PRB - PHS Gradrate Pages

A Letter from the Superintendent

To the Editor,

Every year, I tend to remind our graduates that their commencement ceremony is not an ending, rather it is a beginning. Although this period of our student's life is concluding, there is much to look forward to and aspire to become. For me, Prosser has always been a safe place, a place where you could grow, dream, and develop yourself into what you wanted to become in life. I still see it as that place. The teachers at Prosser School District have invested in each and every student's life. Our coaches and activities advisors have pushed our students to excel in extracurriculars. At the end of the day, all this work by our graduates and our staff equates to an

investment.

Much can be said about this investment, but for a moment, I would like to reflect on a few lessons your time at Prosser School District should have taught you. Among the most important is the value of hard work, determination, and perseverance. Nothing worth accomplishing is ever easy! This milestone should prove to you that you can do difficult things and that you can demonstrate discipline and follow through. It is my hope that throughout your time in Prosser School District, you also developed a love for your school and community. Although this is my last year as Prosser's Superintendent, I can tell you that I'll

always be a Prosser Mustang. For the Class of 2023, I believe that if you work hard and remember where you are from, the rest of your life will go well. You have demonstrated that you are capable and can do anything you set your mind to. I want to commend you and congratulate you on your graduation, but I know that this is only the beginning. You have much in store for your lives. I am proud of you and know you will continue to do remarkable things.

Sincerely,

Matt Ellis Superintendent

PHS TOP 10

Ezekiel A. Akinbade

4.0 GPA

Jayden �ornock

3.983 GPA

Auslyn M. Schab 4.0 GPA

Julianna C. Phillips

4.0 GPA

Hannah C. Norris 4.0 GPA

Kendra Candanoza 3.983 GPA

Carson K. Bailey

3.977 GPA

Isabella E. Martinez 3.934 GPA

Aida A. Roy 3.910 GPA

Sydney M. Gamache 3.963 GPA

Rocio Farfan Arroyo Magali Atilano

Carson Bailey

Abelina Baltazar Alex Barrera

Izsak Beckwith Samantha Benefit

Damaris Benitez

Luis Sanchez Birrueta

Kambree Blair Tiare Blanco

Nubia Silva Arias Destiny Barrera

Sophia Bosted

Autumn Burns Shaili Butler Nicole Sanchez Cabrera

Natalie Camarillo

Kendra Candanoza

Brennen Carey Ashley Carter Tyler Case Angel Valencia Castillo

Joel Figuero Castro Belen Castro

Jose Ruels Bracamontes

Selina Cardenas

Joshua Channel

Abel Acosta Ezekiel Akinbade Miguel Albarran

Anthony Alcantar Gregory Alcantar

Dulce Lozano Acosta Benjamin Alcaraz

Bryden Arreguin Alvarez Robert Alvarez Brenda AlvarezArmenta Daniel Anderson

Leslie Andujo Angel Aragon

Christina Ruvalcaba Araiza

Kayla Freisinger Erik Cortez Fuentes Hector Galindo

Sydney Gamache Andrea Madrigal Garcia

Ebelin Garcia

Michelle Garcia

Victoria Gimlin Evan Glidewell

Cesar Godinez Joel Gonzalez-Valdez

Kevin Flores Alexis Garcia

Andrew Gray

Leslie Gutierrez Danny Hallman Aidan Harris Cade Harris Liney Hernandez

Alexander Herzog Blaze Hoffman Trace Hope Issak Hultberg

William Hurt Yahir Lamas

Kendra Groeneveld Viviana Hernandez Herrera

Bianca Jaimes

Jessica Chavez-Martinez

Matteo Ciriano Edgar Clara Brady Cleveringa Jacie Coffman

Isidro Covarrubia Kynzee Cox Alondra Cruz Carter Curtis Betsabe De La Cruz Bryan De La CruzSanchez

