Connections students get personalized send-off at 2023 commencement

A graduation ceremony for Connections Homeschool on Thursday, held at Soldotna High School, gathered students from around the Kenai Peninsula. Several students traveled from Homer and Seward.

Each student who attended the graduation ceremony was individually brought to the stage, where Principal Douglas Hayman and Assistant Principal Greg Melvin told the crowd about them — their goals, their achievements, the scholarships they’ve earned and the things they enjoy.

Each student was then greeted by dignitaries — school board members Beverly Romanin and Virginia Morgan, and Assistant Superintendent Kari Dendurent. Students were handed diplomas by Dendurent or their own parents and then turned their tassels.

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Willow Rediske read a poem — in which she asked aloud about what comes after graduation.

“Where do we go? And what do we do? Are you a doctor, or have you a clue?” she recited. “ … Slip on that tool belt and find something that you love to do.”

Students Clare Henry and Lacie Triem each performed onstage. Henry was joined by guest singer Audra Calloway and the two sang “Lakme (Duet of Flowers),” by Léo Delibes. Triem performed both piano and vocals for the song “Don’t Forget,” by Toby Fox and Laura Shigihara, from the video game Deltarune.

After each student had claimed their diploma — and after the traditional senior slide show — the students recessed to the commons for photos and cake.

Spring 2023 graduates

Alexander Anderson

Luke Armstrong

Jordynne Audette

Liam Babitt

Tristen Barnett

Jordan Barrowcliff

Ludmila Basargin#

James Bearup

Kyle Beck

Maxwell Berninger

Mason Best

Jackson Bird^

Garrett Briscoe

Conner Brown

McKenzie Buhr^

Tori Burk

Trista Burk

Damien Burke

Cadence Campbell

Ethan Cates

Taylor Cochrane

Kenneth Coghill

Jesse Cooper

McKenzie Coray

Sage Cruz

Lukyan Dax

Julian Day

Jake Debnam

Leo DeVita

Anna DeVolld#^

Haley Dougherty

Jasmine Durfee

Connor Evoy

Kaden Farrington

Damian Fefelov

Victoria Franco

Tirzah Frederickson

Mavrick Gabriel

Laurel Gagnon

William Gashin

Edward Goans

Elijah Gordon

Johnathan Gordon

Charity Haerle

Ryder Hagedorn

Katrina Hall

Elizabeth Harju-Romey

Abraham Henderson

Clare Henry

Mariah Hernandez

Ariel Hiler

Alexis Hitchcock

Maylisa Hodges

Keegan Hupp

Ian Inglis

Amaura Jacobs

Wade James

Kenyon Jones

Blake Klinkner

Rylan Kreger

Brandon LaBreck

Tiana Lane

Isabelle Ley

Filonida Martushoff

Kyle Matson

Aaronn Monk

Colvin Moore^

Ciara Neely

Tobias Nevak

Jayden Northrup

Jerrica Northrup

Aria Olmsted

Guy Peterson

Destiny Pooley

Kenna Pryor

Kylie-Anne Raye

Willow Rediske

Justin Rose

Alexis Schneider

Lyra Sexton

Saydee Shackelford

Abrianna Smith

Danielle Smith

Harper Smith

Koa Smith

Austin Sorenson

Society Spurgeon

Rylee St. Luise^

Holden Stavish

Sydney Steadman^

Kylie Steven

Aleysa Strait#^

Myles Tackett

Daniel Trefren

Lacie Triem^

Zaraphina Tucker

Emma Updike

Caylee Uribe-Koivisto

Benjamin Veh

Mattie Von Haden

Nico Walker

Felicia Weisser

Morgan Whiteside

Jason Wood

Julian Yakunin

Mary Zaukar

KEY

National Honor Society — #

Valedictorian — ^

Connections Homeschool students prepare to enter the auditorium ahead of the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Connections Homeschool Principal Douglas Hayman speaks during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Willow Rediske recites a poem during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Connections Homeschool students take the stage to receive their diplomas during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Connections Homeschool Principal Douglas Hayman speaks about Anna DeVolld during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion) Connections Homeschool Principal Douglas Hayman speaks about Anna DeVolld during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Lacie Triem perfrorms “Don’t Forget,” by Toby Fox, during the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Graduates of Connections Homeschool exit the auditorium, diplomas in hand, after their graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Connections Homeschool students prepare to enter the auditorium ahead of the Connections Homeschool graduation ceremony on Thursday at Soldotna High School.