Next step to greatness
Published 5:42 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2014
by MICHAEL DASHIELL
Sequim Gazette staff
As principal Shawn Langston noted Friday evening, Sequim High School’s 2011 graduation ceremony, like recent ones before it, primarily was assembled, decorated, driven and carried out by the graduates themselves.
Turns out that after four years at the school — and along with their alumni, a full 100 years — they’ve got this commencement thing down.
Under blue skies and light winds at SHS’s athletic stadium Friday, 188 Sequim High seniors bedecked in caps and gowns said goodbye to their high school days and hello to the next steps in their collective future as the Class of 2011, marking the 100th graduating class from Sequim High.
“It’s been a fun year to celebrate 100 years with,” Langston said.
Backed by more than $2.6 million in scholarships, the majority of the class has eyes on colleges and universities.
Senior Dalton Ackley, the evening’s faculty-elected speaker, asked his classmates to refute the idea that they should strive to have an even keel in life.
“Moderation in everything seems a bit excessive, doesn’t it?” he asked rhetorically. “Everyone has been given gifts that can change the world. No one ever did it by being moderate.”
The graduating seniors also received words of wisdom from co-valedictorians Sara Hankins, Rachel Hardy, Audrey Lichten, Amy McAndie, Emily Reis and Lucas Shores, with Hankins’ comments coming in the form of a spirited rap.
Commencement presentations varied from wisdom to whimsy, as with class-elected speaker James Wills, who composed a graduation haiku and described the trials of being the vice principal’s son.
“Yes, I have been sent to my father’s office,” he admitted.
From whimsy to wistful, a teary senior Krista Warders took home the 2011 U-Turn award. Created in 2005, the honor is bestowed by SHS staff upon a student who exemplifies the spirit and determination to reverse poor academic choices to find success at the school.
Teacher Linda Crowley nominated Warders, who struggled her first two years at Sequim High before excelling in her junior and senior years.
Before senior class president Rachel Chumley read off names of her fellow graduating classmates, Sequim schools superintendent Bill Bentley left the graduates with a few bits of advice.
“Be courageous,” Bentley said. “Value the awards you receive … and finish the race.”
2011 Grad Scholarships
Dalton Rick Ackley, Adelphi University
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $750 — VFW Post 4760; $2,000 — Monday Musicale; $1,000 — SEF Film Festival; $500 — Dewey Ehling Scholarship; $2,000 — Adelphi University Recognition Award; $96,000 — Adelphi Provost Talent Scholarship
Brooke Nicole Ansotegui, Western Oregon University
$2,000 — United Steelworkers; $500 — Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship
Winston Westmorland Babb, Central Washington University
$6,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $8,000 — Albert Haller Foundation; $750 — VFW Post 4760; $1,000 — Sequim Valley Lions Club; $500 — OMC Constance Hoare Mead Scholarship; $1,000 — Sequim Ladies of Elks; $1,000 — Sequim Senior Activity Center; $50,500 — CWU Academic Grant
Trey Joshua Baldwin, American Musical & Dramatic Academy
$430 — SEF Film Festival; $1,500 — The Performing Company of Pioneer Dance Arts; $13,000 — American Music & Drama Academy Award
Sarah Frances Berkes, University of Washington
$500 — Sequim Arts 2011 Art Scholarship; $2,000 — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; $1,000 — Bryce & Gail Fish Scholarship; $1,000 —
Sequim Masonic Lodge; $2,000 — Sunland Homeowners Association
Jayme Birdsall, California College of Music
$500 — Grand Olympic Chorus Sweet Adelines
Alexandra Booth, Peninsula College
$700 — Clallam County Fire Dist. No. 3 Local #2933
Sage Alexandra Brown, Peninsula College
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — SSD Lorraine McDonald Memorial; $2,000 — SSD Wright Memorial; $500 — VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4760; $750 — Sequim Arts 2011 Art Scholarship; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Nicholas Richard Camporini, Peninsula College
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $500 — VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4760; $250 — Gellor Insurance Scholarship; $1,500 — Mac Ruddell Community Fund; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Ravi Joseph Carlson, New York University
$1,000 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $3,000 — SEF Film Festival
Shaun Grey Carr, Peninsula College
$500 — Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year; $500 — Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship
