Scholarships
American Red Cross
Quentin Skanes
$750
Chance to Become
Mahaila Fennell
$5,000
Columbia County Dairy Women
Quentin Skanes
$500
Jocie Roberts
$400
Jordan Brickley
$300
Community Scholarship Foundation
Bryanna Larson
$500
Hera Hopkins
$500
Holce Logging
Sheyanne Pedersen
Jocie Roberts
Benjamin Skanes
Jacob Perry
Emily Bergerson
Jordan Brickley
$1,500
$1,500
$1,500
$1,500
$3,000
$3,000
Kaiser Permanente
Quentin Skanes
$2,000
Kayleigh’s Senior Project Scholarship
Breanna Gardner
$200
Quentin Skanes
$150
Sheyanne Pedersen
$75
Erik Kesterson Memorial
Jacob Perry
$500
Oregon High School Equestrian
Sheyanne Pedersen
$500
Five Star Trades
Benjamin Skanes
$1,500
Oregon School Employees Association
Kassidy Fetch
$1,250
Gene Weller Memorial
Emily Bergerson
Benjamin Skanes
Quentin Skanes
Kassidy Fetch
Jacob Perry
$250
$250
$500
$500
$500
Pacific Lumber & Shipping
Jordan Brickley
$1,000
Emily Bergerson
$1,000
Hancock Forest Management
Quentin Skanes
$750
Hands on Art
Mahaila Fennell
$300
PEO
Sheyanne Pedersen
Jordan Brickley
Sisters Memorial
Breanna Gardner
Nichole Gardner
$500
$500
$1,000
$1,000
Vernonia Boosters
Nichole Gardner
Hera Hopkins
Sheyanne Pedersen
Jocie Roberts
$500
$500
$500
$500
Vernonia Education Association
Sheyanne Pedersen
$200
Emily Bergerson
$600
VHS Alumni
Paige Smith
$1,000
Vernonia Lions Club
Mahaila Fennell
Quentin Skanes
McKenzie Titus
Jocie Roberts
$500
$500
$500
$1,000
Virgil & Marjorie Hiatt Memorial
Jordan Brickley
$1,000
Kassidy Fetch
$1,000
Hera Hopkins
$1,000
Kayleigh Lillethun
$1,000
Sheyanne Pedersen
$1,000
Quentin Skanes
$1,500
Wauna Federal Credit Union
Jocie Roberts
$2,000
WOEC, Sam Hearing
Jordan Brickley
$1,000
Zack Rumbolz Memorial
Jordan Brickley
Quentin Skanes
$1,500
$2,000
Au Revoir & Ela Eleqaa
Hola. Marhaba. Bonjour. Ahoy. Hay.
Jambo. Prevet. Chao. Hallo.
These are the many ways we learned
how to say “hello” in different languages
this year.
But since we are in the United States,
I think it would be appropriate to say “Hi
guys!”
My name is Joud, not Jood, Joid or
Jawd.
And my name is Justine, not Justin, or
Joustine.
Those are the many ways Americans
tried to pronounce our names.
Thank you for trying Mr Underwood.
I think that being an exchange
student is like a dream. It’s too short to
realize what’s going on, but it’s long enough
to create a relation with the world around
you, and leave a part of you here.
Unlike many of you we weren’t in
this school since kindergarten or freshmen
year, we came here 10 months ago but we
definitely lived those 4 years of high school
in those 10 months.
We started of as freshmen, knowing
nobody and thinking that we probably would
end up having lunch in the bathroom.
Most of us struggled with talking to
people and understanding them.
Then after homecoming we felt like
sophomores, interacting with more people,
and realizing how caring this community is,
offering us help when we need it.
After spring break passed we felt like
juniors, talking about all the fun we had ,
adventures and unbreakable bonds we’ve
made.
Most of us joined sports, became
parts of teams and were treated like family.
And now we feel like seniors walking
towards our diplomas.
Those 10 months have been
extraordinary. In this limited time we’ve
managed to make friends, memories and
different experiences.
And I’m sure that every exchange
student has their own experience that if
they start talking about it they would never
finish.
We’re not saying that this experience
was perfect. We faced some struggles
and challenges too. But this experience
was one thing, which is irreplaceable.
I think that after the time we
exchange students spent together, we
feel like we are all family now.
But we’ve lost 3 already;
Andrea, the Italian.
Chloe Huot, who moved to
Maupin. We wish she could’ve been
with us.
And Anastasyia Panchenko,
she left on June 2nd, 2 days before
graduation. And I’m pretty sure that she
would have loved to be here.
We are so glad we were given this
opportunity to talk to you today.
And we would like to take this
chance to thank our friends, teachers, host
families, local coordinators, and everybody
who guided us through this amazing
experience.
Our year has ended and we don’t
know what the future holds for any of us.
But we know what we have now and
that’s what matters.
So congratulation to the class of
2016! You’ve made it.
And congratulations to all of the
exchange students, I know that most of you
aren’t ready to go home. I know me and
Justine aren’t. But we’ve made it.
SO LET’S ENJOY THIS MOMENT !
Justine Larue, France
Joud Khalaf, Palestine