LYNWOOD, CA – From future engineers and airline pilots to aspiring lawyers and healthcare professionals, seniors at Lynwood and Marco Antonio Firebaugh high schools stepped into the spotlight during annual Decision Day celebrations, recognizing their plans for life after graduation.

At Firebaugh High, more than 100 college, military and career-bound seniors gathered for a campuswide celebration featuring Wingstop, tote decorating, caricature drawings and photo opportunities with friends. Lynwood Unified alumnus and TikTok creator Jesus Zapien visited the event to encourage students and celebrate alongside seniors as they prepared for their next steps.

Firebaugh High valedictorian Brianna Galindo, who will attend the University of California, Irvine to study aerospace engineering, credited Firebaugh’s academic rigor and dual enrollment opportunities through Compton College with helping her prepare for post-secondary education. Galindo will graduate from Firebaugh with two associate degrees, one in arts and humanities and one in behavioral sciences, in addition to her high school diploma.

“Every single thing about Firebaugh has really prepared me for the college journey,” Galindo said. “Dual enrollment challenged me to engage in every lesson, pay attention and mentally prepare myself for that next step.”

At Lynwood High, seniors were called to a balloon-lined stage one by one to announce their post-high school ambitions. Lynwood High senior Orion Williams, who will attend California State University, Los Angeles as a philosophy major, plans to pursue a career as a malpractice lawyer to help people navigate difficult situations and better understand complicated legal frameworks.

“I couldn’t have done it without the College and Career Center,” Williams said. “The Lynwood High community had a big role in our success. The support system between my teachers and friends kept me on the right path, and the vibrance that the school community brings is unmatched. Big things can happen in small cities, and I can’t wait to see all of us who come from Lynwood go on to do big things.”

Both campuses took time during their celebrations to recognize the counselors and support staff who guided students throughout the college and career planning process, helping seniors navigate applications and financial aid through several postsecondary pathways.

“Decision Day acknowledges and recognizes our students’ hard work and shows them that they are Firebaugh,” Firebaugh High counselor Elise Edwards said. “I want the ninth graders who see this event to start thinking that this could be them. All the hard work pays off. We want them to know we are here for it all, especially their life after high school.”

The annual celebrations highlighted Lynwood Unified’s college and career readiness efforts, including dual enrollment opportunities, college and career counseling, financial aid guidance and student support services provided throughout the school year.

“Decision Day is a reminder of what our students inspire in us every day,” Lynwood Unified Superintendent Patrick Gittisriboongul, Ed.D., said. “Every college acceptance, every career plan, every next step reflects the power of their belief in their own futures. We are proud to celebrate with our seniors who are graduating Lynwood Unified prepared to make an impact beyond our campuses.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

LUSD_DECISION_DAY1: Firebaugh High School seniors celebrate their postsecondary plans during the school’s annual Decision Day event, which featured food, activities and photo opportunities in recognition of the college, military and career-bound Class of 2026.

LUSD_DECISION DAY2: Lynwood High School seniors celebrate their next steps during the school’s annual Decision Day event, where students took the stage to share their college and career plans with classmates, counselors, teachers and staff.