Daily Sitka Sentinel

Sitka High Seniors Line up for Graduation

By Sentinel Staff
    Sitka High School will hold its 84th annual commencement exercises 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, in the school gym.
    In a program following tradition, the senior class will enter to ‘‘Pomp and Circumstance,’’ played by the school’s symphonic band. Dr. PJ Ford Slack, the school’s principal, will welcome the audience and introduce speakers.
    The school’s vocal jazz ensemble members Hallie Berhoft, Cassandra Gillespie, Rosalind Palof, Samantha Robinson and Destony Rosas will sing ‘‘Till There Was You,’’ arranged by Kirby Shaw.
    Most Representative Student Emma Bruhl, who was selected by the faculty, and Senior Class Representative Joseph Inman, selected by the senior class, will speak.
    ‘‘On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss,’’ by David Holsinger, will be performed by the Sitka High symphonic band.
    Tim Pike, SHS automotive, metals and small engines teacher, will be guest speaker.
    A video presentation of the classmates will be shown.
    Sitka School Board President Lon Garrison will present co-valedictorians Abigail Chadwick, Spencer Combs, Shanti Friedman and Rosalind Palof, and salutatorian Nicole Carlos.
    Diplomas will be awarded by: Sitka School Board members Lon Garrison,  Cass Pook, Tim Fulton, Tonia Rioux and Jennifer Robinson; Sitka School District Superintendent Steve Bradshaw; Assistant Superintendent Mary Wegner.
    The symphonic band will play the recessional, ‘‘Flourish for Wind Band.’’
    Those receiving Principal’s Awards are Emma Bruhl, Editha A. Bagoyo, Rosalind Palof, Abigail Brady, Samantha Robinson, Destony Rosas, Tressica Chambers, LuckyRae Miguel, Frederick Elliot, Edward Miller, Denley Arce, Joseph Inman and Dylan Reinhardt.
    Class officers are President Spencer Combs, Vice President Megan Reid, Secretary/Treasurer Louis Belley, and Senior Class Representatives Emma Bruhl and Nicole Carlos.
    Senior class advisers are Lanis Beach, Ben Clark, Scott McArthur, Eve Heine Arp, Robert Parsons, Debra Riva and Howard Wayne.
    Class members chose “We Have Come a Long Way, But Not Half as Far as We Will Go” as their motto, and the forget-me-not as the class flower.
    Senior class members of the Baranof Chapter of the National Honor Society are Jovani Villanueva, Joey Inman, Melanie Villanueva, Editha Bagoyo, Chaya Pike, Shanti Friedman, Nicole Carlos, Lione Claire, Spencer Combs, Joe Galbraith, Megan Reid, Hannah Whitson, Abigail Brady, Emma Bruhl, Rosie Palof, Abigail Chadwick, Kaycie Coleman and Zailey Dangel.
    Graduation ceremony marshals are Evan McArthur and Kaytlin Mead.  Ushers are Annemarie Pike and Jack Petersen.
    Members of the 2014 graduating class are: Mitchel Louis Alderman, Jhanna Waezelyn Antolin, Denley Salumbides Arce, Editha Angela Bagoyo, Brady Lyte Barger, Oscar Adrian Barragan-Wilhelm, Logan  Thor Becker, Louis Edmond Belléy, Teagan Bickar, Abigail Sage Brady, Emma Magdalen Bruhl, Nicole Cardenas Carlos, Abigail Anet Chadwick, Tressica Nadia Chambers, Lione Helen Clare.
    Also, Kaycie Leigh Coleman, Casey River Comas, Spencer Lee Combs, Jacob Brendan Corbett, Megan Christine Cunningham, Zailey Margaret Dangel, Farrah Lynn Davis, Hannah May Davis, Katherine Igraine Davis, Melissa Ann Dumag, Albert Edward Duncan, Frederick Rand Elliott, Abigayle Lila Erickson, Erikson Steven Johnson Fish, Shanti Mara Friedman, Joseph Elijah Galbraith, John James Dela Rama Ganitano, Cassandra Grace Gillespie, Justin Ola Harang, Rachel Kronsperger Harris, Harley K Henning, Justin Bailey Hill, Robert Stephen Hood.
    Also, Austin Jorge Inman, Joseph David Inman, Shaunte Marie Johnson, Courtney Nicole Lecrone, Ghulam Ullah Khan Lodhi, Xeviar Napoleon Lysons, Jennifer Dakota McGraw, Krystal Marie McDonald, Mackinzie Jo-Ann McGraw, Crystal Ruth McNeilly, Krista Rose Meyer.
    Also, Luckyrae Elias Miguel, Edward David Charles Miller, Robert Justin Miller, Samuel Adrien Moore, Sophia Caiyun Mudry, John David Murphy, Rosalind Jean Palof, Wyatt Richard Patrick, Kendrick Martin Payton, Sophia Raven Peters, Kendal Dawn Phippen, Chaya Elizabeth Pike, Robert George Polasky, Isa Elena Partido Ramil, Phillip Christian Reaves, Megan Alexis Reid, Dylan Scott Reinhardt, Kaitlynn May Resch, Alivia Channing Richards, Samantha Michel Robinson, Destony Hope Rosas.
