2016 Falcons soar high as achievers

Published 2:33 pm Tuesday, June 14, 2016

While one journey is over for 120 students of South Whidbey High School, another is just beginning.

The Class of 2016 graduated Saturday in front of a packed auditorium filled with parents, family and friends in the school’s main gymnasium. Collectively, the students are one of the top graduating classes to come through the school in over a decade, said Principal John Patton to the audience.

“They have truly left their marks on this school,” Patton said.

Patton clarified after the ceremony that the statement was based on the class’s combined ACT, SAT and state-test scores.

“They were the highest academic achieving class we’ve had in the 16 years I’ve been here,” Patton said. “They’re amazing. They’re a group of high achievers; they’re a tight-knit bunch. It’s not just academics — they’re incredible musicians and artists and athletes.”

Graduate Thomas Rassmusen said it was an honor to learn that his class had attained such high recognition.

“It’s a great thing to go through the system and just be able to be recognized for it in such a way like this,” Rassmusen said.

Like others, his family and friends were there to witness his accomplishment of graduating. He said he plans to study computer science at Everett Community College, after which he hopes to transfer to Washington State University and go on to work for Microsoft or another tech company.

While many students and parents wore expressions of happiness on their faces, Ken Houck shed tears of joy. He’s the father of 2016 graduate Grace Houck.

“I have been crying all day,” Houck said, adding that he wasn’t alone. Grace’s mother, Deanne, also cried.

The day marked the fifth Houck to graduate from South Whidbey, the first of whom received their diploma in 2003.

“This institution of South Whidbey High School served us well,” Houck said. “I’m excited, she’s prepared.”

Grace Houck will attend Wagner College on Staten Island, New York. What she will study is still being determined, according to her father, who said keeping an open mind will allow her to find her passion.

Class choice speaker Kohl Hunter used lyrics from Canadian musician Drake to illustrate the faith he had in his class of graduates. He echoed Patton’s news about the class by adding that the seniors were unique for their willingness to learn both in school and other areas.

Hunter also showed his appreciation for the class’s school pride and first-year athletic director Paul Lagerstedt by insisting he perform what is known by students as the “Falcon Flex.”

Lagerstedt obliged by leading a short routine involving the shouting of “Lets! Go! Falcons!”

Hunter concluded his speech with some reflection.

“The time just goes by,” Hunter said. “You never see it until you’re looking back on it.”

Jake Papritz, the faculty choice speaker, drew hearty laughs from the crowd throughout his speech. Interwoven between his jokes, Papritz flipped cliché pieces of advice such as following one’s dreams and pursuing happiness to illustrate another message.

“Do not be yourself. Instead, be slightly better,” Papritz said. “The important thing about this idea is to remember to not be ourselves in good ways. I think it’s a good idea to regularly exercise this and attempt being someone we are not. If we never get out of our comfort zones of who you really are and experiment with being someone slightly better, we will always be stuck in the boring rut of ourselves.”

“Every once in a while do something more outgoing or more kind or more generous than what the real you would do.”

Other graduate speakers included valedictorians Amara Garibyan, Chandler Hagglund, Mallorie Mitchem, Iona Rohan and Jing Wu, and class president Sophia Stoughton.

The ceremony closed with a recessional of “Amazing Grace” by graduate Cameron MacDonald. He sported Scottish clothing while playing the famed song with bagpipes.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the school’s commons area. Hugs and laughter were common throughout the scene, but the joy did not touch everyone. Standing idly was Joshua Lancaster, bearing little to no emotion on his face. He was glad to be done with high school.

“It feels great because my sentence is over,” Lancaster said.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Josiah Colby couldn’t shake a smile from his face. He battled mixed emotions.

“It’s such a weird feeling,” Colby said. “I never doubted I would get here but now that I’m here it’s like the closing of one chapter and opening the door to another. It’s sad and happy and exciting. I can’t put it into words how excited I am but how strange it is.”

He and fellow classmate Allie VanBenschoten will compete in athletics for Pacific Lutheran University next fall. Colby will play baseball while VanBenschoten will compete in track and field.

“It’s just been so amazing and I’m so proud of everyone and how we’ve grown,” VanBenschoten said. “From freshman like ‘Where are we? What are we doing? I don’t want to be part of this’ to just a big community. It’s just so great.”