LPO students add flair to graduation
SANDPOINT - Thursday's Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School commencement ceremony struck a balance between the goofiness of a comedy club and the energy of a rock concert. However, underlying everything was the obvious, immense pride - demonstrated by students and teachers alike - in the achievements of LPO's graduating seniors.
One of the numerous themes running throughout the ceremony was the importance of persistence. Many of LPO's 25 graduating seniors struggled through adversity prior to their enrollment at the school, and those same students praised LPO for giving them a second chance.
Addressing the crowd of several hundred at the Sandpoint Events Center, senior class president C.R. Christians gave credit to the school and its faculty for his success.
“I want to thank LPO for being the badass school that it is,” Christians said. “Most of us wouldn't be here tonight if it wasn't for this school.”
Christians went on to have a big night on Thursday, wracking up praise from his teachers and numerous scholarships from local community groups.
Christians' English teacher, Steve Johnson, called him a thinker, writer and athlete with creativity and determination.
“I really admire him,” Johnson said.
The evening's comedic elements came largely from the school's faculty, who poked fun at their students and themselves.
Introducing the scholarship portion of the ceremony, counselor Colleen Ross couldn't resist making light of the pay scale at public schools.
“We have a very high poverty rate at our school … and that's just the teachers,” Ross said.
The most irreverent segment of the night belonged to the faculty presentations. Various members of the staff presented students with individualized gifts tailored to their personalities such as the water wings and fly-fishing hat that Johnson and teacher Linda Spade gave to Christians, who is an avid fisherman.
Other gifts ranged from alarm clocks to the chronically tardy members of the class to an eye patch and hook that history teacher Mike Lefler gave Daniel Bouchard-Grote, who will be spending his summer working as a pyrotechnician. According to Lefler, the hook can be used if Bouchard-Grote blows his hand off with a firecracker, while the eye patch can be used when he scratches his face.
While the night was filled with many laughs, students and staff members did take time to voice sincere appreciation for their experiences at LPO.
“I'm leaving here tonight with a bunch of memories,” said student Ethan Colby. “I hope everyone at LPO had as much fun as I did.”
A full list of scholarships and awards will be published in an upcoming edition of the Daily Bee.