WHS graduates look forward to the future

Wahkiakum High School seniors wrapped up their careers Friday in a lively graduation ceremony.

Faculty and class speakers commented on the graduates' achievements and camaraderie.

"We are a class of individuals, and you cannot put us in any kind of category," said Shelby Felton in the welcoming speech.

Faculty Choice Speaker Jori McEntire noted that the class is small in number, with 28 graduates, and that allowed the members to form strong bonds even as paths started to separate in high school.

"I'm telling you that now is the chance to be who you have always wanted to be," she said. "Now. That is the key word. Don't wait for the future, or you will always be waiting. Change now. Work now on who you want to be for the rest of your life."

Salutatorian Brandon Fudge thanked the faculty for their work with the students and encouraged his classmates to use their talents carefully.

"Through the remainder of our lives, we will receive more and more power in the forms of freedom, ownership and money," he said. "If we are not responsible with this power, we will lose it. So, please be responsible with your power so you can be the best you can be and achieve as much as possible."

Valedictorian Sarah Phillips commented that the graduates have many lessons yet to learn, but their education has given them the ability to follow directions and have courage. And while the classmates have had each other for friends and support, they've grown and are ready to move on.

"We have learned to put ourselves out there and meet new people," she said. "We can look around at our classmates and realize that these are amazing friends and we will never forget them, but we can also realize that after four years of high school, we are ready to move on with our lives and leave everything we've known behind."

Class Choice Speaker Ben Miles reviewed the development of the class and its milestones.

"After all these years together, we will all be going our separate ways soon," he said. "I know, it's a scary thought, but I'm confident that all of my classmates will be successful in their own way and do great things with their lives."

Closing speaker Trevor Gorley echoed those thoughts. "The reality though, is that I won't be seeing some of these people for a long time, maybe even ever again," he said. "But that's okay, I know that it's now time for all of us to start our lives, and we all have our own things going on, and that's something we should be happy about."

Scholarship awards included:

Amy Courser: Larry Martin Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; River Jordan Most Memorial Scholarship, $500; Howard Jones Dollars for Scholars Scholarship, $5,600.

Phillip Doumit: Gonzaga University Honor Scholarship, $20,416 per year renewable for four years ($81,640); Colorado State University (CSU) Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship, $10,691 per year renewable for four years ($42,764); CSU Dean’s Scholarship, $5,000 per year renewable for four years ($20,000); Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Scholarship (OSLC), $400; Bank of the Pacific Scholarship, $750 per year renewable for four years ($2,250); Val Avalon Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Wahkiakum Education Personnel Association (WEPA) Scholarship, $150.

Shelby Felton: Pacific University Honor Scholarship, $7,500 per year renewable for four years ($30,000); Sid Parker Lions Club Memorial (Lions Club) Scholarship, $500; Kiwanis Club of Cathlamet (Kiwanis) Scholarship, $750; Ellen Torget Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; Wahkiakum Community Network Scholarship, $2,000.

Brandon Fudge: University of Oregon Academic Scholarship, $5,000 per year renewable for four years ($20,000); University of Oregon Dean’s Scholarship, $5,000 per year renewable for four years ($20,000); Gonzaga University Academic Scholarship, $12,500 per year renewable for four years ($50,000); Boise State University Gem Scholarship, $10,400 per year renewable for four years ($41,600); Mary Lang Scholarship, $1,000 per year renewable for two years ($2,000); Allan Mooers Scholarship, $1,000; WEPA Scholarship, $150; Merriman Scholarship, $500 per year renewable two years ($1,000); Dollars for Scholars Fishing Derby and Car Show Scholarship (DDS), $2,500; Kiwanis Scholarship, $750; Timber Scholarship, $1,000.

James Goldsmith: Abilene Christian University Dean’s Scholarship, $6,500 per year renewable for four years ($26,000); Lions Club Scholarship, $500; River Jordan Most Memorial Scholarship, $500, WEPA Scholarship, $150.

Trevor Gorley: Sons of Norway Scholarship, $400; OSLC, $400; IWA-311 Union Scholarship, $500; Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, $500; Skamokawa Grade School Scholarship, $500.

Kaisha Harris: International Air & Hospitality Academy Award, $500.

Ryan Helms: Hancock Scholarship, $500. Lions Club Scholarship, $500, DDS Scholarship, $1,000.

John McClain: John Doumit Scholarship, $500.

Jori McEntire: Lions Club Scholarship, $500; Kiwanis Scholarship, $500.

Ben Miles: DDS Scholarship, $2,000; Kyle Holland Memorial Scholarship, $500; Chris Grasseth Memorial Scholarship, $500.

Sarah Phillips: Washington State University (WSU) Achievement Scholarship, $4,000 per year renewable for four years ($8,000); WSU Cougar Commitment Scholarship, $1,005; KLOG Student of the Month Award, $250; Myrtle Braaten Scholarship, $1,500; Lions Club Scholarship, $500; DDS Scholarship, $1,500; Carlson Memorial Scholarship, $2,866 per year renewable for four years ($11,464).

Zach Pierce: Central Washington University Freshman Scholarship, $1,050; Howard Jones Dollars for Scholars Scholarship, $5,000.

Chase Stanley: Wahkiakum Dollars for Scholars Scholarship, $500.

Major Thomas: Jerrold Florek Memorial Scholarship, $500.