ALAMOSA — Alamosa High School’s top two graduating seniors reminded an estimated 800 people attending their 2021 graduation Saturday at the AHS sports stadium that they and their 100-plus classmates just completed a historic year.

Both valedictorian Aimee Nicodemus and salutatorian Jedrick Sanders talked about a senior year marked by a combination of virtual online and in-person learning thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both also singled out teachers and staff that made a difference in their lives this past year.

Nicodemus recognized all of the extracurricular activities that helped she and her classmates survive a pandemic year and noted that growing up in the San Luis Valley taught them “resilience and preservation.”

Senior Eldin Lopez Pascual had the honor of announcing the Class of 2021 senior class gift, the Mean Moose logo painted on the city water tower across the street from the school. The city and school district shared costs associated with the painting.

Dayzha Bowen and Lyric Wood had the pleasure of revealing the class banner which will hang in the school commons area stating, “Some have a story, we made history.”

Scott Schweitzer was revealed as the “teacher of the year” by graduates Angelyn Jackson and Case Zimmerman as voted on by the class.

The AHS Class of 2021 chose “Congratulations” by Post Malone as their class song, the black-tipped burgundy rose as their class flower and maroon and black as the class colors. A statement by Maya Angelou was the class quote, “If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark that can’t be erased.”