Live the life you imagined
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 17, 2026
“You represent our best chance. Our hope,” said Principal Kyle Freeman to the Orcas Island High School’s 2026 graduating class.
The group of 32 students honored each other, family, friends, teachers and community members during the graduation ceremony on June 13.
The class is comprised of Chloe Anderson-Cleveland, Makar Ashirov, Kairam Bailey, Colter Bond, Isabel Boyd, Ravevah Casaday, Anthony Conejo Medina, Chase Connell, Sam Delia-Alley, Wylie Haug, Riley Helms, Emily Ibarra-Garcia, Calder Jones, Jimmy King, Maxwell Lee, Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, Yeneisy Cristal Marquez Arevalo, Olive McKenzie, Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, Max Peterson, Lauro Quintero-Carrion, Cienna Richardson, Vera Sasan, Joaquin Shanks-Morales, Madeleine Sonshine, Katherine Spinogatti, Hans Sprenger, Joseph Stephens, MaKenzie Taylor, Royce Tye, Angelo Vaccarella, Gisselle Valladarez, Lola Walker, Miranda Wallace Jones and Emma Yerly.
Freeman recognized departing teachers Pamela Wright, Margie Sabine, Julie Pinardi, and Paul and Julie Steimel.
Salutatorian Lola Walker spoke about the undefinable nature of Orcas Island.
“We won’t truly understand the magnitude of it until we’re gone,” she said.
The senior appreciation award went to student support specialist Rebekah Hardee, who Katie Spinogatti described as having a “rare gift to make others feel seen.”
The festivities also included speeches from class president Sofia Mahony-Jarequi and valedictorians Colter Bond and Madeleine Sonshine, as well as music from the high school band and strings.
The class chose John Vechy, co-founder of the technology companies PopCap Games and Pluto VR, to present the commencement address. He gave a candid speech that touched on poverty, wealth, addiction, sobriety, childhood trauma and politics. He likened modern life to a video game and provided his top five rules for the game of life: you only have one life, and it’s yours; it’s a multiplayer game; life is hard, face it; make it count, but don’t keep score; and you can remake the rules.
He asked the graduates, “What world do you want to live in?”
The 2026 class received a total of $300,000 in scholarships during a celebration of success on June 12. The recipients are as follows.
American Legion Voyle B. Martin Post #93
Post 93 Scholarship in Memory of Gary Bruland: Ravevah Casaday, $1,500
Claude A. Rubeling Academic Scholarship: Isabel Boyd, $1,500
Claude A. Rubeling Vocational Scholarship: Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, $1,500
Curtis Family Vocational Scholarship in Memory of Bob Curtis: Lauro Quintero-Carrion, $1,500
Curtis Family Vocational Scholarship in Memory of Glenn Monson: Gisselle Valladarez, $1,500
American Legion Leadership Award & Medallion: Kairam Bailey, $250
American Legion Leadership Award & Medallion: Ravevah Casaday, $250
Sons of the American Legion
Sons of the American Legion Scholarship: Lola Walker, $1,500
Allen Minnis Memorial Vo-Tech Scholarship: Lauro Quintero-Carrion, $1,500
Jim Passer Memorial Scholarship: Joaquin Shanks Morales, $1,500
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #93
Parberry Family Trust Scholarship: Vera Sasan, $2,000
Barbara Saul Scholarship: Lauro Quintero-Carrion, $2,000
Corinne Davis Scholarship: Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $2,000
American Legion Unit #93 Legacy Scholarship: Colter Bond, $2,000
Funhouse Commons
Funhouse Commons Scholarship Funded by the Daniel and Margaret Carper Foundation (scholarship is renewed every year for up to four years): Chloe Anderson-Cleveland, up to a full-ride.
Henigson Public School Student Fund Funded by the Henigson Family (scholarship is renewed every year for up to four years): Riley Helms, $50,000.
