Graduation Day

Andy Cripe/Gazette-Times (6-7-08) The Philomath High School Class of 2008 marches onto the track to begin their graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon.

GRADUATION: 1 p.m. Saturday, June 7, Clemens Field, Philomath High School, 2054 Applegate St.

SENIOR CLASS: 136

CLASS FACTS:

Class motto — “And that’s all we have to say about that!”

Class song — “Gone” by Switchfoot

Class flower — Lilly

Senior skip day — Bullwinkle’s Family Fun Center, Wilsonville

Candidates

Pabla Aceves Aceves, Yessenia Leonor Alvarado, Wynona Elizabeth Faylene Armstrong, Kasra Azizian, Jessica Lee Billetter, Joshua Lee Bitterman, Kody Scott Blake, Elaine Rose Blampied, Samuel Curtis Bookwalter, Jenna Danielle Borowski, James Anders Brandenburg, Katherine Lynn Brim, Katina Alexis Brodkorb, Gabrial Sue Brown, Daniel Carl Bush, Derick Andrew Calder, Courtney Elizabeth Carr-Hanson, Danielle Jolene Christensen, Justin James Clark, Raymond James Cochran, Andrea Marie Coleman, Wyatt Daniel Coleman, Erin Quinn Conley, Julia Anne Cornelius, Brad Michael Wesley Coupchiak, Brittney Ann Crocker, Jacqueline Juanitta Culver, Robert Duane Cummings,

Kyle Steven Dalke, Derek Mitchell Davis, Jennifer Rae Davis, Shantel Marie Demaris, Louis Simon Donadio, David Lee Donaldson, Jessamy Jane Dorman, Jonathan David Erickson, Anne Marta Esterberg,

Meghann Louise Fenn, Thomas Michael Fernandez, Kyle Dean Fisher, Kayla Anne Foster, Joseph Dale Gates, Alexandra Ruth George, Emily Brooke Gholson, Jommayca Cubeana Girouard, Jennifer Rae-Ann Grass, Tashina Rose Green, Ian Daniel Gregg, Kayleen Elizabeth Hannaway, Kourtney Elysia Hannaway, Sean Patrick Hanrahan, Joshua Matthew Hansen, Kenzie Marie Harding, Elizabeth Rachel Harrington, Andrew Carl Harvey, Benjamin Wade Haslam, Chloe Pamela Hellberg, Patricia Mary Henderson, Audrey Jean Hendricks, Erika Elizabeth Hewlett, Matthew Ryan Hill, Heath Jarred Honeycutt, Annalise Joy Howard,

Vitaliya Tarasivna Ivanytska, Natasha Lynne Johnson, Caitlin Marie Kaminga, Cody Bradford King, Stephanie Mary Kinney, Alicia Jeanette Knapp, Bryce Charles Knudson, John Louis Koeppe, Connor Reid Larsen, Elizabeth Gouveia Leahy, Kyle Joseph Lebar, Shalah Renee Leckie, Eric Campbell Leman, Ariel Marie Leneschmidt, Mitchel Lee Long, Heather Elise Look, Stacie Lynn Looney,

Kathleen Rose Markus, Kayla Marie Martin, Amanda Noelle Martinez, Gustavo David Martinez Aquepucho, John Calvin Mayer, Delaney Rose McLemore, Allison Maureen Merrill, Heather Pearl Nielsen, Casandra Dawn Oliver, Lydia Jean Paine, Paige Alexandria Pankalla, Darpan Patel, Kassandra Sue Pedder, Katherine Anne Phelps, Alexa Michele Pinckard, Alison Elizabeth Priewe,

Kayleen Renee Robinson, Kelley Ann Russell, Tricia Koren Sartnurak, Joshua Evan Scacco, Nicholas Harlan Schatz, Brian Richard Schaudt, Adam Paul Schreiner-McGraw, Sara Ann Schulte, Anna Christine Scott, Kenneth Jacob Secher, Brittany Marie Shenk, Emily Elizabeth Smith, Anita Alice Spaeth, Travis Eli Spencer, Sally Jean Stephens, Riley Knight Stephenson, Kory Paul Stueve, David Robert Sturner, Margaret Joyce Stymer, Kelsey Rachel Suski, Kyle Alan Swank,

