Kamiakin High School graduation: ‘A place to come together’

The Kamiakin High School Class of 2015 had a lot of ups and downs over the past four years, but this tribe of Braves stuck through it together.

The “Scarlet and Gold” took over the Toyota Center in Kennewick on Saturday as proud family and friends filled the stands. Kamiakin had four valedictorians — Alisha Nguyen, Cameron Glade, Lindsey Schauble and Skyler Boehnke — and one salutatorian, Alec Sun.

Sun fell short of his goal of being a co-valedictorian because of one A- out of some 48 classes. Still, the graduate boasts a 3.9936 grade-point average and is going to Cornell University in the fall.

“High schoolers are resilient, and we Braves are the best at it,” Sun said to cheers from his more than 370 fellow graduates.

Nguyen, also the Associated Student Body president, said what matters now is the class can look back at the overall journey and be proud of their perseverance and determination.

Kamiakin is not only a place to have fun and to express oneself freely, she said, but a place to come together and to achieve something great.

Glade said graduation is “just the beginning of our long voyage to becoming all that we can be.”

“As we continue our venture, let us not forget to use the tools that have been instilled within us, such as hard work, dedication and commitment through the rough terrain and storms that will surely be a part of our journey, whatever endeavors we each may pursue,” he said. “... Remember what you stand for — we are Kamiakin Braves.”

Principal Chris Chelin commended the graduates on their many accomplishments in both academics and athletics over the four years. He noted that the 2015 senior class gift is water fountains, placed throughout the Kennewick campus, that are designed to refill water bottles.

This story was originally published June 6, 2015 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Kamiakin High School graduation: ‘A place to come together’."