LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Orinda Academy Sends Off its Graduating Class of 2016

The Orinda Academy said goodbye to 22 graduates earlier this month. The graduates are heading off to colleges such as Cornell, CSU Chico, Liberty University, California Poly Pomona, California Maritime Academy, Saint Mary's, University of Arizona, Whitman College, Penn State University, Boise State University and University of Redlands.

Orinda Academy is a college preparatory school for students in grades 8 through 12 who are bright and creative but might learn differently. It has been serving a diverse population of Bay Area students since 1982. Its mission is to provide a structured, supportive college preparatory education that compassionately engages all learners as active members of its diverse community and empowers them to achieve their potential as successful, confident, self-reliant individuals.

Here are the members of the graduating class:

Michael Bell from Antioch

June Borgese from Pleasanton

Inna Broadbent from Alameda

Paula Fogel from Richmond

Chris Hanna from Benicia

Cameron Home from Moraga

Michael Humphrey from Danville

Alain Javier from Oakland

Samantha Levy from Danville

Michael Miller from Moraga

Nicholas Mizin from Walnut Creek

Julissa Molina-Vega from Oakland

Ivan Monastyrev from Concord

Aniayh Morris from Oakland

Junyi "Jimmy" Ruan from China

Isaiah Salesian from Berkeley

Dylan Seidler from El Cerrito

Taylor Ungson from Albany

Tereza Vankova from Czech Republic

Karolina Vodrazkova from Czech Republic

Siwei "Alex" Wang from China

Peter Wright from Lafayette