    Also, Charles Ryan Samuelson, Jennifer June Sierer, Loni Sam Sitani, Jr., Pia Fiona Steidl, Samson James Stengl, Madison Michelle Stocker, Jaren Julian Sumauang, Daliya Linarovna Tazeyeva, Alycia Nicole Tresham, Lynnette Lelannie Tulcey, Ethan James Vastola, Jovani Domingo Villanueva, Melanie Lomboy Villanueva, Francisca Afia Walden, Brian James Way, Quentin Marquis White, Hannah Nicole Whitson and Hannah May Wolfe-MacPike.
    The SHS graduation ceremony will be streamed on ustream.tv. Viewers can go to the website and then search for the Sitka School District channel.
Abigail Chadwick
Co-Valedictorian
    Abigail Chadwick is co-valedictorian of her senior class.
    Abigail attended the Rural Alaska Honors Institute in 2013 where she graduated salutatorian with honors and earned a citizenship award. She has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years.
    She participated in the Battle of the books from 2010 to 2014. While participating in Sitka High music she was a band member 2010-2012, treble choir 2010-2012, and concert choir 2012-2014.
    Abigail is the daughter of Deanna and Kerry Chadwick. She plans to double major in English and accounting at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla.
Spencer Combs
Co-Valedictorian
    Spencer Combs, a co-valedictorian of his class, is senior class president, a member of the National Honor Society, a math tutor, and was involved in trout research and salmon stream restoration projects.
    He was a member of the 4A region and state swim teams, which were region champions for three years and state runners-up for three. He took first place at the state meet in the 200-medley and second in the 400 free relay 2012-2013 and 2013-14; fifth in the 100-free in 2012-13; and third in the 100-free in 2013-14.
    He was on the varsity soccer team for two years and baseball varsity for one.
    Spencer is the son of Chris Combs and Cory Kelly. He plans to study mechanical engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
Shanti Friedman
Co-Valedictorian
    Shanti Friedman has been named co-valedictorian of her class.
    She has attended the Sitka Studio of Dance since the age of 5; was a member of the Fireweed Dance Company for four years and was in ‘‘The Nutcracker’’ for three.
    She has been a member of the Sitka High soccer team for four years. She attended the Southeast Art Festival where she earned two ‘‘Best of Class’’ and one ‘‘Honorable Mention’’ awards.
    Shanti is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the student council for two years. She has been Student of the Month, earned the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award and the Honorable Mention for Artists Award in 2014.
    Shanti is the daughter of Michele Friedman and Roland Wirth. She plans to attend the University of Idaho, Moscow, to study art and psychology.
Rosalind Palof
Co-Valedictorian
    Rosalind Palof is co-valedictorian of the SHS senior class.
    At Sitka High she is a member of the National Honor Society and was involved in vocal jazz in the music department. She was a member of the NW-ACDA Women’s Honor Choir and played in the jazz band.
    She is a member of the soccer team and was team captain in grades 11-12.         Rosalind is the daughter of Mary Beth and Dan Palof. She will spend six months in Guatemala before entering Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash., where she plans to study communications.
Nicole Carlos
Salutatorian
    Nicole Carlos has been named salutatorian of her class.
    She is a member of the National Honor Society, student council this year and on the volleyball team for three years.
    Nicole was given the BP Exploration Principal’s Scholarship Award ($4,000), Ken Osbakken Memorial Scholarship ($500), UA Scholars Award, WUE Scholarship ($8,000/year) and the Western Scholars award ($7,500).
    She is the daughter of Jacqueline and Jose Carlos Jr. She plans to attend Western Washington University, Bellingham, to study pre-pharmacy.
Emma Bruhl
Most Representative Student
    Emma Bruhl was chosen by the SHS faculty to speak at graduation as the Most Representative Student.
    She has studied ballet, jazz and pointe lyrical at the Sitka Studio of Dance for 13 years.
    Emma won the state meet in drama debate and forensics for solo acting in 2012 and pantomime in 2013. She has been a member of the student council for four years.
    She was a member of the Alaska all-state choir in 2012, in SHS choir for three, and in 2012 and 2013 she was on the Alaska Honor Choir. She has been a member of the varsity soccer team for four years.
    Emma is the daughter of Elliot Bruhl and Sara Bergendahl. She plans to attend Carleton College, Northfield, Minn.
Joey Inman
Senior Class Representative
    Joey Inman was chosen by his classmates to speak as their Senior Class Representative at the graduation ceremony.
    At Sitka High, Joey was a member of the basketball, baseball and cross-country teams. He has been Student of the Month and received the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award.
    Joey is a member of the National Honor Society.
    He is the son of Kathleen and Austin Inman. He plans to study education at Walla Walla University, College Place, Wash.