Graduation 2005: Klahowya grads get quirky sendoff

The Klahowya Secondary School class of 2005 got a musical and comical farewell as 172 graduates were sent out into the world Friday night at the Kitsap Pavilion.

Before the ceremony began, Elizabeth Snow, senior class publicist, and Emily Hoynes, senior class secretary, were a bit nervous about their role in the ceremony. After the graduates received their diplomas, the class officers had to go up on the platform and lead the turning of the tassels. When the graduates turn their tassels from the right to the left, they become official graduates.

Both Snow and Hoynes were nervous the tassel-turn would go afoul.

“I’m afraid my tassel will fall off,” Snow said. The tassel-turn went off without a hitch.

Other graduates were more focused on getting their diplomas and experiencing life after high school.

“I’m happy,” said graduate Nathan Lax. “I’ve been at the same school for six years and I’m glad to get it over with.” Lax will attend Olympic College for a year then transfer to Western Washington University.

During the ceremony, graduate Carey Rayburn played a high-energy rendition of “Flight of the Bumblebee” on his trumpet while graduate Alexis Bennett was highlighted as the flawless soloist for the Klahowya Vocal Jazz Ensemble’s rendition of “The Impossible Dream.”

Rachel Sell, class salutatorian and one of three student speakers, used Henry David Thoreau’s words to tell her classmates to “live deliberately.”

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