(Photo by Shelby Herbert/KFSK)
Petersburg High School’s graduating seniors turned their tassels on the night of May 28 at the annual indoor commencement ceremony. The 24 graduates started high school in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic; learning behind computer screens and face masks. Four years later, they’ve weathered the storm, and many say they’re excited to head out into the world.
In Alaska’s “Little Norway,” the high school band said goodbye to the class of 2024 with a little taste of the Old Country. The students covered “Take On Me” by Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha at the commencement ceremony. It’s the last song Petersburg High School’s concert band played with all of their members from the class of 2024. But “Pomp and Circumstance” wasn’t left off the setlist.
The commencement ceremony was the last one retiring District Superintendent Erica Kludt-Painter’s would attend in her role.
“It has been an honor and a privilege,” Kludt-Painter. “It truly takes a village, and I’m proud to be a part of this village.”
And it was new Petersburg High School Principal Brad King’s first commencement. He started the job this year. In his address at the commencement ceremony, he said he could, unequivocally and without reservation, and with absolute certainty say that this is the best graduating class at Petersburg High School he’s ever had.
Rik Cumps is the Petersburg High School class of 2024 valedictorian. Anya Pawuk is the salutatorian. Class Historian Elijah Whitacre looked back on the early days of the pandemic, his class’ first year of high school. He spoke of the grit and determination of his classmates, who he says learned how to buckle down and study hard during years of unpredictability. But all that hard work came after a period of unscheduled rest and relaxation, when they were all trying to figure out what was going on.
“…[You remember] that one really, really long spring break: COVID,” Whitacre said to the crowd at the commencement ceremony. “So, for the most part, we pretty much did whatever we wanted. Sometimes — when we felt like it — we went to class. Raise your hand if you did homework [during] COVID!”
Nobody in the audience raised their hand.
Departing class president Kinley Lister says the years just flew by. She’s heading down to Utah to study elementary education at Brigham Young University.
Lister says she’s excited to take these next steps, but she cherishes her memories from high school. Even the challenging ones.
“Our high school experience was interesting, just because it began with COVID,” said Lister. “And so I guess it was just about connecting with people and learning and growing, and just trying to become the best individual we all could [be] together.”
Multi-sport athlete Kieran Cabral also plans to depart the small island community, for now. He’ll attend Wenatchee Valley College in Washington, where he’ll play baseball. Cabral says he looks forward to starting his new journey, but it’s hard to leave behind such a special place.
“All four years were amazing,” said Cabral. “I mean, I had a good group of friends around me, the sports were awesome. My teachers were amazing, and it was just fantastic.”
The Petersburg High School class of 2024 announced their class gift at the end of the commencement ceremony: a scholarship for future graduates who are continuing their education or attending vocational training. And with that, the 24 graduates turned over their tassels, ready to take on whatever comes next.
