WHS seniors receive diplomas, awards, scholarships

Wahkiakum High School’s Class of 2008 showed their mettle at their graduation ceremony last Friday.

Principal Loren Davis reported that all the seniors meeting the school’s graduation requirements had also passed the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), which was also a state wide requirement for graduation this year for the first time. Statewide, 91 percent of the seniors passed the WASL, Davis said.

Thirty-eight members of the class numbering 42 plan to pursue secondary or technical education, and three more have enlisted in the US Navy. Class members received scholarships totalling over $200,000.

Speaking for the class were Valedictorian Valle Ledtke, Salutatorian Michael Weiler, Class Choice Hayden Miles and Faculty Choice Tasha Ford.

Ledtke commented that the students had worked hard to achieve their diplomas, but they had much help and support from parents, families, friends and school personnel. “As I look into our future, I am confident that we shall continue to make our own way and leave a legacy behind,” she said.

Weiler spoke of the opportunities the students had at WHS and faculty who had worked with them. Because of them, the students will be able to pursue their goals, he said.

Miles recalled the class members’ metamorphosis from lowly freshmen to fun loving seniors and finally high school graduates.

“When it looked like things were not going as planned, they always seemed to rise to the occasion,” Ford said of her classmates.

Awards

Washington State Honors/top 10 percent of seniors statewide—Ledtke, Weiler, Brandi Seaberg and Kyle Thelander.

Activities—Ashley Moore and Jon Murphy.

Athletics—Whitley Wirkkala and Bobby Helms.

Citizenship—Jasmine Vasion and Thelander.

Leadership—Seaberg and Weiler.

Scholarships

Ledtke—Merriman Scholarship $1,000 for two years, Kiwanis of Cathlamet $500, Wahkiakum Community Foundation Mark Linquist Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Red Canoe Credit Union WC Olth Scholarship $2,000, Western Washington University President’s Scholarship $1,000, WWU Leadership Advantage $5,600 for four years, Barney and Leta Howard Memorial $400, Allen Mooers Memorial $730, Edwin and Marjorie Carlson Memorial $3,775 for four years.

Seaberg—Val Avalon Memorial $1,000, Kiwanis $500, Albert and Goldie Kehrli Memorial $1,000, Central Washington University $3,000, Elks National Foundation $300, Friends of St. John Hospital $1,000, KUKN Student of the Month $100, Elochoman Grange $300, Kyle Holland Memorial $500, Torrence Howard Memorial $800, Michael Gisler Memorial $1,000, National MS Society $3,000 for four years.

Richie Kresge—Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce $1,000, Sid Parker Memorial $500, Wahkiakum Education Association $500.

Wirkkala—Parker Memorial $500, Dollars for Scholars $700, $500 Kiwanis, Pacific Lutheran University $11,000 for four years, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church $500.

Weiler—Anonymous Donor $500, Kiwanis $500, WCF John Doumit Scholarship $500, James C. Holcomb Scholarship $1,500, KUKN Student of the Month $100, KUKN Scholar of the Year $1,000, Hancock Forest Management $500, Bank of the Pacific $2,250 for three years.

Thelander—Derby Dollars for Scholars $2,000, River Jordan Most Memorial $1,000, River of Life Assembly of God $650.

Helms—Derby Dollars $1,500, Lower Columbia Realty $1,000, Blanche Bradley Memorial $700.

Brandi Arness—Derby Dollars $1,500, Merritt and Mona Ketcham Memorial $1,200.

Vasion—Jones Scholarship $10,000, Most Memorial $1,000, Ellen Torget Memorial $1,000, Little Ballet Theater $700.

Moore—Derby Dollars $1,000.

Chris Diaz—Derby Dollars $1,000, Michael Gisler Memorial $1,000.

Matt Willette—Derby Dollars $1,000, AFSCME Local 1557 $400, Campbell Group $500, District 4 Fire Fighters $500, Elochoman Grange $300, Chris Grasseth Memorial $500.

Ross Lofstrom—Kiwanis $500.

Kris Parke—WCF Doumit Scholarship $500.

Chelsea Cournoyer—WCF Julia Butler Hansen Scholarship $500.

Billi Virden—River of Life $650, International Woodworkers of America 3-11 $500.

Josh Rongey—Eastern Washington University $1,500 for four years.

Alec Sealund—PLU $14,623 for four years.

Jared McEntire—Lower Columbia College Andrew Shold Memorial $2,000.