Mother and daughter share same stage at CHS graduation

Stephanie Gaines had many memorable moments during her Calabasas High School graduation ceremony last week, but the most special, she said, was receiving her diploma from her mother.

Stephanie's mother is Jill Gaines, a member of the Las Virgenes Unified School District Board of Education. Long-time Calabasas resident Gaines has known many of the graduates whom she handed diplomas to since they were children.

"It was really one of the nicest moments at graduation," Jill Gaines said. "Some of the parents said it brought back a lot of memories from when their children were little when they saw me up there. It was a lot of fun."

Gaines was elected to the board in November, shortly after the start of her daughter Stephanie's senior year at Calabasas High School.

"Around the end of my junior year, I knew it was something she wanted to do," said Stephanie, 17. "She loves helping the community and making sure that every school's students has good opportunities."

Stephanie said she's thankful for the opportunities she had while in high school, especially in the music and theater department. For four years she has been involved in the school's choirs and has performed in every school play.

"I started beginning band in middle school, and because I switched from A.E. Wright to A.C. Stelle, I was able to switch from band to choir," she said. "I just kept it with me in high school, and it is seriously the best thing I ever did."

Stephanie was secretary of the Theater Arts Club at CHS her junior year and became vice president her senior year. She performed in Bivace, the all-girls advanced choir, this year.

Stephanie considers her involvement with music the most significant part of her high school life. The Heritage Festival trips to New Orleans and Chicago were highlights. The festival program offers learning and travel opportunities to school bands and choirs.

"All my closest friends I've made through the music programs," Stephanie said. "I've had such amazing opportunities.

The Gaines family moved from Sherman Oaks to Calabasas 14 years ago. Stephanie lives with her mother, her father Fred, and her sister Allison, a junior at CHS.

Stephanie's older sister, Danielle, is a music and theater major at Northwestern University.

In August, Stephanie will move to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder where she plans to study elementary education and attend culinary school.