WESTON RANCH – Robert Acoba had a lot to smile about Wednesday morning.

With a brightly colored lei around his neck accenting his white shirt and black tie, the August Knodt eighth grade student was just moments away from culminating his elementary education with more than a hundred other students that have called the Weston Ranch campus home.

For as much of a celebration as the event was, it also marked the beginning of a new journey for the students – most of whom will attend nearby Weston Ranch High School in the fall.

Terese Hailey and Kelli Laughlin sang the National Anthem after the students were seated following the procession.

It was student speaker Alexandra Cirella – who has attended August Knodt since she was a kindergartener – that summarized the collective experiences of the students as they made their way through the grades. From primary grades to intermediate and eventually onto middle school, Cirella laid out the growth that the students enjoyed during that journey and what they have to look forward to.

Clarissa Gonzales and Vincent Agrabio expounded on Cirella’s initial speech.