Nearly 20 past and current graduates marched to the familiar strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" and received commemorative medallions at the Baldwin Park Bilingual church. The day’s program listed a total of 100 graduates and students in categories ranging from a firefighter’s certificate to doctorates, from military service to a student awarded a four-year Gates Foundation scholarship at Stanford University. Members and friends warmly affirmed all in a “Summer Alumni Homecoming” service, whether present or now living elsewhere, not just for their diplomas or certificates but for the perseverance involved.

Among those sharing “Words of Praise” at the event was Robert Vaca, DDS. “I was 18 years old when I first came to this church, and I praise God that I am here today. Two forks in the road changed my life: one was when I came to this church. We had Friday-evening discussions, singing, questions; it was great! We moved on to leading Sabbath school,” he said.

“It was a tremendous education, and the leaders accepted the responsibility of guiding the young people. We had all this energy. They said to us, ‘Here’s the Sabbath school. What will you do with it?’ That helped me be what I am today. We had awesome Christian friendships that continue today. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t come to Baldwin Park Bilingual!

“The second fork in my road was when I decided to become a dentist. My parents came from Mexico; neither one had much high school at all. They came here to raise their six kids. They worked hard and taught us to work hard.

“I graduated from academy—it’s a big deal to graduate from high school! Later, I graduated from La Sierra as a teacher and taught for four years, but I was impressed to go on. My wife asked me, ‘Why don’t you become a dentist?’ At first I said, 'I can’t,' but I decided to try it. Well, I just finished dental school at Loma Linda University.”

Pastor Sam Mercado presented a Distinguished Service Award to Andy and Bobby Hoyos and Rudy and Delia Hernandez. Mercado acknowledged their work as “founding fathers of the Adventist bilingual Hispanic work in Southern California Conference. The Baldwin Park Bilingual church was the first bilingual church in our conference and it was formed by Andy Hoyos and Rudy Hernandez,” he said, noting that the church was approaching its 29th anniversary.

Hernandez, his wife, Delia, and Andy and Bobby Hoyos recalled, “We knew we had to do something about English-speaking youth, so we began. Pastor Dan Robles, at the conference level told us, ‘This is of God.’ We didn’t work with youth; we had fun with youth.”

Speaker Jose Rojas, director of the Volunteer Ministries Network and young adult ministries for the North American Division, affirmed the graduates. “We are very proud of each one of you. With the 60 percent dropout rates, Latino achievement is a big deal. Bring honor to God and to your family. Because you are blessed, let everybody be blessed. God called us to do big things. What God has given you, go and give it away. Make the world a better place."