Sophia Grace Carter, Whitworth College
$155,000 — Army National Guard ROTC Scholarship; $38,000 — Whitworth College Legacy Scholarship
Annie Laurie Christie, California Polytechnic State University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Rachel Elizabeth Chumley, BYU – Hawaii
$3,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $5,000 — Horatio Alger Washington Scholarship; $500 — Dewey Ehling Scholarship
Vito Antonio Cibene, Peninsula College
$1,000 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club; $1,000 — Macleay Community Club; $1,000 — Sequim Prairie Garden Club; $500 — Barbara Brightman Memorial Scholarship
Jack Levi Clark, Washington State University
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $1,000 — Macleay Community Club; $750 — Sequim Prairie Grange; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Madeleine Laure Coler, Peninsula College
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation
Michael Tod Cullinan, Oregon State University
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $3,000 — SEF Film Festival; $750 — SEF Engineering Challenge
Christopher Charles Dahll, Peninsula College
$1,000 — SSD Rowland Memorial; $1,000 — Macleay Community Club; $1,000 — Sequim Elks Lodge; $1,000 — International Footprint Association; $500 — Helen Haller PTO; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $1,000 — Volunteer Firefighters Dale Kruse Memorial; $1,000 — Clallam County. Fire Dist. No. 3 Local #2933
Joshua Eugene Daker, Oregon State University
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation
Joseph Andrew Dapcevich, Western Washington University
$1,000 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $750 — Sequim Rotary Club
Dylan Diggs, University of Washington
$66,704 — UW Husky Promise Scholarship
Lisa Anh-Khue Doan, University of Washington
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Xisa Michelle Dove, University of Missouri-WSU
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $500 — SEA Future Teacher Scholarship; $500 — Womanfest
Kimberly Nicole Duce, Bellingham Technical College
$3,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $500 — SSD Rick Kaps Memorial; $1,500 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club; $1,000 — Sequim Alumni Association; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim
Stephanie Alexis Dunbar, Adelphi University
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $600 — Readers Theatre Plus; $500 — Dewey Ehling Scholarship; $500 — Sons of Norway; $3,000 — Monday Musicale; $64,000 — Adelphi University Deans Talent Award
Clara Jane Duncan, Whatcom Community College
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation
Matthew Eiriksson, United States Navy
$80,000 — U.S. Navy Education Scholarship
Ashlea Alizabeth Erwick, Edmonds Community College
$500 — Helen Haller PTO
Samuel L. Faulk, Peninsula College
$1,000 — Sequim Valley Lions Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $1,100 — Washington Workforce Association
Cynthia Flores, Peninsula College
$500 — SSD Jeff Caterina Memorial; $1,500 — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; $1,000 — Peninsula College Senior Scholarship; $1,250 — Nurse-to-Nurse Anonymous Scholarship; $500 — Sequim Dungeness Kiwanis; $500 — Helen Haller PTO
Saul Flores, Western Washington University
$500 — SSD John Wright Memorial; $500 — SSD Lyons Memorial; $750 — Sequim Rotary Club
Halli Victoria Forsman, Central Washington University
$1,000 — Gardiner Garden Club; $2,500 — Ewing Kelly Foundation; $6,000 — Rhododendron Grange; $1,500 — Sunrise Rotary Club; $500 — Phi Theta Kappa; $2,000 — Sequim Lavender Association; $7,500 — CWU Dean COTS Tuition Award; $2,700 — CWU President’s Tuition Award; $500 — CWU Physics Scholarship; $3,600 — CWU Douglas Honors College
Josh Francis, United States Air Force
$100,000 — U.S. Air Force Educational Scholarship
Katelyn Elizabeth Fritz, Corban University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Joshua Paul Gahr, Peninsula College
$500 — Helen Haller PTO; $500 — WAVE Broadband
Kelsie Pauline Habner, Eastern Washington University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Sara Hasna Hankins, Harvard University
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,500 — Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite; $750 — VFW Post 4760; $2,500 — Ewing Kelly Foundation; $500 — Sequim School Board Student Representative; $198,600 — Harvard University Academic Scholarship
Rachel Nicole Hardy, University of Oklahoma
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $2,000 — Sunland Homeowners Association; $4,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $500 — Peninsula College Wally Pohold Award
Alice Yvonne Hastings, Gonzaga University
