LOCAL
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
A9
Photos by Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
The confetti fl ies amid tossed mortarboards at the conclusion of commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2022 from Joseph Charter School on Friday, June 3, 2022.
Joseph Charter School graduates 23
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
JOSEPH — The threat of con-
tinued rain Wallowa County has
experienced recently forced the
graduation ceremonies for the
Joseph Charter School Class of
2022 into the gymnasium, rather
than the planned football fi eld,
but it didn’t dampen their spirits.
Superintendent
Lance
Homan welcomed the 23 grad-
uates by recounting their four-
year high school experience.
The year that ended in 2019 —
their freshman year — he called
“fairly normal.”
Then, there was 2020. First, in
January, the school was forced to
close for several weeks after the
gymnasium burned and smoked
out the rest of the school. That
was followed in short order by
the start of the COVID-19 pan-
demic, that led to online classes
and a disruption of the sports sea-
sons. Last year saw an attempt to
get back to normal — albeit with
masks and distancing — in the
building, and some students con-
tinuing to study from home.
This school year has been
the fi rst really normal one since
before the fi re.
Now, the graduates have the
opportunity to go off into the
workforce, college or whatever
they plan.
Homan said this year’s class
was the seventh he has sent into
the world as superintendent.
Graduating this year were
Corin
Gabriel
Armentrout,
Nathaniel William Bazer, Javon
Christopher
Besotes-Brown,
Kyle Ann Braden, Megan Vir-
ginia Brock, Trace Andrew Col-
lier, Ian James Goodrich, Hayden
James Hite, Chase Mitch-
ell Homan, Piper Kate Larison,
Bayden Wolfe Menton, Harley
Edward Miller, Destany Maria
Rosana Moore, Hailee Marie
Co-valedictorians of the Class of 2022 Bayden Menton and Catherine Zeigler lead
their class onto the stage Friday, June 3, 2022, during commencement ceremonies.
Joseph Charter School teacher Kendall Hayes, left, presents awards to
co-valedictorians of the Class of 2022 Bayden Menton and Catherine
Zeigler during commencement ceremonies Friday, June 3, 2022.
Musia, Reece Douglas Nelson,
Sarah Jean Orr, Darbi McKen-
zie Thomas, Chloe Mae Walker,
Claire Allyn Webb, Bradley Neil
Wilcox, Emma Rose Williams,
Maggie Larae Zacharias and
Catherine Grace Zeigler.
Chase Homan — the son of
the superintendent and his wife,
Michelle — and Orr were named
the male and female athletes of
the year.
Co-valedictorians were Men-
ton and Zeigler, while Larison
was the salutatorian.
Claire Webb sang the national
anthem at the beginning of the
ceremony and a special song,
Newly-minted Joseph Charter School graduates of the Class of 2022 take part in a traditional parade
down Main Street after commencement ceremonies Friday, June 3, 2022.
Sarah Orr has a thoughtful message on her
decorated mortarboard Friday, June 3, 2022, during
commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2022 at
Joseph Charter School.
Joseph Charter School graduate Trace Collier surprises
Principal Jason Gorham with a bear hug Friday, June 3, 2022,
during commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2022.
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“The Climb,” part way through it.
As the graduates were directed
onto the stage by Homan, to
receive their diplomas from
school board member Kim Tin-
gelstad, fi rst-year principal Jason
Gorham read a list of each grad-
uate’s plans for the future and
scholarships received.
After the ceremony, the grads
went into the school cafeteria
where they could mingle with
each other, friends and family
and receive presents. Then, they
adjourned to downtown Joseph
for a traditional parade up and
down Main Street where their
photos already hang from posts.
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