The University of the Philippines Rural High School (UPRHS) held its First Senior High School Commencement Exercises on June 5 at the D.L. Umali Auditorium, UPLB.

UPRHS prides itself of 25 senior high school (SHS) graduates from the General Academic Strand (GAS) (nine with subspecialization in Accountancy, Business, and Management (GAS-ABM) and 16 with subspecialization in Humanities and Social Sciences (GAS-HUMSS)), 98 from the Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Mathematics (STEAM) Strand, and one special exchange student from the University of Tsukuba Senior High School at Sakado (UTSS) in Saitama, Japan.

Richelle Mae K. Cortez, who was awarded the CAS Dean Academic Excellence Medal, led the pioneer batch of the UPRHS SHS program. Cortez and five others graduated with high honors, and 59 graduates received with honors.

In her valedictory address, Cortez shared her victory with her fellow graduates and expressed her gratitude to everyone who helped them overcome the difficulties in their six years in high school. ■