Guest Column: The Graduation Tradition Continues

— by Kathi Ciskowski —

Cheering crowds, 28 elated graduates, music, officials, awards (both monetary and academic), caps and gowns, adoring teachers, and a surprise visit from the recently departed Orcas Island renegade bear, all were present at the Graduation Ceremony for the Orcas Island High School class of 2017 on
Sat., June 17 in the High School gym.

With the Orcas Island High School Band and Strings providing the Inspirational processional music, “Pomp and Circumstance,” the class enthusiastically walked, two by two, up to their chairs while community members, families, friends and whoever wanted to be there, settled into their seats. The National Anthem and the flag salute reverberated through the gym before School Board chairman, Chris Sutton, welcomed everyone; followed by another welcome from Superintendent Eric Webb.

High School Principal Kyle Freeman recognized the K-12 staff and proudly introduced the many students who had achieved various honors including: 11 who had a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher; three who were in the National Honor Society; 13 who had attended Orcas Island Public Schools for all 12 years and four who were awarded a Washington State Seal of Biliteracy.

The Orcas Island community is traditionally very generous in the financial support of graduates and this year 23 organizations (some offering multiple scholarships) awarded $116,000 to a selection of students who went through the individual organizational application process and had been selected based on each group’s own criteria. Eighteen different students were the recipients of these awards, many being awarded more than one scholarship. (The list of awards follows this article).

At the heart of any commencement celebration are the speeches. Class Salutatorians, Luke Bronn and Bethany Hansen spoke (in tandem) about some of the unique traits of each one of their classmates. Senior class president, Matia Schwartz, took that theme a step further when she told stories
about some of the qualities of the class as a whole. Pranks were definitely remembered with fondness.

Emma Heikkinen, Valedictorian, shared humorous observations about the challenges of a quiet person in the role of a commencement speaker but encouraged her fellow classmates to have their own voices as they go out into the world. She will be going to Grinnell College in Iowa next year.

Honoring a teacher with a $1000 gift from the senior class is a relatively new tradition at OIHS. A donor has made this money available and the class chooses a faculty person that has made a big difference. New senior class member Tara Dobos announced school counselor Nancy Wrightsman as recipient of the award; she accepted it and the standing ovation with genuine surprise and gratitude.

Former elementary school principal/teacher/counselor Coleen O’Brien warmly offered the commencement address. She reassured the class that it was okay to not know exactly what they would be doing in the future and that they may well find themselves doing work that hasn’t even been invented yet. Laughter from the room greeted her admonishment to the class: “Don’t do anything stupid, but if you do, don’t put it on Facebook”.

Prior to the presentation of diplomas and the turning of the tassels, came the traditional slideshow. Each graduate was highlighted with a few slides from babyhood to now, a photo of their families and many scenes of the class itself in different video moments. One of the most touching scenes showed the class walking down the elementary school hallway in graduation gowns and “high fiving” the smiling youngsters who may one day be doing the same thing for the ones coming behind them.

So, the bear…Swimming to Orcas a couple of weeks before graduation, a black bear surprised everyone by making himself at home on the island Although the Fish and Wildlife folks were able to capture him and return him to the wild, the class made him a star of the slideshow video telling the imaginary story of their search for him. In a sneaky and surprise return to the island, he (or the human in the bear suit) was spotted running through the graduation crowd after the recessional. Capping the afternoon was crowded mingling and cupcake eating in the Commons.

The graduates: Bethany Hansen, Grayson White, Evan Murphy, Jordan Randolph, Tara Dobos, Emma Heikkinen, Cyrus Amour, Lucas Bronn, Michael Chesher, Ricardo DeAnda, Jr., Carlos Erazo, Rodrigo Erazo, Ella Conrad, Ingrid Figueroa, Axel Greening, Miles Harlow, Stephen Hohman, Jr., Charlie Holmes, Aidan Kruse, Rowan Lister, Devon Mann, Kai McGregor, Henry McMurray, Pearl Mudd, Sandra Rost, Gunnar Sandwith, Matia Schwartz, Olivia Smith.

