001just chilling. I just thought it was Yeah. Oh, okay. Okay. very Yeah, I They come in. Oh yeah. Yeah. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] I invite everyone to please stand for the playing of our national anthem. [Music] Wonderful. [Music] Thank you. and please be seated. We Bellingham public schools acknowledge we are residing on the traditional and ancestral and unseated territory of the coast Salish peoples including the Lummy Nation and Noosac tribe. LMI and Noosack are the original inhabitants of Washington's northernmost coastal region. Since time immemorial, coastal Salish people celebrated life on this land, their waterways, and on the traditional ancestral and unseated lands of their people to perpetuate their way of life. We honor their ancestors and acknowledge the past and present and future Co Salish
002people. Good evening graduates, families, and friends. Together, we gather to celebrate a s significant milestone in your lives. As you stand on the brink of new beginnings, I want to reflect on the concept of productive struggle. Throughout your journey in school and into options high school, you have faced challenges, both academic and personal. These struggles were not mere obstacles, but opportunities for your own growth. Each time you encountered a difficult problem, you learned to persevere, to think critically, and to find solutions. You found the adults in our school who support you, whether that be in the nook, the health center, the classroom, the office, or the cafeteria. Thank you for letting us support your personal growth. Positive struggle has taught you resilience and the value of your hard work at options. Remember, the path to
003success is often paved with those challenges. And it's through these struggles that you will continue to grow and achieve greatness. Embrace every challenge as a stepping stone and let each struggle be a testament to your strength and your determination. Another cornerstone of your high school experience at Options High School has been community engagement and service. You have volunteered your time, participated in so many community projects. I can't even count them all. It's been hundreds in the times that you have been here at our school. You have uh done projects in Bellingham that include hours, hundreds of hours at the food bank, Habitat for Humanity, our city's parks and elementary schools, just to name a few. These experiences have shown you the importance of giving back and being an active member of your community. Service is
004not just about helping others. It's also about building connections, fostering empathy, and creating a positive impact. As Harvey Mil once said, "Hope will never be silent." Milk's words remind us that through our actions in service, we can bring hope and challenge and change to our communities. When you engage in service, you become a beacon of hope, lighting the way for others. As you move forward, continue to seek out opportunities to serve and engage with your community. Your actions can inspire change and make the world a better place. As you leave options, please remember the power of community lies in the collective effort of individuals who care deeply about making a difference. Finally, I want to talk about optimism. The future is filled with uncertainties, but it's also brimming with possibilities. Optim optimism is a belief
005that good things are possible even in the face of adversity. in the mindset or it is the mindset that allows you to see opportunities where others might see obstacles. As you step into the next chapter of your lives, carry with you the spirit of optimism. I saw optimism embodied each of you on our senior trip on Tuesday where we were out in the bay on the Zodiac. You each opened your hearts to one another, repaired old friendships, broke bread together as a whole class, and were truly a community of curious and kind friends floating in the bay in the warm sun. Embrace challenges with a positive outlook and trust in your ability to overcome them. Always sit in that warm sun. Soak it up. Optimism will be your guiding light, helping you navigate through life's
006ups and life's downs. With optimism, you can turn your dreams into realities and transform setbacks into comebacks. As you leave here today, remember those lessons of productive struggle, community engagement, optimism. These themes are not just part of your past. They are the foundation for your future. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Continue to serve and connect with your community and maintain a positive outlook on life. Together, these principles will guide you to move forward into the future, ready to make a difference and to achieve your dreams. To the parents and guardians, I extend my deepest gratitude. Thank you for trusting us with the education and growth of your children. Your support and encouragement have been crucial in their journey. You have been their first teachers. Together, we have nurtured and guide these remarkable graduates, and
007for that, we are profoundly grateful at Options High School. Thank you for being our partners in the journey that we call high school. Let's give a round of applause for the families that are here today. Before I conclude, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the teachers and staff at Options High School. Your support and commitment has been instrumental in shaping these graduates into the unique individuals they are today. You're going to hear from our students in a little bit about some of their thoughts and their memories of our of our staff. Your guidance and encouragement have made a lasting impact and for that as a whole school community, we are deeply grateful. Please give a round of applause and appreciation for the staff at Options High School. Congratulations, Options High School class