Funhouse Commons/The Island Hardware Vocational Fund Scholarship is awarded over multiple years: Emily Ibarra-Garcia, up to $3,500; Yeneisy Marquez Arevalo, up to $3,500; Lauro Quintero-Carrion, up to $3,500.
Funhouse Commons/The Pichu Fund funded by the Foster Family Pichu Fund: Emily Ibarra-Garcia, $2,000; Gisselle Valladarez, $2,000; Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, $2,000; Yeneisy Marquez Arevalo, $2,000; Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $2,000.
Funhouse Commons/Realtors of Orcas Island Funded by Orcas Island Realtors: Gisselle Valladarez, $2,000; Emily Ibarra-Garcia, $2,000.
Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope Scholarship: Lauro Quintero-Carrion, $500, and Anthony Conejo Medina, $500
Madrona Club
Madrona Club Scholarship: Emma Yerly, $5,000
Robin DiGeorgio Memorial Scholarship: Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, $5,000
Orcas Center
Visual Arts Scholarship: Olive McKenzie, $3,500
Orcas Education Association
Orcas Education Association Scholarship: Joaquin Shanks-Morales, $500
Orcas Island Booster Club
Orcas Island Booster Club Scholarship: Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $500, and Vera Sasan, $500
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Marilyn Anderson Young Musician’s Award: Isabel Boyd, $1,000
Marilyn Anderson Young Musician’s Award: Makar Ashirov, $1,000
Orcas Island Education Foundation
OIEF Scholarship: Miranda Wallace Jones, $3,000; Colter Bond, $2,500; Cienna Richardson, $2,000; Vera Sasan, $2,000; Katherine Spinogatti, $1,500; Emma Yerly, $1,500; Isabel Boyd, $1,000; Joe Stephens, $500
OIEF/Grilled Cheese Showdown Award: Makar Ashirov, $2,000; Isabel Boyd, $1,000; Emily Ibarra-Garcia, $500; Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, $500; Yeneisy Marquez Arevalo, $500; Joaquin Shanks-Morales, $250; Joe Stephens, $250; Makenzie Taylor, $250
OIEF/Marian A. Berdan Scholarship: Madeleine Sonshine, $1,000; Emma Yerly, $500
OIEF/Thurman Bond Scholarship: Joe Stephens, $1,000; Gisselle Valladarez, $1,000; Emily Ibarra-Garcia, $500; Yeneisy Marquez Arevalo, $500; Yuri Abril Perez Dominguez, $500; Ravevah Casaday, $250; and Chase Connell, $250
Orcas Island Lions Club & Foundation
Orcas Island Lions Club Scholarship: Colter Bond, $4,000
Abrahamsen Family Vocational Scholarship: Cienna Richardson, $4,000
Joseph Bond Memorial Scholarship: Madeleine Sonshine, $4,000
Jim Golithon Memorial Scholarship: Lauro Quintero-Carrion, $4,000
Leonard Wellman Memorial Scholarship: Isabel Boyd, $4,000
Vic Hughes Memorial Scholarship: Lola Walker, $4,000
Orcas Odd Fellows
Orcas Odd Fellows Award: Lola Walker, $2,500; Gisselle Valladarez, $2,500
Orcas Online, Inc.
Terry Cairns Memorial Scholarship: Colter Bond, $500; Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $500
Public School Employees of Orcas Island
Public School Employees of Orcas Island Scholarship: Hans Sprenger, $100
San Juan County Sheriff’s Guild
San Juan County Sheriff’s Guild Scholarship: Max Peterson, $500; Ravevah Casaday, $500; Lola Walker, $500
San Juan Island’s Visitors Bureau
San Juan Island’s Visitors Bureau Scholarship: Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $1,000
San Juan Masonic Lodge #175
San Juan Masonic Lodge #175 Academic Scholarship: Emma Yerly, $2,000
Shaw Respect Scholarship
Shaw Respect Scholarship: Hans Sprenger, $1,000
Steve Resch Memorial
Steve Resch Memorial Scholarship: Gisselle Valladarez, $3,300; Sofia Mahony-Jauregui, $3,300
