Hundreds of friends and family members packed into lawn chairs and bleachers at Justin Maile Field on Monday, where more than 120 students celebrated the end of their academic careers at Soldotna High School.

Heralded into the ceremony by a rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by the Soldotna High School band, the graduates, clad in deep blue robes and white stoles, filed into their seats shortly after 6 p.m.

Opening remarks were provided by Soldotna High School Assistant Principal Tabitha Blades, followed by Principal Sarge Truesdell’s second address to graduates since becoming principal last year.

Truesdell acknowledged the adversity the class of 2023 faced during their time in high school, notably spending a large portion of their freshman year learning remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Your sophomore year, we started school remote,” he said. “When you did come back, we asked you to wear masks, we had very few of your activities actually take place — no assemblies, no dances, no theater productions. That doesn’t sound like the kind of school year that I want to be part of. I commend you guys for making it through it.”

The crowd observed a moment of silence for former Soldotna High School teacher and coach Dan Gensel, who died Sunday at the age of 66. Soldotna High School Principal Sarge Truesdell said Gensel, who most recently worked as the sports director at KSRM, spent 20 years in the school district.

Also in attendance Monday as special guests were KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland, KPBSD Board of Education members Penny Vadla and Beverley Romanin and KPBSD Director of Secondary Education and former Soldotna High School Principal Tony Graham.

The crowd was serenaded by graduates Ciara Bismark, Josiah Burton, Ashley Dahlman, Clare Henry and student Jenifer Webster, who performed the national anthem. Dahlman, also the Soldotna High School student body president, additionally performed Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.”

Valedictorian JulieAnn Nye and Salutatorian Molly McMillan delivered a joint speech to peers, in which they encouraged graduates to recognize the way their experiences in high school have helped shape them. As graduates prepare to start the next chapter of their lives, they should be kind to themselves and learn from their mistakes, Nye and McMillan said.

“Whether we realize it yet or not, you have been set up for success,” Nye and McMillan said. “What you choose to do from here on out is up to you and the possibilities are endless. I will say, though, some paths look brighter than others. However, I encourage you to grasp for the brighter path.”

Soldotna High School Senior Class President Miah Mead led the graduates in the turning of the tassels, which she said symbolizes graduates; transition from high school to their future. Clutching white roses, the class flower, the graduates tossed their caps into the air and walked out to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.”

Spring 2023 graduates

Jireh Aley

Madison Ayre

Coy Babcock

Liliana Bahl

Brady Baker

Erin Bell

Ciara Bismark

Kaylina Bon

Raeana Bowman

Liam Boyd

Ronnie Boze

Jakob Brown*

Blake Bucho

Aiden Burcham

Josiah Burton

Carter Cannava

Issac Chavarria

Warren Cooper

Elijah Corbett

Andrew Cox *

Makayla Craft *

Shawn Curry

Ashley Dahlman *

Mila Davidson Iannuzzo

Makynzi Deborski

Taylor Dobson

Trinity Donovan

Logan Duyck

Daniel Edelman

Brianna Ehret

Ethan Foster

Jillian Gagnon

Elizabeth Garcia

Aidan Gavalis

Milo Gilliam

Rowan Gottlob

Gauge Gunning

Samantha Haakenson

Joshua Hall

Gavin Hanson

Dean Wallace Harbaugh*

Michael Harmon

Hunter Harrison

Darek Hatten

Lilyannah Himelrick

James Hindman

Emilia Hinz

Ethan Hogue

Daxton Honey

Keenan Hoover

Eric Hull

Robert Inman *

Tanner Inman *

Benjamin Johnson

Karley Johnson

Gavin Jones

Tim Ruben Karner#

Logan Katzenberger

Cameron King

Willow Kitchens

Jackson Klein

Emma Knowles *

Edgar Land

Brock Lapp

Silas Larsen

Peyton Lawton

Taylor Lee

Bryce Lefevre

Amara Lewis

Joshua Lynner

Aquille Martushev

Lachlan McManus

Molly McMillan *

Miah Mead

Crystal Menke

Augustus Miller

Ezekiel Miller

Liberty Miller

Sunny Miller

Mariah Mills

Nolan Mize

Katelyn MorrisonJulieAnn Nye *

Maddox Palacios

Emily Parker

Pearl Payne

Jessica Phegley

Zayra Poage

Travis Pontious

Mecenha Price

Jackson Purcell

James Redmon

Hunter Richardson

Dakota Richie

Destiny Richie

Ali Riley

Camren Roberts

Brandie Schwenk

Gavin Shanahan

Jared Sheetz

Josie Sheridan

Riley Stimmel

Breanna Stonecipher

Alexis Stormo

Shane Sundberg

Mercedes Tapley

Brayden Taylor

Rece Taylor

Ian Thomas

Valen Thomas *

Spencer Thompson

Spencer Thornton

Lee Tobin

Nicole Toepel

Kristian Trozelle

Violet Truesdell

Evan Veihdeffer *

Rylen Weed

Joseph Whittom

Erin Wiese

Zakariya Williams

Liam Wurst

Krystin Yeager

Jordan Yoder

Early graduates

Kristen Houser

Aliyah Jacobs

Scott Michael

Noah Moore

Thea Scanlon

Eva Sorensen

Tate Stewart

Jacob Waugh

KEY

* National Honor Society member

# Foreign exchange student

From left, Soldotna High School seniors Clare Henry, Ashley Dahlstrom, Josiah Burton, Ciara Bismark and student Jenifer Webster perform the national anthem during a graduation ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School graduates wait to receive diplomas during a ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School Student Body President Ashley Dahlstrom performs Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” during a graduation ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School Student Body President Ashley Dahlstrom performs Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” during a graduation ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion Graduates walk in to a ceremony at Soldotna High School on Monday.

Soldotna High School Salutatorian Molly McMillan and Valedictorian JulieAnn Nye address students during a graduation ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School U.S. Government teacher Luke Herman delivers the keynote address to Soldotna High School graduates during a ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School graduates hold roses during a ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School graduates line up to receive diplomas during a ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School graduates toss their caps during a ceremony on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna High School graduates line up to receive diplomas during a ceremony on Monday. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates walk in to a ceremony at Soldotna High School on Monday, May 15, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)