008of 2025. The world awaits you. Go forth with confidence, knowing that you have the strength to overcome any challenge, the compassion to uplift others, and the optimism to create a brighter future. The journey ahead is yours to shape, and I have no doubt that you will make that extraordinary. Thank you, and it is my pleasure to introduce our student speaker, Grace Hawkins. Good evening, Options High School class of 2025. Good evening, Options High School class of 2025 families, friends, teachers, and fellow graduates. Today is a day of celebration and reflection and a moment we stand before our futures. As we gather you today, I want to take a moment to appreciate the journey to reach this point. Let's rewind to freshman year, shall we? Remember that wild day at the end of the year when
009our teachers raced office chairs down the hallways? Imagine teachers rolling full speed with no breaks. Here are two words that describe the scene. Safety hazard. Our our teachers had gone wild. You should have seen the look on nurse Matt's face. Things got chaotic when Green One crashed into the wall. Fortunately, there were no broken wood bones, just wounded pride. As crazy as it was, that moment taught us something. Sometimes it's best to embrace the unexpected with a laugh. As freshman, we gave our teachers plenty of practice embracing embracing the unexpected. The infam infamous paper airplane incident in M's class stands out. One random act of flight soon became an insult. Planes were flying everywhere, hitting the windows and landing on the desks. We spent the whole class folding, flying, and fixing our planes, trying to
010make the best one. While testing our designs, we tested M's patient a lot. I think M need a few days off off after that to recover. Sorry, Min. What can I say? We were young and tough. Py sophomore year, we were ready for more mature experiences like prom. I'm pretty sure I was the most excited person there. I don't mean to brag, but I snagged the first burrito and took 20 home for leftovers. Okay. Okay. It was more like two or three. Anyway, the dance was pretty memorable, too. The whole night felt like a scene out of a teen movie, complete with flashing lights, fancy outfits, and crushable dance moves from our teachers. From the chhata slide to shorty getting low, it was our teacher's turn to get this unexpected. Then there was Kai Ronnie
011trying to do the worm. Bless him. It was equal parts impressive and confusing. I'm pretty sure he pulled a muscle. That night made one thing crystal clear. We, the students, weren't the only ones making memories. Our teachers were right there with us, reminding us that the best moments are shared. Forward to junior year. Remember when a bunch of students got the teachers to play sprout ball together? For those who don't know what sprout ball is, the object of the game is to avoid being hit with the ball from the waist down. Reichmbbach and Geel House joined the game. And when they did, oh man, I just knew these kids were in trouble. When Gables and Rick Reichbach were in the game, they hit every student they could. Some even pegged in the head accidentally, of
012course. For sure. Gee, House and Reichenbach need some therapy. Or maybe that was their therapy. And now here we are on our last day of senior year. How to sum up all our time here at Options. I think the gratitude meal does it best. Every November, we have we had a gratitude meal. This year was by far my favorite, especially since I got to eat mashed potatoes and gravy and sit with Evil House and Miss Haley. We ended up talking about all the good memories. Not only that, but came and joined us at the table. It was the first time I had met her and I was always and that is the beauty of the gratitude and options in general. We come together new and old to be a community. So now it is with
013my personal gratitude that I want to say some thank yous. I want to thank Ronnie Weston for making sure I passed all my freshman year classes as as well as cheering me up before lunch and hanging out with me during Stephanie Burch's class. I want to thank Jerry Greenwin for always coming over to my dad's work during lunch and hanging out with my dad and me as well as his co-workers. I want to thank Kai Roning for still visiting my dad's work and saying hi to everyone. And I want to thank Joe Wooding for helping me with my first speech and making class fun as hell. In closing, I want to extend a heartful thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey. My friends who have been with me through the thick
014and thin, my family for their endless support and love, and of course, my dogs for always being there with a wagging tail at the end of a long day. To the teachers and staff at Options High School, thank you for believing in us and being part of our journey. As we say our goodbyes, let's remember that this is not the end, but a new beginning. Here is to us, class of 2025, as we step boldly into the future. May we carry the spirit of options high school with us whenever we go. Congratulations, everyone. We did it. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thank you. It is my pleasure to now introduce our top speaker chosen by the auction. High school joined by Dale Hudson. [Music] To family, friends, staff, and most importantly, graduation class of 25. Thank you
015for being here. First, let me say how proud I am to stand here today, not just as a staff member, but also as someone who has had the privilege of walking alongside each of you daily on your journey. Today is not a c today is just a celebration of completing high school. It's a celebration of resilience, courage, and determination that has brought each of you here. This moment is even more powerful because each of you unique challenging path to get there. Every one of you sitting here today has faced challenges. You've had to work hard twice as hard to get to the end of this chapter. This school, your school was never about someone else's about you building your own future. Options high school isn't isn't just a different path. It's a choice you made
