“Sami is outgoing, affectionate, and kind-hearted. Sami is humanistic and genuinely cares about forming meaningful human connections. He is persistent and works hard to achieve his goals. He graduated from the Institute of Knowledge and is attending Cal Poly Pomona as a Biology major. “
“Zachary is Reserved, Compassionate, and Caring. Zach is so considerate of people’s feelings. He is an introvert, so often he shows his empathy and care through acts of service. He was just promoted to 8th grade and will be attending high school at the Institute of Knowledge.”
This Story was captured by A Story in Time Photography – Jessie Cadenas with Denise Hernández on second camera, and the assistance of Melissa Quezada. We are Los Angeles, Orange County Wedding Photographers located in the Inland Empire. Our style is Classic, Romantic, and Fun. If you are interested in your Family, Graduation, Quinceañera, Engagement, or Wedding Story being captured, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us using the contact button at the top of this post or HERE.
See and get to know Jessie, the photographer on her personal FACEBOOK PAGE (yeah it’s open. You can stalk, but we can always be friends), but if that’s too weird this is the Business Page! Follow us on Instagram!
He’s following in his dad’s footsteps. Congratulations to all the new graduates.
This Story was captured by A Story in Time Photography – Jessie Cadenas with the assistance of Sidney M. We are Los Angeles, Orange County Wedding Photographers located in the Inland Empire. Our style is Classic, Romantic, and Fun. If you are interested in your Family, Graduation, Quinceañera, Engagement, or Wedding Story being captured, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us using the contact button at the top of this post or HERE.
See and get to know Jessie, the photographer on her personal FACEBOOK PAGE (yeah it’s open. You can stalk, but we can always be friends), but if that’s too weird this is the Business Page! Follow us on Instagram!
The journey of a first-generation college student is rarely easy. What may seem like routine steps for some—applying to college, filling out forms, standing in lines—can feel overwhelming when you’re the first in your family to do it. You wonder if you belong. You hope and pray for acceptance. You dream of the day you’ll walk across that stage and earn your degree. You are the first—but you won’t be the last.
Rosie began her college journey at Santa Ana College in 2018, ultimately earning her Associate of Science in Business Administration in 2023. Life threw unexpected challenges her way—she became a mother, faced the trials of single parenthood, and endured the emotional weight of a difficult custody battle. Despite these obstacles, she persevered. After being accepted to four CSU campuses, Rosie chose to continue her education at Cal State Long Beach, pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems. Go Beach!
Balancing full-time work, full-time studies, and single motherhood, Rosie faced some of the most demanding moments of her life. But she didn’t do it alone. Her parents and daughter were her anchor. Her mom’s warm meals, her dad’s small acts of care—like filling up her gas tank—and her daughter’s energy and love gave her the strength to keep going.
Rosie dedicates this achievement to her family—for their unwavering support, for standing by her in her darkest hours, and for believing in her even when she struggled to believe in herself. On her graduation cap is the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe—a symbol of her faith, her prayers, and the divine guidance that carried her through the hardest days. Her cap is both a tribute and a testament to the strength she found through her spirituality.
Just one month before graduation, in April 2025, Rosie and her family suffered a devastating loss: her grandfather passed away. He came to the United States with hope for a better future for his family. Though he isn’t here to witness this milestone, Rosie knows he is watching over her—proud of the woman and mother she has become.
Rosie hopes her daughter sees this accomplishment and feels inspired. She wants her to dream big, pursue higher education, and go further than she did. As a first-generation college graduate, Rosie is breaking generational cycles. With faith, family, and perseverance, she believes there are no limits to what her daughter—or anyone—can achieve.
This Story was captured by A Story in Time Photography – Jessie Cadenas with the assistance of Melissa Quezada. We are Los Angeles, Orange County Wedding Photographers located in the Inland Empire. Our style is Classic, Romantic, and Fun. If you are interested in your Family, Quinceañera, Engagement, or Wedding Story being captured, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us using the contact button at the top of this post or HERE.
See and get to know Jessie, the photographer on her personal FACEBOOK PAGE (yeah it’s open. You can stalk, but we can always be friends), but if that’s too weird this is the Business Page! Follow us on Instagram!
It doesn’t matter how long it takes, keep going. For Jennifer, this graduation celebration took almost 25 years. A few things came up along the way….like kids. And now more than ever, she is an example to follow.
She has received her BA in Project Management from the University of Arizona. She is currently a Project Engineer but now she plans to… in her own words, “Be a Bad Ass Project Manager.”
This Story was captured by A Story in Time Photography: Jessie Cadenas. If you are interested in your Grad Session, Quinceañera, Engagement or Wedding Story being captured, don’t hesitate to contact us using the contact button at the top of this post or HERE.
To see all pictures taken on this day, visit the Gallery.
Genessis is graduating from La Verne University with a major in Biology. She plans to enter Nursing and ultimately become a nurse anesthetist. Tim is graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Political Science. They both plan to get their master’s in Software Engineering!
They both describe each other as hardworking and supportive. You see in their interaction that they are there for each other.
Tim’s words, “Genessis helped me realize that anything, I wanted to do was possible. She’ll always support me through anything. She will always put others before herself.”
Genessis feelings’, “He’s special to me because no matter how tired he is or how bad of a day he might have, he’s always there to give me 100% and pushing me to be the best version of myself. ”
Throughout these four years of college, they have motivated each other to not give up on their goals and have reminded each other of the future they could build together, while working on their careers. Even though they were not in class together or at the same campus, they would call everyday and work on homework through FaceTime. They love learning from each other every day and try to be each other’s light when life gets hard. They are truly proud of their accomplishments, and look forward to continue working hard together on their journeys to come. ❤️ Tim and Genessis are also both truly grateful for their families and God for being there every step of the way.
This Story was captured by A Story in Time Photography: Jessie Cadenas. If you are interested in your Engagement or Wedding Story being captured, don’t hesitate to contact us using the contact button at the top of this post or HERE.
See and get to know Jessie, the photographer on her personal FACEBOOK PAGE (yeah it’s open. You can stalk, but we can always be friends,) but if that’s too weird this is the Business Page!
