THE GARDEN GROVE High School Class of 2019 is escorted onto the field at Michael Monsoor Stadium. At left is principal Todd Nirk; school board president Lan Quoc Nguyen is at right (Orange County Tribune photos).

The journey of a thousand term papers, bio tests, track laps, tears and giggles is ending for thousands of students graduating from high schools in the communities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster this week.

By Friday, tassels will be turned, last-time parties will be held and eyes will be turned toward college, jobs, the military and other paths en route to adulthood.

ASHLEY CARLOS was one of the featured student vocalists at the commencement.

At Garden Grove High School, the GGHS Class of 2019 was the 97th commencement on Thursday for one of the oldest secondary schools in Orange County. Five hundred and fifty students got their diplomas, posed for proud parents’ photos and sang that old Alma Mater, perhaps for the last time.

The ceremonies were held at the on-campus Michael Monsoor Stadium in front of a packed house.

Other commencement ceremonies were held later in the day there for students from La Quinta and Rancho Alamitos high schools.

On Friday, the classes of 2019 of Bolsa Grande, Los Amigos and Santiago will be graduated.

Pacifica High’s commencement will be held on Friday at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, while Hare (Continuation) High graduated its students today (Thursday) on campus.  They are all part of the Garden Grove Unified School District.

For the schools of the Huntington Beach Union High School District, commencement activities were held on Wednesday and Thursday.

MONSOOR STADIUM was filled Thursday for the GGHS graduation ceremonies.