Lorena Chavez Baudelia Corona Alexis DeGraaf

Halsee Derrick Anna Domanico Bryn Elatico

Edward Romero Escareno Jennifer Camacho Espinoza

Isaac Esquivel Julianna Farias Ethan Felicetti David Trujano Flores Cruz Flores Julissa Flores

Karen Delgado Nallely EspinozaCaraveo Kassandra Flores

Michelle Mendoza America Meza

Shantae Miller

Estefania Lara Mojica Isaiah Moreno

Savannah Morris Cody Morton

Celedonio Munoz Daniel Munoz

Armando Navarro Rexton Niemi

Eric Mendoza

Mystery Morris

Hannah Norris

Angel Oropeza Jason Orozco Hiram Ortega Itzel Osorio Easton Paeschke

Adrian Palomera Francisco PantojaGonsalez Giana Partinico Luis Pazleyva

Isabella Peal Summer Perez

Carl Olmstead Bryan Palencia Julianna Phillips

Karla Juarez Isaac Kernan Aaron Lansing Amie Larkins Lela Larkins

Hasadias Lopez Jazmin Lopez Aaliyah Huerta Magana Israel Maldonado

Anthony Martin Brandon Hernandez Martinez

Olivia Jensen Adamari Lopez

Luis Hernandez Martinez

Nathaniel Martinez Antoni Mata Kimberly Mata Belle McCombs Devin McGrawKrogstad

Isela Medina Nehemiah Medrano Juelcee Mellor Yahir Figueroa Mendez Lizet Mendez Amaya Mendoza

Isabella Martinez Jacob McKee

Noah Meza

Sebastian Powers Jozzebelle Prieto Kenneth Quijano

Jonathan Ruelas Ramirez Calvin Ramirez

Bailee Raver Kendall Reinmuth

Aaron Reyes JJ Reyes Keenan Reyna Madilynn Riley

Lane Plumlee Sage Rauner

Giovanni Rivas

Victor Aida Roy PROSSER HIGH SCHOOL $8,000 Academic Scholarship Aleah Wolfert HANFORD HIGH SCHOOL $8,000 Academic Scholarship Bryn Neal RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL $8,000 Academic Scholarship

Roman Jared Sheehan SUNNYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL $8,000 Academic Scholarship Logan Shultz PROSSER HIGH SCHOOL $4,000 Trade & Tech Scholarship Joseph Hummer HANFORD HIGH SCHOOL $4,000 Trade & Tech Scholarship Julianna Phillips PROSSER HIGH SCHOOL $8,000 Academic Scholarship

Brittany Garcia Rivera Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Recipients BentonREA.org/Youth Benton REA scholarships and youth programs are paid for by donated and unclaimed ownership credits. VFW Post 3047 Sponsor

Roy “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Rude Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~ Mark Twain Kid, You’ll Move Mountains. ~ Dr. Seuss ELFERS-LYON PHARMACY Congratulates the Class of 2023 Friendly Staff... Professional Service Working Together to Keep Your Family Healthy! We Can Fill Prescriptions From All Doctors • Jewelry • Stationary • Ladies Wallets • Candles • Frames • Gift Certificates 820 Memorial Street • Suite 2 • Prosser • 786-3200

Located in the Valley Vista Medical Center Building Serving All Your Pharmacy Needs Since 1961 • Hours: Monday-Friday 9-6 We Bill Most Insurance Companies Including: Medicare Part D and WHI and Community Health Plan of WA and Group Health and Premera Blue Cross and WA Medicaid (DSHS)

Alfredo

Ramirez Valdez

Ozvaldo Ruiz Jacob Sanchez

Schab Hayley Schmitt Kodie Sears Rebekah Showman

Shultz Julia Slaugh

Springen

Tnamaree Shaw

Lilia Van Winkle Ana Vasquez Briana Vasquez Nancy Vazquez Snachez

Christopher Veloz Draven Vigil

Alondra Diaz Walle

Haeli Watt Tristan Webb Luke Wolters Bailee Workman Jose Luis Yanez

FROM THE SEARCH IS ON ON PAGE 1

Human Capital Enterprises had released the vacancy and search announcement for the open position with Prosser School District on May 29th, 2023.