016by choosing It means you chose to keep going when things got tough and you have given yourself the opportunity to rewrite your story when it was maybe easier to give up. You went against the odds and you proved that it's not about how you start but how you finish and more importantly how you grow as a person. So as you move forward, whether that be to college, vocational training, or a job, or whatever the next chapter in your life, I hope you carry this with you. You are not defined by your struggles of your past, but by the strength you have built because of them. On behalf of all the staff, we thank you for letting us be part of your journey. While we have been teaching you, you've been us to all of those
017that have supported our graduates. Thank you. Thank you for your patience, late night talks, and strength to keep our students on track. Graduates, I am so proud of you. You never gave up. You were given a second chance and you took it with us here at Options High School. Congratulations, class of 2025. [Music] Thank you. Today it is my responsibility as the principal of Options High School to certify to the Bellingham School Board and Superintendent Dr. Gay Baker that the students of the class of 2025 at Options High School have met and in most cases far exceeded all the requirements for graduation as set forth by our kindergarteners. We saw some of the kindergarteners today. Their eyes were so bright. They were so excited to see our graduates come back today. Um I was there
018at the drop off when the kids first got there and they were like just so excited to see these graduates come through the hallways. So each year we go and we meet with our kindergarteners and ask them a couple questions and and share them tonight. So I'm going to give you a little bit of advice and some commentary from our current class of kindergarteners. The first question we asked our kindergarteners was, "You know what graduation is? Do you know what it means?" Here's some of their answers. The first one said, "I think it means you're a grandpa or a grandma." Another one said, "I think it means you need to leave your house and go live in a hotel." Next one. It means you go to a different school, but you have to wait to
019see if you're allowed. Can I touch your toenail? Another student. I already graduated from preschool, so I don't need to graduate. I last student, you are graduating to be grown up. Poof. You are now all grown. Second question we asked our kindergarteners this year was what advice do you have for our graduates graduates when they're sitting here tonight. So here's some advice from our current kindergarters. First one, you can do it. Next one, really, really good job and watch out for snakes. Next one, don't be nervous. You're an adult now. Ice cream makes everything better. Next one. No, I don't have any advice, but I do have Godzilla on my t-shirt. That was a good one. The last one on the advice was, "You better go to college or become a fisherman. I would catch
020cod or salmon, but I don't think you should catch orcas." One last question we asked our kindergarteners was, "What do the kindergarteners want to do after they graduate? Here's a couple of our kindergarters what they'd like to do when they're in your seat 13 years, 12 years from now. First person, popsicle stick art and origami. Next one. I want to get a job at Starbucks and help people at the Lighthouse Mission. I want to be a police officer and a construction worker. I want to be a daycareer, but I'm not going to have my own kids. I just want to help other kids. I want to work at Mount Baker and be a snowboard teacher. And the last from our kindergarteners was after I graduate, I want to live at summer camp. So, seniors, congratulations
021and best wishes from everybody here, including our kindergarters. Good luck to you. And now, we're going to wait for the presentation of diplomas. Graduates, would you please rise? And reading the names today will be Miss Mrs. Stephanie Burgess. [Applause] Good job, Cammy. [Music] [Applause] Isidora Haram Matson, Sarah Hodgeges, Odin Gossip. [Applause] I want to thank Tetssuya Takahashi. Your art has inspired me for years. Your dream has not only touched my heart but taught me to seize my future and always to look to look towards it to make a difference in the world. Your vision of a world of magic and machines sparked a creative blaze in the boiler of imagination I call my soul. I'm not the only one who loved your work. mostly because that is what happens when you create one of the
022most successful JRPGs video game ever. Still, I am eternally grateful and I hope I can make something just as inspirational. And for that I must say thank you [Applause] Robert Fox Kaden Dutra. Thank you. I just want to thank all the teachers and staff and special shout out to Miss Carpenter. She's always pushed me to do better and she's really good in my classes and has been a cornerstone for me to succeed throughout the years. Thank you, Miss Carpenter, for being you and being so awesome. And Mr. Wood, the coolest ball dude I know. You're caring, you're curious, and you just want to see your students succeed. It is always fun playing basketball with you. You have taught me a lot over the years and I am forever grateful for both of you and what
023you have taught me. And I want to thank my family. Dad, you have always been there for me and taught me so many things emotionally and physically. I will never take for granted in this life for the next. My sister, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be up here as you pushed me to get out of bed and take me to school when I didn't have a car. And I'm forever grateful for both of you as I love you guys with all my heart. Thank you. Kyla Paloma, Cleveland, [Applause] Stevie Charlie. [Applause] There were some potholes on this road through high school, but I worked hard to fill them in. And now it's time to thank everyone who helped me get here. To the best person I've ever met, my auntie, thank you.
