In June of each year, CHS seniors receive diplomas and are granted awards at a ceremony called, counterintuitively, commencement. Seniors’ time at CHS comes to an end during a ritual whose name means “a beginning or start.”
High school graduation is the point from which eighteen-year-olds embark on adult life, whether that means a four-year university, a two-year college, trade school or immediately joining the workforce or military. Fortunately for Kodiaks, from freshman year on, CHS offers a wealth of resources to “grease the skids” no matter the chosen path. College in the Classroom, Running Start, Career and Technical Education, and Emergency and Fire Management Services are among those offerings at CHS.
Across the spectrum of the class of 2022, the students took advantage of the possibilities offered and announced their post-graduation plans earlier this month on Declaration Day.
Declaration Day was inspired by the press-conferences commonly held for high school athletes as they announce the college they have determined to attend. CHS’s Declaration Day, while similar, is, instead, academically and career focused. It is an opportunity for the seniors to celebrate their decisions.
A representative sampling of this year’s diverse declarations finds that:
Zach Holton will be attending Montana State University (MSU) to study mechanical engineering;
Jimena Ramirez will be matriculating at the University of Washington (UW) to major in chemistry;
Gunnar Balzer will be studying at Wenatchee Valley College (WVC);
Maddie Gillespie will enroll at the University Vermont and major in sociology;
Josh Shafer will be joining the Chelan County Fire District (CCFD);
Britni Harris is going to Washington State University to pursue either mathematics or accounting;
Colton Latimer heads to Moses Lake to obtain his CDL (commercial driver's license);
Rosario Fernandez is attending the UW and is undecided yet, as to her major;
Cameron Barnes heads up to Alaska to join a commercial fishing operation with the hope of then becoming a plumber or electrician’s apprentice;
Ava Northrup will travel to MSU; and
Chase Runions heads down to Portland State University to become an engineer.
Holton stated that he has “always wanted to be a mechanical engineer, having played with Legos, and always having tried to figure out how things work, since [he] was very young.” Ramirez recalls taking UW Chemistry her sophomore year “and knowing then that UW and chemistry were for [her].” Balzer chose WVC to be “closer to home and closer to friends.”
Gillespie, on the other hand, wants “to go [to school] far from home to get new experiences and meet new people.” Schafer sees “great opportunities [at CCFD] to help [him] succeed after high school.” Harris “love[s] the WSU campus and look[s] forward to being close to [her] father’s side of the family.” Barnes “can’t wait to get out there and work.” Fernandez cited “UW’s beautiful campus and programs to help first generation migrant students.” Northrup, who is the recipient of a “large scholarship,” feels that MSU and Bozeman are “perfect for the things [she] love[s] most in life: skiing and hiking.” Runions “looked for a school with a good engineering program and liked the vibe [of Portland State].”
Despite the myriad of divergent paths to be taken, and the reasoning behind the decisions, there is one binding thread of commonality that runs through them all: the enthusiasm, eagerness, and anticipation endemic to young adults at the outset of a bright future. Every one of the soon-to-be graduated expressed their “excitement.” Balzer was “excited;” Runions “pretty excited;” Holton “super excited;” Fernandez “very excited;” Northrup “very, very excited;” and maybe most reflective of all Ramirez was “very excited, but nervous too.” The CHS community, in turn, is excited for its seniors. Congratulations goes out to them all. Take a moment to congratulate them yourself in person in the halls of CHS or in the comments below.
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