Since 2020, five classes of Lightridge students have officially graduated and entered into the “real world,”  whatever that is. 

It’s surreal to think about it; these thousands of people who all shared their high school with each other, who are now spread all across the country – maybe the world – walking completely different paths of life.  While they may have all experienced their time as Bolts together, but that doesn’t mean they all look back on it the same way – or even look at their life now the same way. 

So where are some of our former students now? 

Jude Cabral, graduate of the Class of ‘24, went to the Big Apple and is currently a sophomore acting major at New York University.

“Honestly I was a little underprepared in the sense that I just thought I would be going to class…[to] just act and that was it,” said Cabral.  “Goodness gracious, I was wrong in so many ways. It’s amazing. This is what I want to be doing, so I don’t mind the work.”

Cabral stated that Aldie was much slower compared to New York City, and he’s constantly kept busy. Most of his days start at 9am, and he doesn’t get back to his apartment until 9pm – almost 12 hours out of his day is spent in classes and working on performances. 

 “Once a week, I go, ‘I’m not supposed to be here,” said Cabral.  “They messed up my admissions, and they were supposed to send me a ‘no’ because everyone around me here is so good, and I feel like I’m not. But then I have friends coming up to me after I perform a scene, and they say, ‘dude you were so great, you were amazing,’ and it’s like I am supposed to be here. So you’ve really got to trust yourself. If you know what you want, go get it… otherwise, somebody’s going to take it from you.”

While looking back on his high school years, Cabral started chuckling to himself. 

“Lightridge was actually a really cool experience, although I didn’t think that in the moment,” he said. “I was like, ‘just get me out of here, I just want to go to college.’ The teachers that I had were phenomenal in helping me boost my confidence and boost my belief system in myself.”

Other graduates decided to stay closer to home. Aleeza Masood from the Class of ‘25 and is in her freshman year at the Northern Virginia Community College. Masood said that college grants much more independence, as it requires students to do everything on their own. 

“I can just leave [class] whenever I want, I don’t even have to ask to go to the bathroom,” Masood said.

She opted to commute to NOVA’s Annadale campus for her classes, and appreciates the diverse programs and clubs there. Masood is an active member of the music club, as well as the law club. She plans on studying commerce, and to transfer to her dream school: The University of Virginia. Masood is currently working on her undergraduate degree right now as a business major in order to become a corporate lawyer.

“You know how I am,” she said.  “I argue a lot.”

Masood’s high school career was positively impacted due to the bonds she created with administrators and teachers – especially assistant principal Dr. Kimberly Jackson. 

“Her lessons still stick with me to this day. I wish I had a Dr. Jackson at Nova,” said Masood. Dr. Jackson retired from Lightridge on December 31st, 2025.

Ana Zaki also graduated with the Class of 25’, which was a year earlier than expected. After seeing her sister and one of her friends graduate early, she realized towards the end of her sophomore year that she wanted to as well, especially because her dream to become a physician’s assistant in dermatology requires six years of schooling minimum.

“I  didn’t have many credits left to finish either,” Zaki said. “So I said ‘you know what, this is my sign to actually graduate early.’”

After throwing her cap in the air, Zaki dived headfirst into new opportunities, like her job at a local daycare, and her college education. She currently attends NOVA community college, but plans to transfer to George Mason University. 

“One negative thing about college is that people don’t socialize as much,” said Zaki. ” If you do not start a conversation with whoever’s next to you, they will not talk to you.”

Zaki doesn’t hold any major regrets in regards to her early graduation. 

“I would recommend [graduating early] to other students if they’re willing to put in the work and the effort,” she said.

Adam Domanico, class of ‘23, was known in his class for his role in SCA— vice president of student outreach for the entire school, and SCA president by senior year, all at a time when the culture of the school was still being established.

“I would say that that was essential in building my leadership skills and how to work with different people,” said Domanico.

Now, he’s in his junior year at Virginia Tech as a marketing major. Domanico has been working towards this degree and career in marketing for years now. He began this pursuit at Willard Intermediate School (now Willard Middle School). Being the first class at Willard, he was on the first student council as well.

“I remember developing this one commercial for our eighth grade dance, and it aired all across Willard. I thought, ‘yeah, this is what I want to do,’” said Domanico. 

Domanico described how he further developed his passion in Lightridge, taking six marketing classes total during his time at Lightridge. His teachers were instrumental in ensuring that he not only treated marketing as a class, but a potential career as well.

A lot has changed for Domanico from high school to college. 

“Social wise, everything resets. Some of the friends I have now, I don’t think I’d ever be friends with in high school and vice versa,” Domanico says. “You have a chance to start fresh if you want to. Luckily I was able to take my energy, what I liked from Lightridge and bring it and expand it.”

These experienced alumni also had advice for current Lightridge students.

“I advise people to take a lot of DE classes rather than AP,” said Zaki, “‘Cause DE classes are college credits that count towards your college career, whereas AP, it’s not the same, and you have to go through so much stress and so much academically. I personally wish I took way more DE classes.”

Cabral aimed to assure students, especially ones in the theater community that“even negative experiences can teach lessons. “You got people who make fun of us theater kids, but honestly, that just makes me feel better because if I’m not being made fun of, I’m not being weird enough. Even the people that made fun of me at high school helped me understand where I’m at.”

Domanico encourages Lightridge Scholars to constantly seek advice from teachers.

“I think a lot of people don’t understand that they put a lot of time and effort to make sure you succeed,” he said. “That’s one big thing I would have done differently, talked to my teachers a little bit more and asked for advice just outside of the classroom.”

“I would have not hung out with the wrong people… because it made my education suffer,” said Masood. She warned students: “Get your act together, because the real world will kick your behind.”