Last Saturday evening, the stage was set for the 128 graduates of the Vashon Island High School Class of 2023 to receive their diplomas and graduate.

The air was full of anticipation as the graduates waited in the gymnasium while the guests packed the stands. The persistent rain had let up earlier that day, uncovering an overcast sky with a peek of warm sunlight.

The ceremony opened with a live performance of “Pomp and Circumstance,” arranged by Michael Story from the VHS Band during the processional, followed by Eva Cain’s performance of the national anthem, which is worth the watch and can be found here, along with the entirety of the commencement’s recording.

VHS Principal John Erikson then spoke about his pride in the class of 2023, and an anecdotal story about their senior prank, which involved a parked car inside the main floor of the high school and all of the chairs stacked in various places on campus, which looked like a modern art instillation to him.

Erikson then recognized the four exchange students VHS hosted during the 2022-23 school year from France, Italy, and Denmark, followed by the recognition of four students who obtained Associates of Arts (AA) degrees through Running Start: Isabella Blasingim, Ciaran Dodson, Katherine Ellison, and Amanda Kyles.

The class of 2023 also requested former VHS principal Danny Rock to appear as a guest speaker, and he reflected on the similarities between the class and himself as they both head off into new chapters of their life.

“You are bringers of change in a world so desperately in need of it… We have a lot in common you and I,” said Rock. “We’ve both spent our entire careers in education up to this point. We’re just launching into a new direction. The career and work we will engage in will directly seek to tackle the challenges of this world. We don’t take the next big steps in our life by ourselves. Seek out your team… and be a part of other’s teams and support them.”

VHS Assistant Principal Sabrina Kovacs then acknowledged eight of the nine graduating students who earned their seal of biliteracy. Danny Boyle, Myra Butler, Eva Cain, Gianpaulo Kuzma, Jessica Levin, and Hank McSheehy all earned their seal in Spanish, while Ashley Svensson earned it in Korean and Marina-Rae Gill earned hers in French. Lorelei Fitterer, who impressively received her seal of biliteracy in Spanish during her freshman year, was not mentioned during the ceremony due to an administrative oversight for which the school later apologized.

The class of 2023 selected VHS math teacher Ethan Cudaback as their class speaker, who poked fun at himself by starting the speech by saying he was excited to talk about himself for 15 minutes straight.

Cudaback spoke about the importance of the friends you meet along your journey, and to never stop taking risks.

“Wherever you are going next, get ready. It’s wild and terrifying and it’s whatever you want to make it,” said Cudaback.

Theodore Schill was selected as the class speaker and followed Cudabeck’s speech with a sweet reflection on his time at VHS.

“We have enjoyed years of comfort and created great memories here, but too much comfort for too long gives rise to complacency,” said Schill. “There is no growth without change, there is no change without loss, and there is no loss without hurt. Or, put more simply, no pain no gain. As beautiful and welcoming as Vashon is, life; the world; the vast sea beyond is full of its treasures, and it is our time now to go and find it like the Pirates we are!”

Máire Keenan and Lewis Schofield performed “Scott Street,” by Phoebe Bridgers, and were subsequently joined by Eva Cain in a performance of “Dreams,” by The Cranberries. The moving performance had many people tapping their shoes and produced a huge round of applause for the talented graduates.

VHS Social Studies teacher Jason Butler, the newly appointed ASB advisor as of this year, then recognized executive board members. The class of 2023’s ASB cabinet was comprised of sound commissioners Hanifa Khadir and Aiden Green, secretary Maisy Long, treasurers Oliver Churchill and Leo Neidinger, vice presidents Celena Becerra and Maxwell Delgado Williams, and presidents Jessica Levin and Ava Stephenson.

Next, Butler presented the Pieces of Eight Awards to eight students who exemplified the qualities of Leadership, Commitment, Integrity, Inspiration, Service, Citizenship, Engagement, and Pirate Pride. The Pieces of Eight award was first handed out on Vashon in 1983 and is a longstanding tradition of recognizing valuable qualities other than test scores and grades in graduates. The metal medallion was produced by VHS Jewelry instructor Kate Dunagan and is a replica of an 18th-century coin retrieved from a shipwreck in Florida.

This year’s Pieces of Eight Awardees were Máire Keenan, Maren MacLean, Ava Stephenson, Maria Guerrero-Rivas, Jessica Levin, Oliver Profit, Aiden Green, and Jaleigh Stubblefield-Jacobs.

Kovac then announced the top 10 students, separated from the two valedictorians by 0.08 GPA points. The top 10 students achieved a GPA between 3.927 and 3.986. Leah Gross, Emerson Hickman, Laila Mortensen, Leo Neidinger, Ava Stephenson, Moses Trundle-Strachan, Jonas Wahanik, Kaiya Van Broost, Eliza Pinckney, and Nicholas Zuckerman earned their spots as the top ten students of the class of 2023.

The salutatorian for the class of 2023 was Maren MacLean, and the valedictorians were Jessica Levin and Isaac Danielson, who both graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

Levin and Danielson’s speech was a reflection of their four years at VHS, riddled with jokes and wise predictions.

Danielson poked fun at former VHS Principal Danny Rock’s resignation in a joke which had the whole audience laughing.

“Midyear, [Danny] Rock resigned to work in the software industry; a predictable career move for a high school principal,” said Danielson.

Levin reflected on the gifts Vashon has given her and her class, and how the class of 2023 will continue the tradition of support in their new communities.

“This year at the scholarship notebook ceremony we were reminded of the tremendous impact Vashon community groups like PIE (Partners in Education) and The DOVE Project have had on our high school experience,” said Levin. “Next year, as we enter new communities, we will look for ways to support others with compassion and generosity just as Vashon has done with us.”

Class speaker Schill also reflected forward and gave his classmates similar advice.

“Let’s seize every opportunity, embrace every failure as a stepping stone, and let our journey be one of curiosity, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence as we commit to leaving our world better for our being in it,” said Schill.