Connections students get personalized send-off at 2023 commencement
Published 9:30 pm Wednesday, May 17, 2023
A graduation ceremony for Connections Homeschool on Thursday, held at Soldotna High School, gathered students from around the Kenai Peninsula. Several students traveled from Homer and Seward.
Each student who attended the graduation ceremony was individually brought to the stage, where Principal Douglas Hayman and Assistant Principal Greg Melvin told the crowd about them — their goals, their achievements, the scholarships they’ve earned and the things they enjoy.
Each student was then greeted by dignitaries — school board members Beverly Romanin and Virginia Morgan, and Assistant Superintendent Kari Dendurent. Students were handed diplomas by Dendurent or their own parents and then turned their tassels.
Willow Rediske read a poem — in which she asked aloud about what comes after graduation.
“Where do we go? And what do we do? Are you a doctor, or have you a clue?” she recited. “ … Slip on that tool belt and find something that you love to do.”
Students Clare Henry and Lacie Triem each performed onstage. Henry was joined by guest singer Audra Calloway and the two sang “Lakme (Duet of Flowers),” by Léo Delibes. Triem performed both piano and vocals for the song “Don’t Forget,” by Toby Fox and Laura Shigihara, from the video game Deltarune.
After each student had claimed their diploma — and after the traditional senior slide show — the students recessed to the commons for photos and cake.
Spring 2023 graduates
Alexander Anderson
Luke Armstrong
Jordynne Audette
Liam Babitt
Tristen Barnett
Jordan Barrowcliff
Ludmila Basargin#
James Bearup
Kyle Beck
Maxwell Berninger
Mason Best
Jackson Bird^
Garrett Briscoe
Conner Brown
McKenzie Buhr^
Tori Burk
Trista Burk
Damien Burke
Cadence Campbell
Ethan Cates
Taylor Cochrane
Kenneth Coghill
Jesse Cooper
McKenzie Coray
Sage Cruz
Lukyan Dax
Julian Day
Jake Debnam
Leo DeVita
Anna DeVolld#^
Haley Dougherty
Jasmine Durfee
Connor Evoy
Kaden Farrington
Damian Fefelov
Victoria Franco
Tirzah Frederickson
Mavrick Gabriel
Laurel Gagnon
William Gashin
Edward Goans
Elijah Gordon
Johnathan Gordon
Charity Haerle
Ryder Hagedorn
Katrina Hall
Elizabeth Harju-Romey
Abraham Henderson
Clare Henry
Mariah Hernandez
Ariel Hiler
Alexis Hitchcock
Maylisa Hodges
Keegan Hupp
Ian Inglis
Amaura Jacobs
Wade James
Kenyon Jones
Blake Klinkner
Rylan Kreger
Brandon LaBreck
Tiana Lane
Isabelle Ley
Filonida Martushoff
Kyle Matson
Aaronn Monk
Colvin Moore^
Ciara Neely
Tobias Nevak
Jayden Northrup
Jerrica Northrup
Aria Olmsted
Guy Peterson
Destiny Pooley
Kenna Pryor
Kylie-Anne Raye
Willow Rediske
Justin Rose
Alexis Schneider
Lyra Sexton
Saydee Shackelford
Abrianna Smith
Danielle Smith
Harper Smith
Koa Smith
Austin Sorenson
Society Spurgeon
Rylee St. Luise^
Holden Stavish
Sydney Steadman^
Kylie Steven
Aleysa Strait#^
Myles Tackett
Daniel Trefren
Lacie Triem^
Zaraphina Tucker
Emma Updike
Caylee Uribe-Koivisto
Benjamin Veh
Mattie Von Haden
Nico Walker
Felicia Weisser
Morgan Whiteside
Jason Wood
Julian Yakunin
Mary Zaukar
KEY
National Honor Society — #
Valedictorian — ^
