Orcas Alternative Student-Initiated Studies (OASIS) High School will hold its winter commencement ceremony on Saturday Dec 5th. Three students will receive diplomas: Eli Bruce, Philip Ghazel and Lily Huffstodt. In addition, Justyn Rath and Carly McNulty will celebrate the attainment of General Educational Development (GED) certificates.
The ceremony will be held at the Parish Hall at the Episcopal church at 2 p.m. OASIS Head Teacher Marta Branch, who is recuperating from pneumonia, will attend the service. “I can’t take the lead, but by gosh, I want to be there,” says Branch. Orcas Island School Board President Janet Brownell will read Branch’s address to the graduates.
“Accomplishing this milestone is really a great step forward,” says Branch. “All of these students have worked hard and shown the grit you need to have to get you to the next step. They’ve grown in understanding that achievement of that educational goal can help them achieve their next dream.”
Branch related the story of one of the graduates who is required to complete a senior project to obtain her Washington state diploma. As the student struggled to selecty a project, Branch encouraged her to find a project that was meaningful to her. The student decided to undertake a project with her father, and created a sign for OASIS High School. “She worked really hard and is deservedly proud of the sign she fashioned with her Dad,” says Branch.