$600 — Readers Theatre Plus; $1,000 — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $300 — SHS Honor Society Scholarship; $500 — Sons of Norway; $56,000 — Gonzaga University Merit Scholarship; $22,000 — Gonzaga University Academic Grant
Chase Hollen, Western Washington University
$250 — Sequim City Band
Amalia Lorraine Hopson, College of Southern Idaho
$500 — “0-43” Fish-Rosales Scholarship; $500 — Sequim Rotary Club; $20,540 — College of Southern Idaho Fast Pitch Award
Ryan James Hueter, University of Washington
$800 — Gardiner Garden Club; $500 — WAVE Broadband; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Rachel Hughes, Brandeis University
$176,000 — Brandeis University MLK Jr. Scholarship
Emily Ann Jakubisin, Peninsula College
$500 — OMC Constance Hoare Mead Scholarship; $500 — Sequim Rotary Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $1,000 — P.A. Eagles Aux. Medical Scholarship
Jessica Marie Lauritzen, Tacoma Community College
$500 — WAVE Broadband
Michael Anthony Lee, University of Washington
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $8,000 — Albert Haller Foundation; $500 — Peninsula Tennis Club; $500 — SEF Woodrow Ward Scholarship; $500 — Sons of Norway; $2,500 — Kelly Foundation; $1,000 — SEF Film Festival; $500 — Helen Haller PTO; $54,704 — U.W. Husky Promise Scholarship
Audrey Elizabeth Lichten, Linfield College
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Washington State Elks; $1,250 — SEF Film Festival; $1,500 — Sunrise Rotary Club; $750 — Olympic Driftwood Sculptors; $62,000 — Linfield College Faculty Scholarship; $32,000 — Linfield College Grant
Beau John-Peter Little, Boise State University
$400 — Ben & Myrtle Walkling Memorial; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Ladies of Elks; $30,464 — Boise State WUE Scholarship
Mallory McClatchy Maloney, Pepperdine University
$3,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Washington State Elks; $500 — Peninsula Tennis Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Amy Nicole McAndie, Peninsula College
$5,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Pioneer Association; $2,000 — Sunland Homeowners Association; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $1,000 — Nurse-to-Nurse Anonymous Scholarship
Ian Alexander McAndie, Peninsula College
$1,000 — SSD Rowland Memorial; $1,000 — Macleay Community Club; $400 — Gardiner Garden Club; $500 — VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4760; $1,000 — Sequim Pioneer Association; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Jack Aurel McColl, University of Washington
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $750 — SEF Film Festival; $600 — St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
Preston Lee McFarlen, Peninsula College
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $1,000 — Louis & Margarethe Rosales Scholarship; $1,000 — International Footprint Association; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Joshua Doyle McMinn, Western Washington University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Amanda Grace Miller, Peninsula College
$500 — Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship
Cindy Ann Miller, DeVry University
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Kahn Franklin Mills, Edmonds Community College
$500 — Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship
Kayla Catrina Montanez, Peninsula College
$500 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club
Brenna Victoria Moore, Seattle Central Community College
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $1,000 — Richard Meyers Spirit of the Band Scholarship
Thomas Moores, United States Air Force
$100,000 — U.S. Air Force Educational Scholarship
Monica Moreno, Peninsula College
$500 — Helen Haller PTO; $1,500 — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; $1,000 — Sequim Ladies of Elks
Derek Messerschmidt Morgan, Peninsula College
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Stephanie Ha Nguyen, Seattle Pacific University
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $750 — Sequim Rotary Club; $66,576 — Seattle Pacific University Academic Grant
Margaret Kathleen Norlund, University of Victoria
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $400 — SHS Honor Society Scholarship; $2,000 — Sunland Homeowners Association; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $16,000 — University of Victoria Entrance Scholarship; $750 — SEF Film Festival
Serena May Okamoto, Western Washington University
$1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $750 — Sequim Arts 2011 Art Scholarship; $750 — Sequim Rotary Club
Douglas Wesley Parks, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