The description is as follows, Twenty-fi ve miles outside of the Tri-Cities you’ll fi nd the Prosser School District, home to 2450 students enrolled in fi ve school buildings in a bucolic part of the Yakima Valley of Washington State, known for its idyllic scenery and growing wine industry. We are currently

seeking an Interim Superintendent to serve our community for the 2023-2024 school year. To learn about our school district, please browse our website, https://www. prosserschools.org/. You may also enjoy the short videos courtesy of the City of Prosser community movies on their homepage, https:// cityofprosser.com/

To submit an application, please send: your Resume, two letters of commendation (at least one from an individual who engaged with your work from

Rotary Hosts Top Ten

a supervisory role; this could include a board member) and names/phone numbers/email addresses of three additional individuals who can attest to your performance as a school or district leader and email to Steve Webb at your earliest opportunity.

For the strongest consideration, please send all required materials no later than June 5th, 2023. Interviews will take place the week of June 12th, 2023.

Confi dential inquiries to Steve Webb are also welcome.

College Graduation Garb Explained

College graduates wear some unique and impressive duds for their graduation ceremonies. Caps, gowns, tassels, and hoods all can be seen parading down the center aisle before making proud appearances at diploma presentations.

Graduation clothing, also known as academic dress, dates back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

Clerical garb was standard dress for professors and scholars, as many students during medieval times made certain religious vows in addition to pursuing their educations. Today, faculty, graduates and alumni don such gowns during graduation ceremonies in a nod to tradition.

The color and cut of graduation attire may signify different fields of study and levels of education. Colors and styles may differ depending on the country. Americans follow the guidance adopted by the American Council on Education, whose standards have been reviewed and revised a handful of times through the decades. Some schools incorporate their own unique twists as well.

In the United States, gowns worn by students receiving their bachelor’s and master’s degrees often tie into the representative school’s colors.

Doctoral gowns are typically black, and robes are designed to be worn closed.

Hoods are scarf-like accessories that represent the subject’s students studied and the type of degree they earned, according to the code established by the American Council on Education. The shell material of the hood will match the robe and may be lined with the school’s colors. The outer edge of the hood is trimmed in a color that represents the student’s field of study.

The colors that represent the

various fields of study have been largely standardized in the United States by the Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume. For example, pharmacy is olive green and economics is copper, while the sciences are represented by golden yellow.

The caps, or mortarboards with tassels, are also components of graduation dress. Mortarboards usually coordinate with the color of the gown. Tassels are traditionally black, but school colors and gold for doctorate graduates may also be worn.

Graduates are often advised to wear dark-colored and inconspicuous apparel under their academic dress so that it blends and does not distract attention from graduation garb.

More information on academic dress is available through the American Council on Education at www.acenet.edu.

Pledge of Allegiance

I nternational Food Fair and CTE Student Showcase Night

On June 1, Housel Middle School hosted an International Food Fair and CTE Student Showcase Night. Students from the yearlong Family and Consumer Sciences and Science Technology Engineering and Math classes showcased their projects. There was food from around the world and passports for kids that the kids had stamped to earn a prize.

Port of Benton Welcomes New Construction Project Manager

Richland – Bryan Bell joined the Port of Benton last week as Construction Project Manager.

Bell’s responsibilities include project management for new construction, overseeing improvements to port-owned rail and barge facilities and guidance on port projects. He brings substantial construction management experience, including 15 years of owning and operating a construction business. Bell’s work history includes project

management of residential and commercial projects, business and customer relations, sales, marketing, payroll and purchasing.

Bell successfully grew his company from two to 36 employees and became an industry leader in the market. He was then offered in opportunity to be a professional angler that took him all over the country in recent years.

