OASIS graduates four students
Published 4:13 pm Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Emmanuel Church Parish Hall was packed on Jan. 21 with friends and families of four OASIS High School students who were honored for their academic achievements.
Three graduated with Washington state high school diplomas: Cassondra Lindgren, Anna Ray, and Jordan Griffin. Lindgren was valedictorian and Ray was salutatorian. Zachary Coddington-Edwardson earned his Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED), a series of five tests covering the core subject areas.
The ceremony opened with improvisational music played by Orcas High school seniors Robin Gropp and Mackie Blackburn and staff members Martin Lund and Gregory Books with Edwardson joining in on guitar. OASIS Principal Barbara Kline introduced the honored students and recognized the support of the school board for OASIS high school.
Orcas Alternative Student Initiated Studies (OASIS) began in 2005 through the work of founding educators Marta Branch, Nancy Wrightsman and Books. Branch, the keynote speaker, recognized both Lindgren and Ray as students who have had a great impact on the program.
According to Orcas educators, meeting the needs of students whose needs are not met in the traditional school takes creativity, trial and error, and a great deal of patience on both the students’ and the educators’ part. OASIS high school has also been recognized by the state as an approved online provider, one of 32 in the state. OASIS can serve learners up to 21 years old and two of this year’s graduates were motivated by this cutoff.
Three of this year’s graduates were joined by their children for a party after the ceremony.
