ILWACO — If you ask Ilwaco High School’s Class of 2021, they’ll tell you that for years they’ve been doubted, labeled as troublemakers and told they were bad news. But through it all, they’ve remained loyal to each other.

At an outdoors graduation ceremony at Peterson Field on June 5, the class of 53 students proved their doubters wrong, overcoming an unprecedented senior year and a number of other curveballs thrown their way throughout the years to earn their high school diplomas. With hundreds of friends and family cheering them on in-person, they celebrated with each other and closed the chapter on this phase of their lives.

Many of the students in the class have known each other since preschool, a virtue of living in a small and tight-knit community. Erika Glenn, the faculty-selected speaker, said knowing each other for so long has made the class feel like a family, a family that has grown individually and as a group throughout the years.

“We are fiercely loyal to each other, and we won’t let someone go down by themselves,” she said. “We grew as a class and bonded together because we were all we had.”

Glenn said last month’s prom at the Port of Peninsula was the first time the class had all been reunited with each other since the pandemic began. She said it felt as if they hadn’t missed a beat.

“Losing a year-and-a-half of time together in high school didn’t seem to make a dent in how much we care about each other,” Glenn said.

Pull Quote

‘Losing a year-and-a-half of time together in high school didn’t seem to make a dent in how much we care about each other.’

Erika Glenn

Throughout all of the obstacles, including going through five principals in middle school and four English teachers in high school, Glenn said the class always found the fun in the challenges they faced.

“The class of 2021 will be remembered for being brutally honest, succeeding at procrastinating and knowing how to make the best out of hard situations. We are resilient,” Glenn said. “We have always found ways to make the best out of a bad situation … One thing that cannot be taken from us is this moment and pride we feel right now.”

Kylie Gray, the student-selected speaker, echoed much of Glenn’s remarks about the resilience of her classmates.

“In middle school we were labeled as troublemakers, and some staff worried about us more than anything. Sometimes we couldn’t blame them,” Gray said. “But were we really troublemakers? Because I just believe we’ve been really sure of who we are since a very young age, and I for one find our authenticity hilarious.”

While Gray said the class should find pride in proving doubters wrong, she said they should also be proud that they proved right those who encouraged and believed in them along the way.

“My hope for you all, class of 2021, is this: I hope you explore the world and see places that are not this small town. I hope you remember that this group will always have your back, because one thing we know is that if one of us is going down, the whole group is going down with them,” Gray said. “Congratulations class of 2021, be proud of yourself, keep pushing through and never forget that we are Ilwaco.”

Many graduates will be continuing their education at colleges and universities throughout the Pacific Northwest, and a pair of students are also planning to join the military. IHS Principal David Tobin said the class was strong academically, with about half of the class graduating with a 3.0 or higher grade-point average over the past four years, including three students graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

More than $90,000 in local scholarships were awarded to this year’s graduating class. Scholarships were awarded by organizations such as the Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation, the Willapacific branch of the AAUW, the Ilwaco Sports Boosters, the Southwest Pacific County Peninsula Rotary Foundation, the Ocean Beach Education Foundation, New Life Church, the Beach Barons Car Club and the South Pacific County Firefighters Local No. 3999, among many others.

Post-secondary institutions that will welcome new Ilwaco grads include: the University of Oregon, Washington State University, Grays Harbor College, Northwest Lineman College, the Portland Beauty School, the University of Washington, Olympic College, Boise State University, Western Oregon University, the International Air and Hospitality Academy, and even the University of Worcester in England.

Tobin, giving his farewell address to the class, said that the class has shown perseverance and an ability to adapt and overcome “amazing resilience” since the pandemic began.

“You’ve learned to advocate for yourselves and support others. You’ve discovered just how important your friends, family and the people in your life are to you, and among so many other things you’ve learned not to take things for granted,” he said. “You now know that you have what it takes to get through pretty much anything … You’ve shown that you have what it takes to go out into the world and make a difference. And make no mistake, I believe that you will do exactly that.

“You’ve had doubts, and you’ve had doubters, but you made it … So get out there, have the courage to take that next step, to take a risk, to fail, to try again and to make a difference in your world. You’ve got this. And whether you choose to remain close to home or travel far away, always remember your roots. You are, and always will remain, an important part of the Ilwaco Fishermen family.”