Wednesday, June 10, 2015
B1
Finale for ‘15
as HRV, Horizon
award diplomas
GRADUATION SCENES, clockwise from top left: Alexis Viramontes lifts up her friend, Kianna Semmes, during the HRVHS pro-
cession; Horizon Christian graduates Soledad Finn and Nick Andersen lead their class under the ceremonial arches to their front-
row seats; Miriam Starrett, one of 17 valedictorians at HRVHS, beams a “this is actually happening” expression as she makes
her way forward for her diploma; Horizon speakers Shaun Wang (a native of China) and Hannah Kempf; on Vannet Court in the
HRV gym, HRV graduates-to-be exchange high fives as they await the walk outside and onto the Class of 2015 grandstands;
on the Henderson Stadium track where they won so many races, Emily Viuhkola, left, and Jestena Mattson take a fitting “on
your mark” stance one more time before heading into the ceremony.
Horizon photos by Kirby Neumann-Rea
HRVHS photos by Patrick Mulvihill
HRVHS Class of
2015 ‘Blasts Off’
By PATRICK MULVIHILL
MUSICAL
‘BLAST OFF’
As with every year, HRVHS graduation was
filled with music. It was the final performance
directed by 36-year music director Mark
Steighner, who is retiring. He also debuted the
school’s new alma mater, which he wrote this
year.
See page B12 for related photos.
Senior Noah Tauscher wrote the class song
“Blast Off,” presented on Friday. Recording
and production was by classmate Cooper
Holzman. Tauscher and fellow seniors Amy
White, Caitlyn Fick and Hannah Simonds did
the solos, with backup by senior members of
Chamber Singers.
Give it a listen at:
soundcloud.com/noah-t/blast-off-
a-graduation-song
News staff writer
Eagle voices filled the evening air
with a choral farewell Friday
evening.
“Give me a count down, I’m blast-
ing off,” sang the Hood River Valley
High School Chamber Choir at the
Class of 2015 commencement cere-
mony at Henderson Community Sta-
dium.
The original piece, “Blast Off,”
was written by Noah Tauscher and
produced by Cooper Holzman, both
graduating seniors. The song was a
tribute to the class’s formative years
in high school — and a promise not
to forget them.
In total, 278 graduates walked in
the ceremony. More than 300 are ex-
pected in the final tally. The class’s
motto was “If you want to go fast, go
alone. If you want to go far, go to-
gether.”
Speeches at the ceremony alter-
nated between English and Spanish.
Diana Lachino (Spanish) and Megu-
mi Hosaka (English) gave the wel-
come speech, while Janelle Pedroza
(Spanish) and Cayla Sacre (English)
provided the keynote.
School faculty expressed pride in
the graduating class. In his introduc-
tory speech, HRVHS principal Rich
Polkinghorn cited the late Blues leg-
end B.B. King when he said, “The
beautiful thing about learning is that
no one can take it from you.”
“We affirm that these young adults
have achieved something that no one
can take away,” said Polkinghorn.
Seventeen students earned Vale-
dictorian status, which requires a 4.0
grade point average.
The school also honored its Volun-
teers of the Year, Cara Moore and
Jeff Sacre, parents of 2015 grad
Cayla Sacre. The “dynamic duo,” as
they’ve been dubbed by faculty, were
recognized for their work lining up
See GRADS, Page B2
With God’s blessing,
use your tools well,
Horizon grads told
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News editor
Saturday’s graduation
ceremony at Horizon Chris-
tian School, attended by 200
or so family and friends,
was in many ways a true
family affair.
Nick Andersen of the
Class of 2015 listened along
with his classmates as his
g randf ather, Rev. Jack
Hansen, delivered the
keynote address.
Hansen told the students,
“Surely the Lord has a plan
for you, for your welfare
and not to do you harm, to
give you a future with hope.
“I can’t tell you what to
do beyond your time at
Horizon,” Hansen told the
class. “I can only urge you
to continue to follow the
Lord’s lead wherever you
are.
“Your teachers have
helped show you many
tools to use in your life. The
question now is what you
do with those tools. You
have tremendous potential
to make a different with
your lives,” Hansen said.
The senior class earned
an average 3.43 grade point
average, and 82 percent of
the class had a 3.8 or higher.
Superintendent Ken Block
said the Class of 2015 col-
lectively received $400,000
in scholarships this year.
Class speakers were Han-
nah Lingel, whose father,
Dar ren, serves on the
school board of directors,
and Zhehao “Shaun” Wang,
PHILIP STENBERG (Horizon
2009) joined his father, on the
Horizon faculty this year.
who is from China and
credited the kindness of
people who gave their lives
in service to Christ with
helping bring him to the
United States for his educa-
tion.
Principal Faith Kempf
introduced the 18 gradu-
ates, among them her
daughter, Hannah, a top
scholar and student leader
at the school.
Faculty members this
year included long-time
teacher Oscar Stenberg and
his son, Philip, a 2009 grad-
uate who taught biology
this year, and is now mov-
ing on to nursing school.
Meanwhile
Philip’s
brother, Brian, a 2005 grad-
uate, has been named ath-
letic director for 2015-16, a
job Oscar Stenberg held for
many years until 2014.