$800 — Gardiner Garden Club; $12,000 — Gates Millennium Scholarship; $153,760 — University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Emilio Perete Colin, Peninsula College
$500 — Tony Juliano Memorial Scholarship
Kristian Scott Petersen, Shoreline Community College
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation
Taylor Alexis Peterson, Central Washington University
$500 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation
Keane Poeschl, United States Air Force
$100,000 — U.S. Air Force Educational Scholarship
Stephen George Portner, Art Institute of Seattle
$500 — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club
Laura Quinones, Peninsula College
$500 — Alternative Learning Scholarship
Emily Sarah Reis, Gonzaga University
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $300 — SHS Honor Society Scholarship; $56,000 — Gonzaga University Trustee Merit Award; $22,000 — Gonzaga University Academic Grant; $2,000 — Gonzaga University Honors Program
David Allen Richards, Edmonds Community College
$3,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $4,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Drew Elliott Rickerson, Pacific Lutheran University
$3,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $7,200 — PLU Educational Grant; $44,000 — PLU Academic Achievement Scholarship; $34,132 — PLU Q-Club Scholarship
Shannon Loree Robbins, Eastern Washington University
$250 — Peninsula Junior Rotary; $150 — WAHSET District #4
Miranda Rose Robertson, Moorpark College
$1,000 — AAUW; $2,500 — Sunrise Rotary Club; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge;
Andrew James Schaumburg, Shoreline Community College
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation
Fallon Marie Schneider, Seattle University
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $8,000 — Albert Haller Foundation; $1,000 — Soroptimist International Sequim; $2,000 — Sequim Elks Lodge; $2,250 — PEO Chapters EP, HM, FY; $1,000 —
Sequim Senior Activity Center; $500 — Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award; $1,000 — Sequim Ladies of Elks; $48,000 — Seattle University Campion Scholarship
Sierra Kaye Shelden, Tacoma Community College
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Dungeness Kiwanis; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge; $750 — Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty Scholarship
Lucas Scott Shores, Johns Hopkins University
$4,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $500 — Ben Merscher Memorial Scholarship; $8,000 — Albert Haller Foundation; $1,000 — SEF Halloran Memorial Scholarship; $1,000 — Washington State Elks; $2,000 — Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite; $236,800 — Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Scholarship
Hanna Jaclyn Smith, Colorado State University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Lindsey Louise Soha, Western Washington University
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Laura Diane Trautman, Peninsula College
$500 — SEA Future Teacher Scholarship
Ryan Michael Tucker, University of Washington
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Gianna Leslie Vennetti, Washington State University
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $8,000 — WSU Native American Diversity Award
Heather K. Vereide, Corban University
$1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Brogan Vesterby, United States Navy
$80,000 — U.S. Navy Education Scholarship
Abigail Vidals, Renton Community College
$1,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,500 — St. Joseph’s Catholic Church; $1,000 — Sherwood Assisted Living; $750 —
Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty Scholarship
Kelsy Larae Wells, Central Washington University
$1,000 — Sequim Valley Lions Club
James Leonard Willis, Cornish College of the Arts
$1,500 — Monday Musicale; $500 — Dewey Ehling Scholarship; $37,200 — Cornish College
Dalton Dycer Wilson, Peninsula College
$1,000 — SSD Rowland Memorial; $1,000 — Sequim Auto Clinic; $1,000 — Sequim Ladies of Elks
Sarah Elizabeth Workman, BYU – Provo
$2,000 — Sequim Elks Lodge; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Isaac C. Yamamoto, Lower Columbia Community College
$2,000 — Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation; $1,000 — Sequim Masonic Lodge
Kawika Musashi Yasumura, Pierce College
$1,000 — Sequim Valley Lions Club; $1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $500 —
Sequim Dungeness Kiwanis
Madison Chandler Zbaraschuk, University of Missouri – St. Louis
$1,000 — William & Esther Littlejohn Foundation; $48,000 — University of Missouri – St. Louis Scholar Athlete Award; $24,000 — University of Missouri St. Louis Athletic Talent Scholarship
