyanna Mendez, and Anna Enriquez.

Also present was their 8th grade teacher Jane Jayaraj and principal Andrea Deebs.

On June 5th, Ivanhoe’s 4th grade Girl Scout troop 1835 went on their first camping overnight to a campsite in San Dimas and left no trace.

The troop didn’t disappear into thin air; they practiced an outdoor ethics program called “Leave no Trace.”

Luna Garcia loved preparing food outdoors, which she said was challenging but enjoyable. “We made several things including chili with cornbread, and s’mores, of course!” Luna said.

“It was a fun learning experience to work as a team. It gave the girls that didn’t know each other as well a chance to bond,” said Coco Nelson.

There were even some high jinx.

“The best part of the trip was when we explored and found a dark tunnel covered in algae and scared the other girls by jumping out at them,” said Rowan O’Bryan.

Troop leaders Roseanne Harber, Samantha Follows and Pamela Dreyfuss, were so pleased with their troop’s commitment to “Leave No Trace” that they’re gamely planning next year’s trip, already.

On June 10th, my classmates and I all left for the last time as students.

Over the seven years my class and I have been at The Oaks, it has always has been a second home. This column is my way to say goodbye to the school I love.

I am attending Oakwood next year, so this is the last column I will write about The Oaks. The teachers and staff at The Oaks have prepared me, and everyone in my class, for whatever might happen next on our journey.

I want to thank, more than anybody else, my classmates. They were always there to help me when, for example, I stumbled a line in “Much Ado About Nothing.” They always cheered me up when I was feeling down, and they were always there to make me laugh.