Elizabeth Sarah Torgerson, Susan Emily Torgerson, Benjamin Michael Trask, Keaton Van Der Sommen, Blythe Melody Watson, Kyle Michael Weaver, David Andrew Weiner, Stephanie Lynn West, Jennifer Lee Westbrook, Kaya Lea White, Galen Ellis Wilson, Spencer Charles Witter, Erika Jean Woosley, Grant Richard Wyatt, Jeffrey Ronald Yeager, James Remington Zook

Philomath Bids Farewell To Grads

By Matt Neznanski Corvallis Gazette-Times (6-7-08)

PHILOMATH — The 136 members of the 2008 graduating class of Philomath High School had many things on their mind: concentrating on their final moments as seniors, fixing their hair just so under those awkward mortarboards and keeping track of unruly tassels.

For faculty, it was all about getting students to line up one last time and monitoring their footwear.

“I wasn’t kidding about the shoes,” said Principal Kent Sherwood moments before sending the class of 2008 out onto Clemens Field for the ceremony. “There’s about 15 parents who would be there to tackle you.”

The school’s tradition of giving graduates a victory lap around the football field spawned a ban on heels in order to protect the new running track, a brand-new $135,000 Atlas surface paid for largely by parent donations.

For students, leaving the heels at home didn’t seem to be much of a burden.

“I don’t think I’d wear them anyway,” said Erika Woosley, who wore green flip-flops and was inseparable from friend Tashina Green, who sported hot pink Crocs.

This year’s graduates included an extraordinary number of Eagle Scouts. Of the 120-member class, 10 earned the award.

Most wore their Eagle badges pinned to their robes.

Two of them, Ky Fisher and Jon Erickson, explained that the group of Scouts was to present the flag before the ceremony.

Fisher said he had plans to attend Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg for a year before leaving on a Mormon mission, while Erickson had just six weeks left in town before he jumped right into a summer term at BYU in Provo, Utah.

“I have a cousin going up there, so I decided why not?” he said.

Elizabeth Leahy and Jenna Borowski carried huge sunflowers through the ceremony, gifts from three best friends in the junior class.

The two have plans to study psychology, one at the University of Oregon and the other at the University of California-Santa Cruz.

“Same program, but very far from each other,” Borowski said.

“Sadly,” said Leahy.

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net.

Valedictorians at PHS

Stacie Looney

Parents: Dale and George Looney

Activities: National Honor Society, choir, jazz band, symphonic band, basketball, cross country, track, “High School Musical,” “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Plans: Attend Portland State University and major in chemistry and foreign languages, travel and enjoy life to its fullest.

Katherine Phelps

Parents: Tom and Wendy Phelps

Activities: Link Crew, ASB class officer, National Honor Society, Philomath Outdoor School and basketball.

Plans: Attend the University of Idaho, major in mathematics with pre-med studies; then go on to medical school to become a pediatric oncologist.

Kayleen Hannaway

Parents: David and Kimberly Hannaway

Activities: Volleyball, softball, symphonic band, jazz band, National Honor Society, freshmen and sophomore class treasurer and Link Crew.

Plans: Attend Vanderbilt University majoring in neurosciences, possibly minor in bassoon.

Brittany Shenk

Parents: Sheri Mishler, Doug and Laurie Shenk

Activities: Dance team, volleyball, ASB spirit coordinator, Little Warrior Preschool director, Link Crew, National Honor Society secretary.

Plans: Attend Portland State University and dance for the rest of my life.

Kayla Foster

Parents: Mark and Karen Foster

Activities: Congress Bundestag scholar, band (jazz, symphonic and pep), National Honor Society, book club and FIRST Robotics.

Plans: Attend Whitman College.

Emily Gholson

Parents: Lori and Alex Gholson

Activities: Yearbook editor, National Honor Society, Link Crew, varsity soccer, Amnesty International, GAAP Exchange.

Plans: Attend University of Oregon and study human physiology then continue on to physician’s assistant school.

Connor Larsen

Parents: Reid and Linda Larsen

Activities: Amnesty International, National Honor Society, co-editor and co-designer of yearbook.

Plans: Attend Lewis & Clark College in Portland in the fall, travel abroad at least one semester and eventually get a job in an international setting.