Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
The 220+ members of the West Seattle High School Class of 2015 are now celebrating the first night of the rest of their lives, after receiving their diplomas in the breezy sun and shadows of Southwest Athletic Complex, where family and friends filled the stands.
Graduation is a time of “mixed feelings,” as pointed out by valedictorian Tin Vo, who recounted some of the “life lessons” he and his classmates learned.
He closed by wishing them all the “best of luck,” drawing laughs by concluding “May the Force be with you.”
The class’s motto was “Our goal is to influence history, rather than merely observing it.” Toward that end, one of their class advisers, science teacher Jeff Ursino, asked, “What kind of history do you think is worth making?”
He suggested it wasn’t the kind you’ll find in a museum someday, saying that “history is made bravely, and in the company of people we love.” His advice: “Worry less about who you are, and ponder who you want to be.”
Their other adviser, Tom Burggraff, offered advice he suggested he’s known for, “Go out and be somebody.”
Principal Ruth Medsker warned that there will be times along the road that “you’re going to want to pack it up,” but, she said, just “persist … There’s only one you, and you will pass this way but once. Do it right.”
And stop to celebrate the successes, advised School Board director Marty McLaren, just before the presentation of diplomas, as joyful a ceremony as ever, with name-readers calling out each grad’s name loud and proud.
Then one final speaker, Sahra Ibrahim, who observed, “After today, life does not get any easier.”
But it gets different. And so off she and her classmates went, into that new life.
(Video to come – we’ll add it to the story as soon as it’s ready late tonight. P.S. 2 more local graduations to follow.)
ADDED 1 AM: Here as promised is the video – starting with the introduction of valedictorian Vo and continuing through the remaining 53 minutes of the ceremony:
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