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS

American Legion
American Legion Citizenship Award  — Devon Mann $250
American Legion Citizenship Award  — Luke Bronn $250
Voyle B. Martin Post 93 Academic Scholarship  — Bethany Hansen $1500
Claude A. Rubeling Memorial Academic Scholarship  — Emma Heikkinen $1500
Claude A. Rubeling Memorial Academic Scholarship  — Luke Bronn $1500
Jack Cadden Memorial Academic Scholarship  — Miles Harlow $1500

Sons of the American Legion
Steve Resch Memorial Scholarship — Bethany Hansen $2500

American Legion Auxiliary Scholarships
Sally Hart Memorial Scholarship  — Miles Harlow $1500
Lar Vern Key Memorial Scholarship  — Jordan Randolph $1500
Mid Flaherty Memorial Scholarship  — Charlie Holmes $1500
ALA Scholarship Honoring Carol Clark  — Emma Heikkinen $1500
ALA Scholarship Honoring Jan Cleveland  — Bethany Hansen $1500
Islanders Bank Scholarships  — Bethany Hansen $1000

Madrona Club Scholarships
Madrona Club  — Bethany Hansen $1000
Madrona Club  — Grayson White $1000
Robin DiGeorgio Scholarship  — Rowan Lister $2000

Orcas Island Education Foundation Scholarships
Academic Scholarship  — Emma Heikkinen $1000
Academic Scholarship  — Bethany Hansen $1000
Academic Scholarship  — Luke Bronn $1000
Academic Scholarship  — Devon Mann $1000
Dare to Dream Scholarship  — Matia Schwartz $500
Dare to Dream Scholarship  — Ella Conrad $500
Dare to Dream Scholarship  — Rowan Lister $500
OIEF/Marian Berdan Scholarship
Supporting women pursuing studies in math or science  — Bethany Hansen $500
OIEF/Realtors Scholarships  — Sandy Rost $1000 and — Devon Mann $1000

Orcas Education Association Scholarship  — Rowan Lister $500

PSE Scholarships
Jordan Randolph $200
Ella Conrad $200

Orcas Online Scholarship — Michael Chesher $500

Orcas Island Booster Club Scholarships
Jordan Randolph $500
Rowan Lister $500

Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Supported by the Thyra and Bud Anderson Advised Fund
Marilynn Anderson Young Musician’s Award — Michael Chesher $500

San Juan County Sheriff’s Guild Scholarships — Rowan Lister $500
Ingrid Figueroa $500

Kiwanis Club of Orcas Island Scholarships
Kiwanis Leadership Scholarship — Luke Bronn $1200
Kiwanis Community Service Scholarship — Emma Heikkenen $1200
George Garrels Memorial Scholarship — Bethany Hansen $1200
Harriet Miller Memorial Scholarship — Charlie Holmes $1200
Bob Otis Memorial Scholarship — Devon Mann $1200
Bill Westlake Memorial Scholarship — Miles Harlow $1200
Lyn & Glenna Richards Voc-Tech Scholarship — Jordan Randolph $500
Lyn & Glenna Richards Voc-Tech Scholarship — Henry McMurray $500
Bill Marks Hat Draw Award $400

Masonic Lodge
Vocational Scholarship — Matia Schwartz $1000
Vocational Scholarship — Rowan Lister $1500
Academic Scholarship — Charlie Holmes $1500

Lions Club
Jim Golithon Vocational Scholarship — Matia Schwartz $2500
Vic Hughes Scholarship — Emma Heikkenen $2500
Joseph Bond Vocational Scholarship — Miles Harlow $2500
Abrahamsen Family Vocational Scholarship — Henry McMurray $2500
Lions Club Foundation Scholarship — Charlie Holmes $2500
Leonard Wellman Academic Scholarship — Bethany Hansen $2500

Odd Fellows Scholarships
Cyrus Amour $1500
Kai McGregor $1500
Jeff Patty Scholarship
(This scholarship is renewed for four years) Ella Conrad $500

Fidelis Circle Awards
Axel Greening $200
Pearl Mudd $200

Island Artisan’s Scholarships
Visual Arts Luke Bronn — $3000
Visual Arts Matia Schwartz — $2500
Ottley Briggs Schonberger Scholarship — Luke Bronn $1000

Daniel & Margaret Carper Foundation of Orcas Island Ella Conrad $10,000
Public School Student Scholarship (This scholarship is renewable for 4 years.)

Henigson Public School Student College Scholarship Grayson White $8,000
(This scholarship is renewed every year for 4 years.)