ILWACO — A jam-packed gymnasium celebrated the newest crop of Ilwaco High School graduates on Saturday, where “choose joy” served as the ceremony’s overarching theme.

Nearly 70 students comprising the Class of 2024 became IHS’s newest alumni on June 8 in front of hundreds of friends, family and community members in a ceremony held indoors at the high school’s Karl P. Aase Gymnasium for the first time since the covid-19 pandemic. Admission to the ceremony was ticket-only, and nary a seat could be found in the bleachers well before the event kicked off Saturday afternoon.

The IHS concert band performed during both the processional and recessional, while the national anthem was performed by the high school’s mariachi band. The concert choir sang “Seize the Day,” from the 1992 Newsies film musical, while the concert band performed “Choose Joy,” by Randall Standridge.

‘Live in the moment’

Following the national anthem, Beckett Turner took to the podium as the ceremony’s faculty-selected speaker. He thanked friends and family for their love and support over the past four years, as well as the teachers, administrators, school board members, student aides, custodians, maintenance crew and office secretaries for their “countless hours and dedication to provide a safe, welcoming and functional learning environment for us all.”

The Class of 2024 is one of the final classes that saw their high school experience disrupted significantly by the pandemic, beginning their freshman year in the fall of 2020 with remote learning still being utilized to try and limit the spread of covid-19.

“I think many people would agree with me when I say remote learning sucks,” Turner said to laughs from the audience. “But let me tell you, if I could’ve attended class in bed these last few weeks of senior year, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.”

Jokes aside, of which there were plenty during his lighthearted speech, Turner said that being able to live in the moment and find things you are thankful for is a valuable trait to have. “If there’s any advice I would give to the incoming freshmen, it would be to get the most out of your high school experience as possible. Attend the fun events, involve yourself in sports and extracurriculars, try not to fall asleep in class — but if you’re looking for the best one, Mr. Trudell always has his lights off and if you’re sneaky he probably won’t notice.”

Turner added that he was confident the 68 graduates comprising the IHS Class of 2024 will make an impact on this community — and many others — in the years to come. To emphasize that belief, he highlighted future tradesmen such as Logan Kuhn and Gavin Taylor; future first responders like Zach Jewell and Andrew Gaerlan; computer science and physics majors like Julian Frazier and Jacob Mathison; pre-law student Emily Hernandez Ortega; and future special education teacher Chloe Emerson.

“These are just a few of my classmates’ plans for their future, but everyone has outstanding plans for the next chapter in our lives,” Turner said. “Needless to say, the Ilwaco High School Class of 2024 is going to turn out alright.”

‘We jumped the walls that separated us’

Following the senior slideshow, which returned for the first time in several years, Zach Jewell took to the podium as the afternoon’s class-selected speaker for what he said would be a short speech — “I know everyone wants to get out of here.” Jewell served as the student drum major for the high school’s marching and pep band for the 2023-24 school year.

“During my time at school I made many friends, but more importantly I learned to be a servant-leader, a respectful person and someone people could trust if they have a question,” Jewell said. And while the interruptions caused by the pandemic posed real challenges and struggles to himself and his classmates, “this hardship could not keep our class down forever.”

“We jumped the walls that separated us with our grit and tenacity, and we have come together as a class in the end — despite our many differences and quarrels,” Jewell said. “We all have people that give us joy, help us and, more importantly, push us to be our best selves.”

Along with his parents and family, Jewell also thanked several teachers and school staff for having a positive impact on him, including Rachel Lake, Tom Trudell and Jeff Hightower.

“These people in our lives don’t always get the thanks they deserve, nor do they get the consistent recognition, so I thank you all now,” he said. “Thank you for choosing us.”

No matter what happens as they move into this next chapter of their lives, Jewell encouraged his classmates to “choose joy.”

“Through it all, in times of doubt, remember to choose joy. When you’re in a time of anger, doubt or confusion, please remember to choose joy,” he said. “There are people that care about you. Ask for help, reach out, speak up and choose joy. Your joy can be a light for others around you, and you never know what others are going through. Please be the joy for all.”

Local scholarships awarded

The high school’s annual Scholarship Awards Night for graduating seniors was also held last week, on June 6, where more than $100,000 in scholarships from local organizations were awarded to this year’s class.

In all, 34 students received just over $117,000, according to figures announced by IHS Principal Sheena Burke. “We truly live in the most wonderful community that comes together to ensure that our students are taken care of and that they have the opportunity to go on and pursue their passions.”

Burke thanked Sarah Taylor, the high school’s local scholarship coordinator, as well as GEAR Up Coordinator Carrie Barnes and Erin Glenn for organizing the graduation celebration that was held before the awards ceremony.

Organizations that awarded scholarships include the likes of Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, to Grayden Bruinier; the Lions Club, to Moises Mendez-Hernandez and Arely Sanchez Dominguez; South Pacific County Firefighters Local No. 3999, to Andrew Gaerlan; Ocean Beach Education Association, to Natalie Gray and Chloe Emerson; and the Willapacific branch of the American Association of University Women, to Demri Keeler, Candice Skillings, Elizabeth Madrigal-Ruiz and Emily Hernandez Ortega.

Others that gave scholarships include the Peninsula Arts Association, to Moriah Savelio and Manuel Hernandez Flores; Pacific County Bar Association, to Isabell McKinney, Elizabeth Madrigal-Ruiz, Moises Mendez-Hernandez, Vicente Bautista, Michael Guzman, Arely Sanchez Dominguez and Emily Hernandez Ortega; Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation, to Kyle Morris and Arely Sanchez Dominguez; and SW Pacific County Peninsula Rotary Foundation, to Kaitlyn Banuet, Julian Frazier, Andrew Gaerlan, Moriah Savelio, Vicente Bautista and Beckett Turner.

The Ocean Beach Education Foundation awarded $16,000 in scholarships to 19 students, and the Ocean Beach School District Board of Directors gave $32,500 to 12 students.