Five North Olympic Peninsula high schools will conduct commencement ceremonies this week.
Last week, Quileute Tribal School and Port Townsend, Chimacum, Forks, Neah Bay and Quilcene high schools held graduations for about 300 members of the class of 2014.
Tassled and gowned, the graduates will walk across stages Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Clallam Bay to Sequim.
Thursday
Lincoln High School‘s graduation ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. in the Little Theater on the Peninsula College campus at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.
The Wildcats Class of 2014 includes 16 graduates.
Lincoln High is an alternative school, where students are given a second chance at graduation after having difficulty for a variety of reasons.
Students may graduate in four, five or six years, and many come from backgrounds where they have struggled to attend school.
One student’s father died, another had a child and others may be the first generation of their family to graduate from high school, said Principal Cindy Crumb.
Some are homeless and struggle just to find a meal and place to sleep each night, she said.
“No one has ever given these kids anything,” she said.
Despite their challenges, she said, 16 of the school’s 28 currently registered seniors will complete their education and receive diplomas on Thursday, and many others will persevere to earn diplomas later, no matter what life throws at them.
Friday
Sequim High School‘s graduation ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at the Wolves Stadium at the high school at 601 N. Sequim Ave.
The Wolves Class of 2014 is expected to include 204 graduates.
The school selected four valedictorians for the class: Angela Bentley, Makayla Bentz, Wilson Eiland and Allison Masangkay.
“This is a class that has giving in their hearts. They are very service-oriented,” said Principal Shawn Langston.
Port Angeles High School‘s graduation ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. in the high school gym at 304 E. Park Ave.
The Roughriders Class of 2014 is expected to include 230 graduates.
Online viewers can watch the graduation from the student-run PATV Internet broadcast studio at www.ustream.tv.
Those who plan to watch the ceremony using a smartphone will need to download a phone application at www.ustream.tv to view the webcast.
The graduation also will be broadcast live on KONP radio, 1450 AM.
No valedictorian is selected for the school. Instead, 20 high-performing graduates have been named “academic honor graduates,” said Principal Garry Cameron.
“[The class of 2014 is] a very high-achieving class, with the most number of graduates since 2010 and highest four-year graduation rate since 2005,” Cameron said.
Saturday
Clallam Bay High School‘s graduation ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. in the high school gym, 16933 state Highway 112.
The Bruins Class of 2014 includes 11 graduates, which represents a 100 percent four-year
graduation rate.
Crescent High School‘s graduation will begin at 3 p.m. in the high school gym, 50350 state Highway 112, in Joyce.
Entry is open to the public. No tickets are necessary.
The Loggers Class of 2014 includes 16 students.
The valedictorian is Meghan Shamp, senior class president.
“There is a lot of variety in this class,” said Clayton Mork, Crescent principal and superintendent.
However, the students have become very close, with tight friendships, he said.
“In a small school district like ours, by the point they are seniors, they feel they are part of a larger family,” he said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
