As the Class of 2026 made its final walk down the ramp into the Mineral King Bowl on Tuesday night, two familiar figures were among the first to step onto the field.
Counselors Mrs. Martin and Mr. Cole paused at the blue Ranger head near midfield, reaching out to touch it for good luck before leading 580 graduates toward their seats. Moments later, their work with Redwood’s largest graduating class would officially be complete.
“Being there for our students, seeing them grow through every year, every accomplishment, and then celebrating with them on this day,” Martin said. “It’s beautiful.”
For counselors, graduation is a different kind of ending. While teachers often know students through a single class or school year, counselors watch students’ entire high school journeys unfold. They see schedule changes, college applications, personal struggles, academic recoveries, and the countless conversations that happen behind closed office doors.
“I think seeing the kids grow in confidence over the years,” Cole said. “That’s something that’s very personal, so we see it in our offices. It’s fun to see it finally, four years later.”
This year’s class leaves behind a record of its own. According to Martin, the Class of 2026 is Redwood’s largest graduating class and achieved the highest A-G completion rate in the district, and potentially in Tulare County.
As graduates celebrated on the field with friends and family, neither counselor sounded ready to spend much time looking backward.
“Are you ready to start over in the fall?” they were asked.
“Yes, I’m so excited,” Martin said. “We’re ready for the freshies.”
Cole agreed, joking about the annual arrival of a new freshman class, while Martin noted that the counseling office always keeps extra deodorant on hand for ninth graders finding their way through those first awkward weeks of high school.
But before turning their attention to the Class of 2030, both counselors took a moment to reflect on the students they had just sent into the world.
“So very proud of our seniors,” Martin said. “Words won’t be able to really say exactly how I’m feeling, but I’m feeling so happy and proud. I love my job. I love working for Redwood, and I love our seniors.”
Cole offered a similar reflection.
“Very proud of them,” he said. “Honestly, coming to work every day, I enjoy it. I love it. Kids keep us young.”
For one final evening, the counselors walked alongside the students they had guided for four years. Then, like the graduates themselves, they stepped forward toward whatever comes next.
nmiller
Imagine spending your days talking about ideas that you love with people you genuinely care about. Not bad, that. I advise some journalists and teach some literature at Redwood High School in Visalia, Ca.
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