Rain does not stop smiles on this SHS grad parade

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 13, 2018

“Oh the Places You’ll Go” … For most graduates, that meant, immediately anyway, someplace dry.

Still, a moderate rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of about 190 members of the Sequim High School Class of 2018, who on Friday, June 8, celebrated their next step toward adulthood by receiving diplomas at SHS’s commencement service.

See a slideshow of photos from the event here.

Featuring the Dr. Seuss-inspired quote as a backdrop, the graduating Wolves took in a few words from classmates and principal Shawn Langston, who had high praise for a class that’s headed to colleges, universities, technical schools and the U.S. military with a record $4.7 million in scholarships.

“I encourage you guys to remember where you came from,” Langston said.

Three of four valedictorians chose to speak Friday night, with Audrey Hughes, Kiara Pierson and Grace Tolberd doing the honors with a recap of their own (and classmates’) journey through four years at Sequim High.

“My grand plan was to drop out at 16, but my parents shut that down,” Tolberd joked.

Hughes noted that sophomore year was the first time they could walk into the correct classroom the first time and also ventured into the world of driver’s education, while Pierson noted that junior year seemed to be one of “trials and tribulations” such as SAT tests and “personal statement nightmares.”

Staff-selected speaker Jilian Hutchison Blouin urged her classmates to “remember to give thanks to all who helped along the way,” while class-elected speaker Devin Hibler recounted a rather harrowing science lesson with a soap pancake that wound up the object of affection for some of the SHS campus’ seagulls; classmates will more likely recall those kinds of stories, Hibler noted, than any struggles such as failed math tests.

Steele Peterson earned the Class of 2018 U-Turn award for persevering through his graduation day.

“When I told staff it was (going to) Steele Peterson, overwhelming support came my way,” Langston told the crowd.

Last year saw a record 238 students graduate from Sequim High. This year’s count, unofficially at 190, included a student who saw paperwork finalized at 1 p.m. on graduation day.

“They are an awesome group,” Sequim schools superintendent Gary Neal said.

Many Sequim High staffers donned bicycle helmets in support of fellow SHS teacher Jon Eekhoff, who was in attendance Friday and is recovering from a serious head injury sustained in a fall on March 17.