El Toro High School

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El Toro High School Class of 2026 Steps Forward with Charger Pride

June 5, 2026

A crowd of graduates in blue gowns and caps are seated in bleachers, with some wearing leis, while others in the background are also seated and dressed similarly.
Four graduates in caps and gowns are gathered in front of a brick wall, with one student adjusting another's cap.
Three smiling graduates in blue and white gowns and caps, adorned with leis, pose in front of a brick wall.
Graduates in blue gowns and caps sit on a green field in the foreground, while a crowd of spectators fills bleachers in the background under a clear sky.
A smiling graduate in a blue cap and gown with a red stole stands in the foreground, while a crowd of similarly dressed graduates and spectators are visible in the blurred background under a twilight sky.
Graduates in white gowns toss their caps in the air on a green field with a stadium and a clear sky in the background.
A person in the foreground holds up a phone to photograph a group of people in traditional attire, with a brick wall in the background.
Graduates in white gowns and caps walk across a green field towards a stadium filled with spectators under a clear sky.

El Toro High School celebrated 444 graduates during its commencement ceremony on June 4 in the stadium, honoring a class recognized for academic achievement, program excellence, and strong Charger pride.

The Class of 2026 earned more than $1.83 million in accepted merit and academic scholarships, reflecting a wide range of accomplishments across campus programs. The graduating class included 98 AP Capstone Diploma recipients, 49 STEAM Academy graduates, 68 State Seal of Biliteracy earners, and 13 National Honor Society members. El Toro’s AVID program also celebrated a 100% admission rate to four-year universities among its participating students.

Student speakers Azria Acosta and Julia Kennedy shared reflections on their experiences, highlighting friendships, growth, and the impact of their time at El Toro.

Principal Dr. Jimmy Martin, an El Toro alumnus, addressed graduates with a message centered on the lasting identity of being a Charger.

"At the beginning of the year, we asked you to be respectful, responsible, and kind anytime you were on 'ET Time,' meaning at school or school events," Martin said. "But tonight, I realize we were wrong about that. ET Time does not end at graduation. ET Time lasts the rest of your life, because as the saying goes, 'Once a Charger, always a Charger.' Class of 2026, thank you and, as always… Go Chargers!"

Following graduation, 59.8% of students plan to attend community college, 27.9% will enroll in four-year universities, 3.4% will attend trade schools, 3.9% will enter the military, and 5% will enter the workforce.

The ceremony marked both an ending and a continuation of identity, as graduates left El Toro prepared to carry forward the values, pride, and “ET Time” mindset into their next chapter. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District congratulates the Class of 2026 and celebrates their achievements and future success.