LPOHS 'celebrating chaos' at 2021 graduation
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
(Photo by ANNISA KEITH)
Lake Pend Oreille High School soon-to-be graduates wait in the hallway for their commencement ceremony to begin as the school celebrated its 26 graduates on Thursday.
Lake Pend Oreille High School soon-to-be graduates wait in the hallway for their commencement ceremony to begin as the school celebrated its 26 graduates on Thursday.
X Peck makes his way down the street with his graduation gift after Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School soon-to-be graduates walk toward the ceremony. LPOHS presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School graduates wait for the start of Thursday's commencement ceremony.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Approximately 300 people witnessed the 2021 graduates of Lake Pend Oreille High School receive their diplomas. Staff, graduates, and audience members shared tears and laughter during Thursday’s ceremony at Sandpoint Events Center.
Approximately 300 people witnessed the 2021 graduates of Lake Pend Oreille High School receive their diplomas. Staff, graduates, and audience members shared tears and laughter during Thursday’s ceremony at Sandpoint Events Center.
A Lake Pend Oreille High School graduate is celebrated at Thursday's graduation. LPOHS presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at the commencement ceremony with each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
A Lake Pend Oreille High School graduate is presented with a pair of funny eyeglasses. LPOHS presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented its 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
A Lake Pend Oreille High School graduate gets his diploma. LPOHS presented 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School decorated 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement ceremony. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Lake Pend Oreille High School presented 26 graduates with diplomas at Thursday's commencement. Each graduate also received personalized gifts and remarks from staff members recounting their most notable moments.
Late arrivals to Lake Pend Oreille High School’s 2021 graduation saw standing room only.
“I’ll guess this is the largest crowd some of us have been in, in a long time,” said Principal Geoff Penrose during opening remarks.
Approximately 300 friends and family watched the graduates become freshly minted alumni at the nearly two-hour ceremony on June 10 at Sandpoint Business & Events Center auditorium.
Instead of appointing a valedictorian and salutatorian, staff members selected two student speakers to address their fellow graduates.
First up was Saedey Christy, who more than twice mentioned her nervousness toward public speaking. Her speech heard laughter and saw tears while she recounted her time at LPO. Making sure to focus on the bonds formed between the students and staff, Christy said,
“LPO feels like a family,” looking straight into the audience “Before I started LPO, I didn’t think I’d get to where I am today.”
Afterward, Andrew Stovall, approached the mic,
“These last 4 school years have been some of the best schooling of my life,” he said. Stovall has already begun taking online courses through Harvard.
A large portion of LPO’s commencement ceremony focused on personalized recognition of each student by a staff member; who got to choose, or fight, over which students they would celebrate. Emotions and sentiments shared were as diverse as the students.
Terrin Dustman received a Rubix “speed” cube, already shuffled, because he is known for being able to solve them behind his back. The cube turned and turned in Dustman’s hands for the remainder of the time he was receiving recognition. An uncompleted puzzle still rotating in his fingers, even as the audience began to applaud, Dustman slowly walked to his seat. In the last three steps before his spot, he held the solved Rubix cube over his head as he sat down, with a big grin on his face.
Amber Staffiero received a certificate for “infinite meals at Joel’s,” a popular downtown Mexican restaurant. Staffiero smiled and accepted the certificate, but considering she is the granddaughter of the owner, perhaps it means something different to her than it would to the rest of us.
A rumbling came from stage left shortly after X Peck was called to the front of the stage to receive accolades. A visibly used office chair, with an “X” in white tape stuck to the back cushions, rolled to meet X Peck. A beaming smile broke across his face, knowing exactly what to do. He quickly plopped himself into the chair, while the audience was told that it was his favorite chair– the chair he sat in to accomplish much of his assignments.
An incomplete list of the gifts received during Thursday’s ceremony include a handmade coupon book, money tree, art supplies, Swiss army knife, tool and car repair kits, a medal of bravery, and an honorary PhD in “Die Hard-ology.” In addition to gifts, students were showered with praise as they were described as tenacious, deserving, capable, resourceful, and responsible to name a few.
“We made it in a very real way thanks to the leadership of these young people,” said Penrose. “The tassel was worth the extreme hassle.”
Family members stormed the aisles and floorspace closest to the stage as students received diplomas. A few bustling minutes later, students turned their tassels, and ascended as the newest alumni of Lake Pend Oreille High School.
Hats: thrown.
Cowbells: rung.
As the crowd of purple-and-black clad students spilled out into the June evening, a familiar rumbling sound clicked over the cracks in the sidewalk. Cap atop his head, X Peck walked behind his new chair — the wheels clattered across the intersection and later faded into the distance as he strolled out of sight. Peck continues to roll toward his dreams — along with the rest of his fellow graduates.
