Keizertimes., June 18, 2021, Page 6, Image 6

PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, JUNE 18, 2021
A
of the Week
presented by
ERIC HOWALD
500+ cross podium at MHS graduation
B
Where and how
do you volunteer?
"I advise two clubs at McNary High
School: Write Club (10 years) and
the Gender-Sexuality/Gay-Straight
Alliance (GSA, three years). I’m
more of a teacher with Write Club,
with a focus on creative writing in
all forms and publishing a book of
student work at the end of every
school year. The GSA requires
me to be more of an advocate and
accomplice in the things students
want to do to make McNary a
safer and more welcoming place
for LGBTQ+ students. I mentor
the students in other ways outside
of club meetings, some through
college and beyond. Both groups
are collectively known as “my kids”
to anyone who knows what I do."
Why do you volunteer?
"Because I want to be the type of per-
son I needed when I was their age."
What does
volunteering do for you?
"In every way, my kids have made
me a stronger, more courageous
and better human being."
How would you get
others to volunteer
in their community?
"I started volunteering with teen-
agers before my biological child,
Ameya, reached that age. Learning
to speak their language and walk
beside them through diffi cult
moments made me a better parent.
Making Ameya cringe whenever
I pull out a reference to meme
culture is the best of all the unex-
pected benefi ts."
C
D
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Just over 500 students walked across
the stage over the course of three ceremo-
nies as the McNary High School Class of
2021 received their diplomas at Volcanoes
Stadium on Wednesday, June 9.
Elise Ali, Annie-Leigh Besa, Isabella
Biondi, Cielo Chavez Hermenegildo,
Jasmine Chen, Hannah Condello,
Abigail Covalt, Leah Doutt, Camila
Garcia Monroy, Gavin Gasperini, Alivia
Hall, Ashley Hawley, Isaac Johnson,
Layne Ling, Leilani Morris, Elise Myers,
Yahir Olmos Lopez, Dyami Rios,
Katherine Ronning, Nicole Russell, Luke
Skipper, Emma Stephen, Tobias Straw,
Trevor Thompson, Madyson Trammell
and Samuel Woodward were the 26
students that received valedictorian
honors.
Madison Alt, Alexandria Beard,
Kennedy Buss, Joseph Hartsook, Reyna
Terrazas were each named salutatorians.
“These
outstanding
students
embody an impressive depth of knowl-
edge and skill. They have demonstrated
a strong dedication to academic success
and have made us tremendously proud,”
McNary principal Erik Jespersen said.
Abbi Covalt, the student speaker for
McNary's 57th commencement cere-
mony, shared that while the Class
of 2021 endured one of the most
tumultuous and unique years’
in the history of the school,
through the process, they
were reminded of what is
important in life.
“We graduated, ironi-
cally situated in a global
pandemic. The West Coast
caught on fi re and an ice storm
shut down our city. A president
was impeached twice, there were
riots in the state and nation's capital,
Olive Garden was closed, and we had
to risk our lives to go to Target,” Covalt
said. “COVID changed a lot of things for
us, but we were reminded to never take