TULALIP — Trying something new paid off for Lakewood High School, as its graduating class of 2016 enjoyed mostly sunny skies at the Tulalip Amphitheatre for its June 10 commencement.
This first-ever change in venue for Lakewood was prompted by the ongoing construction of a new high school that’s set to open for the start of school in September of 2017.
In the meantime, students reflected on the years they’d spent at the old school, with class speaker Patrick Cruz III asking his peers to consider how well they’d used their time.
“To get where you are today, especially the last four years, you’ve used it to study, learn and meet new friends,” Cruz said, as he urged his classmates to take advantage of the many opportunities that lie ahead. “Never limit your capabilities. Each one of us here today is greater than what our own mind allows us to perceive.”
Cruz encouraged his fellow graduates to indulge their natural curiosity by asking questions and not worrying whether it might make them look foolish, since by doing so, “you’ll never stop learning because your understanding of things will only get deeper.”
And while he acknowledged that graduation represents a considerable investment of hard work, he reminded the class that it can’t rest on its laurels.
“The thought of graduating is horrendous, but tonight, here we are, anticipating a moment that felt like it would never come,” Cruz said. “Graduation, it seems so large, almost as if this is the only large accomplishment we will have in our lives. But it’s really just the beginning of our journey in life. It’s one big step, but there’s so much more.”
Valedictorian Lilly Whitehead, a cross country and track runner, compared the years of high school to laps around the track, with freshman year inspiring the same nervous anticipation as warming up for your first lap, which soon gives way to confidence as you finally take off.
“You’re getting into the swing of things,” Whitehead said. “You’re not too worried yet because the race has only just started. Don’t get complacent, though, because mistakes made early on can have huge effects later on.”
Whitehead credited the graduates’ friends and family with cheering them on from the sidelines, which she praised as especially helpful during the third lap of junior year, which she deemed the toughest of the high school race.
“It’s important to carry on because some people relax too much,” Whitehead said.
By the final lap of senior year, “you’re so excited to finish the race because you’re dead tired,” although Whitehead acknowledged that seniors’ feelings might be conflicted between “itching to get out” and not knowing if they’re ready to leave high school yet.
“Maybe you’ve realized that you don’t like running the mile very much, and that’s fine,” Whitehead said. “Maybe you loved the race and would like to do something like it again. Maybe you’re going to college. Maybe you’re going to get a job and start working right away. Maybe you’ll take a gap year and see what you want after that. Maybe you’ll join the military and serve your country. The choices are limitless.”
For Ruthann Fernandes, who adorned her mortarboard with a Captain America shield and received a Harry Potter wand as a graduation present, her choice is taking her to Central Washington University in Ellensburg to study film. For Derek Hoyden, it means being accepted into the Boston Conservatory to study musical theater.
Stan and JoAnn Jones were on hand to congratulate their great-grandson, Jordan Jira, who’s also heading to CWU, in his case to continue his football career.
“I’m thinking about going into criminal justice, like my dad,” Jordan said of his father, Jeff Jira, of the Tulalip Tribal Police. “I’d really like to be a game warden.”
