Thurgood Marshall Secondary School

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards Ceremony!

We are honoring Kaedyn Juntilla, the recipient of the Greg Diamond Scholarship.

Greg Diamond, the father of Principal Lori Touloumian, passed away on April 2, 2019. Principal Lori Touloumian shared, "My father's wisdom always provided me comfort during difficult times in my life, and he was always the first to give me a big high five when it was time to celebrate. My father held education in high regard. He faced challenges in accessing educational opportunities throughout his life. He persevered despite the poverty that he and his family endured following the Armenian Genocide."
Mr. Diamond served in the US Army during the Korean War, attended Fresno State, and later UCLA, where he studied Aerospace Engineering. He eventually secured a position at JPL, contributing to the Apollo 11 mission that successfully landed Neil Armstrong on the moon. In his honor, the Diamond Family established a scholarship awarded to a graduating senior who, despite facing hardships, has remained committed to education and demonstrates great potential for a successful future. The Greg Diamond Scholarship was presented by Principal Lori Touloumian.
Kaedyn will commence his post-secondary education at Mt. San Antonio College. Congratulations, Kaedyn!

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards Ceremony!
Honoring Emma Brown, the inaugural recipient of the Elise Diamond Scholarship.
Elise Diamond, mother to Principal Lori Touloumian, passed away on May 26, 2025.
Ms. Diamond had a celebrated career as an opera singer and a lifetime committed to her faith. She was born in Beirut, Lebanon, as the eldest of six children. Elise excelled in her studies and showcased her remarkable vocal talent from a young age. She earned a scholarship to the Music Conservatory of Beirut, where her performances caught the eye of a prominent Polish opera singer who mentored her and facilitated the start of her professional training. In 1959, Ms. Diamond moved to the United States with just $50 and enrolled at what would eventually become the California Institute of the Arts. She pursued music and vocal performance, learning to sing in seven languages. She made history as the first female graduate in her field at CalArts. After starting her family, she returned to school to achieve a Master’s degree in Opera from the University of Southern California School of Music. The Elise Diamond Scholarship was presented by Principal Lori Touloumian on behalf of the Diamond Family.
Emma will begin her post-secondary education at Cal Poly Pomona. Congratulations!

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards!
Honoring Theo Ortega, who has received the First District PTA Commemorative Scholarship. This scholarship is given to a graduating high school senior planning to further their education in college and who is a member of the local PTSA at the time of their application. Candidates must have a GPA of at least 2.0 and exhibit a strong history of community service and/or participation in school activities, as well as hold a part-time, after-school, or summer job, and/or take on extra responsibilities at home. The award was presented by Ms. Jennifer Vargo, Vice President of Membership at the First District PTA.
Theo will begin his post-secondary education at the University of California, Los Angeles. Congratulations.

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards!
Honoring Jade Anderson and Davon Rhone, the recipients of the Hopes and Dreams Scholarship. Since 2020, this scholarship has been granted to two Black students annually, initiated during the significant Black Lives Matter Movement. Its aim is to empower and elevate the unique hopes, dreams, and voices of students. This award is generously sponsored by Martin and Katrina Ortega, parents of a Marshall student, and presented to Jade and Davon at the Hell/Goodbye Pep Rally. This scholarship represents one of the Ortega's philanthropic efforts to foster the development of future scholars.
Jade was a member of the Marshall Cheer Team and will begin her post-secondary education at Pasadena City College. Davon was a member of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team and will begin his post-secondary education at Glendale Community College. Congratulations!

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards Ceremony!
We are proud to recognize Emma Detwiler, Leilani Ogletree, Jiwon Shin, and Nikolai (Niko) Valenzuela-Aguiar, each a recipient of the 2026 Marshall PTSA Scholarship. Each scholar was selected based on their essay submission in response to one of three prompts: 1) Their community involvement, 2) Volunteering and their role, or 3) Their experience at Marshall. Each prompt asked the scholars to reflect on their personal roles, the impact they made, and/or the lessons they learned. The scholarships were presented by Mr. Warren Bleeker, Marshall PTSA President.
These scholarship recipients will pursue their post-secondary plans as follows: Emma, UC Berkeley; Leilani, Clark University; Jiwon, UC San Diego; and Niko, Cal State University, Los Angeles. Congratulations to all!

We celebrate Lauren Garnett, the recipient of the Links Scholarship. The Pasadena/Altadena Chapter of Links grants scholarships to exceptional African American students graduating from the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD). The Links scholarship was presented by Ms. Asha Muldro.
Lauren showcased her leadership skills at Marshall as the founder and president of the Women in Business (WIB) Club. She is set to commence her post-secondary education at Howard University, a renowned private historically Black research university located in Washington, D.C. Congratulations, Lauren!

From the Thurgood Marshall Senior Awards Ceremony!
Celebrating Rolando Dominguez, Laylah Munoz (not pictured), and Christopher Romero, recipients of the Sierra Madre Rotary Scholarship. The SM Rotary Scholarship is awarded to students who will begin their post-secondary studies and who have shown leadership, volunteered, and served their community. Each student is being awarded a scholarship of $950.00. These scholars will begin their post-secondary education as follows: Rolando at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, and Laylah and Christopher at Pasadena City College. Congratulations!

Celebrating Jiwon Shin, honored with the National Charity League Scholarship presented by Shannon Snear. The Pasadena Chapter of the National Charity League awards scholarships to students who demonstrate a commitment to community service, leadership, and cultural enrichment. Jiwon has served the Marshall community in numerous ways. She was the President of the Class of 2026 during her 11th and senior years. She will begin her college education at the University of California, San Diego. Congratulations!

On this day - June 16 - in 1967, “Legal Eagle” Thurgood Marshall was nominated for the Supreme Court by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Having previous success in landmark school desegregation case, Brown vs. Board of Education (1951), and even several years prior in California in Mendez vs. Westminster (1943, in appellate phase), Marshall, then the leader of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, had a reputation as a staunch and formidable advocate for civil rights. He was confirmed later that October as the first African American United States Supreme Court Justice.

May our Thurgood Marshall Eagles continue to uphold Justice Marshall’s legacy by exemplifying our values of Embracing Diversity, Acting Responsibly, Leading with Integrity, and Engaging in Learning.

Happy Summer, Eagle Family!

Congratulations to Olyvia Moran, the recipient of The Reid Gorecki Memorial Scholarship. "Oly" was granted this scholarship because she met the criteria of using her artwork to enhance her own mental health and/or making a direct impact on youth mental health initiatives at Marshall and/or in the community. We are all aware of her amazing photojournalism skills. "Oly" will begin her post-secondary education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The scholarship was presented by Ms. Alicia Gorecki, Artist, and Reid's mother. https://reidgoreckifoundation.org/pusd