“Bryan’s wide-ranging experience with project management and his ability

to manage multiple projects simultaneously will greatly benefit the port,” said Diahann Howard, PPM®, Port Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to have him as a member of the team.”

“Throughout my career, I have not had the opportunity to work as a public servant, and this position will allow me to utilize my talents to give back, embrace the vast opportunities in this area, and enhance the community,” said Bell. “I look forward to working with the Port of Benton team.”

Photo courtesy of Rene Martinez

The Prosser Rotary Club hosted the Top 10 students from PHS at a recent meeting. Shown here with President

Chris Cisneros, Julianna Phillips, Hannah Norris, Carson Bailey, Auslym Schab, Jaiden Thornock, Isabella Martinez, Sydney Gamache, and Aida Roy, not pictured Zeke Akinbade, Kendra Candanoza. Prosser Rotary gave out three scholarships for $1000 to this year’s students. Prosser Rotary is currently raising money for the Fireworks on July 4. Rotary meetings are held at the Prosser Saloon on Thursday afternoons.

Photo courtesy of HMS

Photo courtesy of City of Prosser The Miss Prosser Princess Court led the Prosser City Council in the Pledge of Allegiance at the Tuesday, May 23, 2023 Regular City Council meeting. From left to right are Princess Kaitlyn Morfin, Mayor Randy Taylor, Miss Prosser Alexis Gomez, and Princess Juliette Zepeda.

Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning

Senator Orrin Hatch

2023 CWAC Tennis All-Conference Teams

2023 CWAC Boys’ Golf All-Conference Teams

By Cesar Solis

Below are the all-conference teams and specialty award winners for the Central Washington Athletic Conference for the 2023 boys’ golf season. All-conference teams were selected based on regular-season player standings from six conference pod tournaments, with six firstteam selections and five each for second team and honorable mention.

Senior Kenji Pickeral of Ephrata High School earned Golfer of the Year honors after posting the highest standings point total during the conference season, while 23rd-year Ephrata head coach Greg Hewitt was selected as CWAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading the Tigers to an undefeated conference season as well as the District 5/6 championship this past Monday. Four of the top six golfers in the regular-season standings represented Ephrata. Ellensburg received the Team Sportsmanship award.

BOYS’ FIRST TEAM

Carter Burns* - Ephrata

Max Hewitt* - Ephrata

Travis Hoffard* - Grandview

Mason Moore - Ephrata

Below are the all-conference teams and Coach of the Year selections for Central Washington Athletic Conference tennis for the Spring 2023 season. East Valley and Ephrata swept the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, with EV seniors Henleigh Elder (girls’ singles Player of the Year), Dallas DeBlasio and Ranne Meloy (boys’ doubles Team of the Year) and head coach Steve Elder (boys’ Coach of the Year) representing the Red Devils. Ephrata boasted sophomore Josh Mullings as boys’ singles Player of the Year, while junior Addison Mills and senior Kacie Shannon formed the girls’ doubles Team of the Year for girls’ Coach of the Year Britney MacLeod. The East Valley girls and Othello boys were voted to receive Team Sportsmanship honors.

GIRLS’ TENNIS 2023 ALL-CONFERENCE

FIRST TEAM SINGLES

Lexie Diem- Ephrata

Henleigh Elder – East Valley

FIRST TEAM DOUBLES

Addison Ladd/ Macie Ladd -Selah

Addison Mills/ Kacie Shannon-Ephrata

SECOND TEAM SINGLES

Leah Lewis - Ellensburg

Lauralia Montelongo-Solis - Grandview

SECOND TEAM DOUBLES

Sienna Addink/Molly Evenson - Ephrata

Alize (Maleyna) Alvarez/ Mia Carlson - Othello

HONORABLE MENTION SINGLES

Lily Haughee - Prosser

Emily Knautz – East Valley

HONORABLE MENTION DOUBLES

Kendra Adams/ Sarah Tamblyn – Selah

Taylor Calhoun/ Mai Mesler – East Valley

SINGLES PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Henleigh Elder – East Valley

