LOOKING TO THEIR FUTURES HIGH SCHOOL GRADS SET TO SPREAD THEIR WINGS.

Byline: LISA M. SODDERS AND SUSAN ABRAM Staff Writers

CANOGA PARK - High up in the stands at Canoga Park High School, Maria and Jose Chavez waited with roses, balloons and a stuffed white bear for their daughter, Heidi, to make family history.

Neither Maria, 47, a housekeeper, nor Jose, 53, a truck driver, ever got more than a sixth-grade education. But on Thursday, Heidi was graduating with honors, and going on to college.

``She's the first to graduate from our family,'' Jose Chavez said in Spanish. ``She's starting a new journey to meet her goals.''

More than 25,700 students from 60 Los Angeles Unified School District high schools will graduate this week in ceremonies across the city, including Birmingham, Canoga Park, Cleveland, Grant, High Tech, Kennedy and Monroe High Schools in the Valley.

And in those graduations, many parents will see a child achieve what they couldn't -- a diploma. For many parents and students alike, that piece of paper symbolized a milestone.

``Very happy. Today is a special day for me,'' said Alis Shamouni, of her son Givargiz Sourani of Grant High School, the first of her children to graduate in a school in the United States.

But although he may be finished with high school, her job isn't over yet, she said. He still has to finish college and get a degree in computers, and then ``when I see that diploma, then I will know how good a job I have done.''

As he prepared to walk onto Grant High School's graduation field Thursday, Cameron Harrison's mother had one simple word: ``Hallelujah!'' Sakantula Harrison exclaimed. ``He's my last one. Finally.''

``Finally,'' repeated many parents at Grant High School's graduation. Under a hot summer sun that has come to define graduation ceremonies in the San Fernando Valley for decades, hundreds of bursting-with-pride parents wielding video cameras and bouquets of flowers cheered on sons and daughters wearing green and black caps and gowns, Grant's school colors.

Graduate Maria Tista, 18, said she could feel her parent's pride. She planned to continue on to college, to become a teacher.

``They feel really happy because they believed in me and they stayed with me all the way,'' she said.

Her friends, Jostyl Ting, 17, and Ja'carl Thomas, 18, said if they could offer one message to their parents, it would be ``Thanks for believing in us.''

Besides pride, Thomas said maybe his parents were a little scared too, ``because we're finally moving out into the world.''

Canoga Park graduate Brittanie Brown, 17, of Sylmar, nervously awaited the ceremony with the other graduates, clad in their choice of either green or white.

``It's the beginning of my adult life, my life after high school,'' she said, half in awe. ``Everything's up to me now.''

Brown plans to go to California State University, Northridge, and major in biology. She wants to be an obstetrician/gynecologist, a goal she developed after seeing her niece born a year ago. But she said a lot of her success was due to the Canoga Park teachers in the school's magnet program who listened to her and encouraged her.

Former music teacher Richard Kravchak left Canoga Park High School last year to teach at Cal State Dominguez Hills. He came back to see the Class of 2006 graduate.

``We're proud of each of our graduates,'' Kravchak said. ``Especially when you think of how many of them don't make it this far. A lot of them are the first in their families to graduate. Many of their parents are working several jobs, and (the students) often have to work to help support the family. I feel it's a privilege to walk with them.''

Juan Hernandez, 48, of Canoga Park, was equally proud of his daughter, Gloria, 19, who graduated from Canoga Park with honors and is the second of his children to go on to college. Older brother Juan, 24, is a mortgage broker.

``It makes me feel good that she's graduating and will have more opportunities to get a good job,'' said a beaming Hernandez.

Looking at the steady stream of parents filing in the stadium he added, ``When I see so many kids graduating, it makes me think the parents did a good job and wanted something better for their children.''

In his valedictorian speech, Grant graduate Hayk Yegoryan compared his class to birds spreading their wings.

``This is it. This is our moment of flight,'' he said. ``I am proud to take a first step, right here, right now, under the scrutiny of all your eyes.''

In other high schools, graduates also reflected on their class experiences.

``We have learned to appreciate the beauty of diversity and embrace individualism in a population of almost 4,000 students,'' Tanya Corpus, senior class president at Birmingham High School said in her speech. ``Showing us the good and the bad of the real world, we have grown up and matured together these past four years and now we will use the knowledge and skills we have acquired to embark on our ultimate test.''

Canoga Park graduate and class president Reginald Green told his fellow grads that they were all created for a purpose.

``It is our time to shine in the outside world,'' Green said. ``Don't ever give up on your dreams and ambitions.''

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) A Birmingham High School graduate searches the stands for loved ones Thursday evening.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) Jeffrey Silverstein prepares to walk in Thursday's graduation ceremony at Ulysses S. Grant High School. Silverstein has been accepted to the University of California at Berkeley.

(3) William Garzca, left, and William Garcia cheer as graduation caps are tossed in the air at the conclusion of the graduation ceremony Thursday at Ulysses S. Grant High School.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(4) Canoga Park High School graduate Omar Munoz gets a hug from Principal Dennis Thompson at commencement.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer