Celebrating graduates' grit and resilience

There is much to celebrate this month as we wish the Class of 2023 well and celebrate senior accomplishments on this our 100th anniversary.

The Mark Morris, R.A. Long and Discovery high schools’ Class of 2023 will graduate soon. We are very proud of this class of seniors for their perseverance, grit and resilience as they pushed through the academic requirements and crossed the finish line to earn their high school diplomas.

In these last weeks of school, seniors will soon be handing in their final paperwork in exchange for well-deserved caps and gowns. Looking back, this class of students were freshman when schools across Washington were abruptly closed in March of 2020 in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. The closure happened within one day of hearing rumors that schools might be shut down. Students explain that their lives changed overnight with no warning or preparation. These students were forced to adapt and overcome challenges, yet the graduation standards they had to meet in order to receive a diploma did not change. It truly has been a remarkable four years for these students and a time in history they will not soon forget.

With every graduating class, we have a tradition of recognizing those students who achieved the high honor of earning a perfect cumulative 4.0 grade-point average (GPA) throughout their high school career. This year we are honoring 12 seniors who achieved this remarkable feat. Mark Morris seniors graduating with a cumulative 4.0 GPA include Kelcie Balkan, Ainsley Hayes, Nolan Kessler, Isabella Merzoian, Olivia Pickett and Chloe Swanstrom. R.A. Long seniors graduating with a cumulative 4.0 GPA include Meredith Chesley, Lucas Davies, Sandra Martinez-Mondragon, Aiden McCoy, Micah Miner and Natasha Ruddell.

Graduation ceremonies will be held at our traditional high schools on June 10. R.A. Long’s ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in front of the high school followed by the Mark Morris graduation which will be held at noon in the school gymnasium. Because of the limited seating in the gym, tickets are required to attend. Handicap seating is available at both ceremonies and can be arranged ahead of time by calling the schools. Mark Morris High School is working on live streaming the event for those who cannot attend in person.

The path to success comes in many forms. Discovery High School and Longview Virtual Academy offer an alternative to the

The Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce would like to THANK the following loyal members for renewing their partnership with us this month.

B & R Mini Storage

Best Western Aladdin Motor Inn

Busack Electric

Corwin Beverage

J.L. Storedahl & Sons, Inc

Kaiser Permanente

Kelso Theater Pub

Life Mortgage, Inc

Longview Eye and Vision

Northwest Hardwoods, Inc

Opsahl Dawson

Renaud Electric Company, Inc

Reprographics, Inc

Longview Schools from page 16 traditional high school setting and allow students to work at their own pace, catch up on credits, or graduate early. These high schools help many students graduate who might otherwise have struggled.

Discovery High School and Longview Virtual Academy will hold their graduation ceremonies at My Father’s House Church on June 8 at 6 p.m.

We wish all of our graduating seniors the very best in their future endeavors and look forward to their achievements in the coming years.

I also want to personally thank the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce and its members, along with the community for supporting our students and schools. The support of businesses, nonprofits and community members has been critical to the success of students enrolled in Longview Public Schools for the past 100 years. Thank you!

Cowlitz County Commissioners

Arne Mortensen County Commissioner, District 1