One of the most touching moments of San Pedro High School’s 50th Graduation Ceremony was the presence of the school’s very first graduating class. As the Class of 2026 celebrated becoming the institution’s historic 50th graduating class, they were joined by the pioneers who started it all fifty years ago.
The Class of 1976, San Pedro High School’s first graduating class, consisted of just ten students. Four young women: Clarita Ancona Paz, Odilia Salazar, Lydia Gonzalez Lavin, and Millie Castillo; and six young men: Abel Guerrero, Efrain Guerrero, Orlando Trejo, Mito Paz, James Azueta, and Pedro Vasquez.
At this year’s ceremony, Odilia Salazar, Abel Guerrero, and Pedro Vasquez were present to represent their classmates. Some were unable to attend, others now live abroad, and sadly, some have passed on and remain with us only in our hearts and memories. Their presence served as a powerful reminder of how far San Pedro High School has come.
San Pedro High 50 Years Ago
Fifty years ago, these young men and women walked across the graduation stage not knowing what the future held, nor imagining the impact San Pedro High School would have on generations of island students. At the time, San Pedro was still a quiet fishing village with sandy streets, a close-knit community, and few opportunities for higher education. Yet they took a leap of faith and became the first graduates of an institution that would eventually help shape thousands of lives.
The school invited the Class of 1976 to participate in the Candle Lighting Ceremony, one of the most symbolic moments of the evening. Standing before the graduating Class of 2026, they passed the ceremonial light of leadership to the incoming senior class, symbolizing the transfer of knowledge, tradition, responsibility, and hope from one generation to the next.
It was a fitting tribute.
These men and women were recognized as the dreamers of their time, students who pursued secondary education when such opportunities were far less common. They helped establish the foundation upon which every graduating class since has built.
A message from the Class of 1976, written by class member Mito Paz, was shared with the graduates.
“Today is more than a graduation ceremony; today is history,” the message began. “Fifty years ago, a small group of us stood exactly where you are standing today. We were full of dreams, uncertainty, and excitement, walking across the stage as the very first graduating class of this institution. As we watch you prepare to make your own mark on the world, we feel an immense sense of pride in the legacy that began with us and flourishes beautifully through you.”
The message reflected on a very different San Pedro in 1976.
“Back then, San Pedro was a quiet fishing village. Our streets were made of white sand, our homes were cooled by the Caribbean breeze, and the barrier reef was an extension of our backyards. We didn’t just live next to nature; we lived with it.”
Perhaps most moving was their acknowledgment of the people who made San Pedro High School possible.
“In 1976, we could not have imagined how far this school would come, how many lives would be changed, or how deeply this institution would shape the future of San Pedro and Belize. Today, we honor the pioneers, Maestro Angel Nuñez and Frank Nuñez, who believed that education could transform a fishing village into a thriving community.”
“We honor the teachers who taught with limited resources but unlimited dedication. We honor the parents who sacrificed so their children could have opportunities they never had. And we honor every student who wore this uniform with pride over the past five decades.” (You can read it in its entirety by clicking Here)
As the Class of 2026 celebrated their accomplishments, they did so standing on the shoulders of the ten graduates who came before them five decades ago. Their story is woven into the very fabric of San Pedro High School. From ten graduates in 1976 to 153 graduates in 2026, the school’s journey is a testament to the vision, determination, and belief that education could change lives.
The first graduating class may have been small in number, but their legacy is enormous. Fifty years later, the light they helped ignite continues to shine brighter than ever.