024And I love you. To a patient, generous man that I look up to, Kevin Tra. Thank you a lot. Kevin and Katie make an awesome principal duo that I'm glad to have experienced. To all the special teachers I truly felt safe and comfortable with who also tolerated my mischievous ways and guided me throughout. I want to shout out Mr. Berg, uh, Mr. Raikenbach, Mr. Gibbahas, the Jeffs, Thron Thron and Tri. Thank you guys so much. Finally, I love you, Mom, and thank you for everything. Necessity Carver, [Applause] [Music] Mercedes buyers Thank you. Thank you everybody here today and the graduating class of 2025. We've had a long 12 years, but it's with great pride that we can finally say that we made it. As much as we all had our ups and downs and bumps
025on the road, we stayed resilient and persevered through it all. As we take steps to start our futures to and set off on our own, I want to remind everyone that it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to fall behind and it's okay to fail. That's what makes us human. How we learn and grow from our shortcomings is what determines what type of person we will be. With this said, I wish everyone the best of luck in anything and everything that you decide to pursue. [Applause] Maggie Burke Charlie Blonstein, Isabella Aragon, Riley Adams, [Applause] Trinity Longoria, [Applause] Grace Hawkins, [Applause] Anakah Young, Isabella Williams, Tony Tran. Thank you parents for raising me right and thank you options for the short but memorable experience [Applause] Clara Thomas [Applause] I will forever cherish the memories options has
026given me I will never forget the bonds I've created. Thanks to options, we made it. [Applause] [Music] Owen Ruth, [Applause] Rakaya Rester. I'd first like to thank my family for being here today. Thank you so much. We've all come a long way. I've especially come a long way. When I first came here, I was in a wheelchair. I was a research patient battling two heart autoimmune disorders. I never thought I'd make it to this point. I'd like to thank Dale for helping me open doors and genuinely caring about me. I'd like to thank Emily for helping me adjust to options and letting me know it's a safe place. I'd like to thank Haley for making geometry and algebra the best place to be. Thank you Leslie for helping me with my writing and helping me
027gain confidence and my writing abilities plus um going through with Running Start. I'd like to thank Burr for making chemistry fun and engaging. And Carpenter, thank you so much. much. I enjoyed our morning conversations in tech. And before testing, I saved my favorite options person for last. And you were and still are my biggest supporter who checked in with me every day to make sure I was okay. You and are the kindest and most wholesome person I have ever met. Also, thank you for options for sending me to Running Star. I'll miss you all so much. [Applause] Kendra Rember, [Applause] Percal Silva Pew. [Applause] I wanted to thank Dale. She's been a wildfire of a spark here and I did not think that was going to be her. Um, she loves getting to know all
028the students, especially the ones who don't want to talk at first. She will break you. Um, she's been my best friend and my school mom when things have been getting hard. And another thank you to Ann. She is the sweetest lady you'll ever meet. You need a snack and can help with that. You feel like a class and can help with that, too. My last thank you goes to Bulich, Alex, and Mr. Rikenbach. You guys were the best teachers I could have asked for. You made the options a big experience for me. Thank you. And I also I didn't write this on here cuz I got nervous and jitters, but to my family because you always made me feel like I was welcome. Thank you, [Applause] Ireina Mueller. I can't even begin to express my
029true gratitude for the wonderful and amazing people at options and the community that they have built. I've been given so much support that I desperately needed and I'm not sure where I'd be right now if I if options didn't exist. So, thank you all of you, especially those of you who chose to make your classes fun and engaging because it was I I genuinely had a good time. Thank you. Genesis Lopez [Applause] Cameron Layman, [Applause] Arlo Lee, Thank you. Gabriel Larson. I would like to thank all my friends and family as well as all the staff at Options. And I want to point out two teachers in particular. Gbo House for being the first teacher to welcome me to options and Wooding for helping me prepare for life after high school. [Applause] Marley Crumpac, [Applause]
030Forest Kell Iris Jose. [Applause] To lead you in the timehonored tradition of the turning of the tassel, I would like to invite senior Trinity Longoria. [Applause] I'm honored to lead my fellow classmates in the tassel turn. The turn of the tassel is a symbol of our graduation from high school into another stage in our lives. Please stand. You may now turn the tassel. [Music] Thank you, Trinity. Please all join me now in congratulating the class of 2025. All right, graduates, please follow Miss Knee. We invite families to meet students at Options High School to reunite with your graduates and take photos in front of our school. Thank [Applause] you. [Music] Let's go. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Woo! Don't get your hand out. [Music] Oh my god. [Music] Are you coming to
031school or not? I will. [Music] Thank you. Down. [Music]