DOUBLES TEAM OF THE YEAR: Addison Mills/ Kacie Shannon-

Ephrata BOYS’ TENNIS 2023

FIRST TEAM SINGLES

Cameron Erb – East Valley

Kaden Giles - Selah

Josh Mullings - Ephrata

FIRST TEAM DOUBLES

William (Will) Parrish* - Othello

Kenji Pickeral* - Ephrata

BOYS’ SECOND TEAM

Alex Gout* - East Valley

Travis (TJ) Murdock* - Othello

Hunter Ogle* - Ephrata

Collin Simmons - Othello

Daniel Yangas* - Ellensburg

BOYS’ HONORABLE MENTION

Bristen Brown* - Selah

Ayden Kline – East Valley

Drew Lukas - Selah

Ajay Parrish - Othello

Henry Paul – East Valley

GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Kenji Pickeral* - Ephrata

COACH OF THE YEAR: Greg Hewitt

SPORTSMANSHIP: Ellensburg

CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Ephrata

2023 CWAC Girls’ Golf All-Conference

By Cesar Solis

Below are the all-conference teams and specialty award winners for the Central Washington Athletic Conference for the 2023 girls’ golf season. All-conference teams were selected based on regular-season player standings from six conference pod tournaments, with six firstteam selections and five each for second team and honorable mention.

Sophomore Jayme Dwight of Ephrata High School repeated as CWAC Golfer of the Year after posting the highest standings point total during the conference season, while Selah head coach Jeff Blain was voted as CWAC Coach of the Year for the second straight year after helping the Vikings to a first-place finish during the regular season and at the District 5/6 championships this past Wednesday. Four of the six golfers on the first team were among the league’s top six last spring, repeating as first-team honorees. Grandview was selected to receive the Team

Sportsmanship award.

GIRLS’ FIRST TEAM

Lexi Becker* - Selah

Jayme Dwight - Ephrata

Mariah Murdock* - Othello

Kaitlyn Panarello* - Selah

Jacey Scott – Selah

Ivana Zaldivar – East Valley

GIRLS’ SECOND TEAM

Rachael Bates - Othello

Kara Heater* - East Valley

Mackenzie Isaak* - East Valley

Caroline Johnson – East Valley

Samantha (Sami) Shade* - Othello

GIRLS’ HONORABLE MENTION

Laney Hutchinson – East Valley

Anistyn Long* - East Valley

Samantha Moore - Ephrata

Logan Pickeral*- Ephrata

Mikayla Wolfram* - Selah

GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Jayme Dwight

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeff Blain

SPORTSMANSHIP: Grandview

CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Selah

ALL-CONFERENCE

Jackson Addink/ Jobe VanHeusden - Ephrata

Dallas De Blasio/ Ranne Meloy - East Valley

Ashton Pruneda/ Forrest Roylance - Othello

SECOND TEAM SINGLES

Carson Knautz – East Valley

Matthew Merrell – Selah

SECOND TEAM DOUBLES

Ethan Felicetti/Owen Hartliep - Prosser

Teegan Hooper/Brady Locke – East Valley

HONORABLE MENTION SINGLES

Owen Devine - Ephrata

HONORABLE MENTION DOUBLES

Cooper Black/ Jaxon Whetstone - Ephrata

Konner Carlson/Eli Lewis – Ellensburg

SINGLES PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Josh Mullings - Ephrata

DOUBLES TEAM OF THE YEAR: Dallas DeBlasio/Ranne Meloy –East Valley

By Cesar Solis

CONGRATULATIONS

To the Recipients of the

The Yakima Federal Awards for Academic Excellence recognizes high academic achievers graduating from high schools and home schooled students in the communities we serve. Scholarship funds help with tuition at any accredited college, university, community college or technical school the awarded student will attend. This year seventy-five students will receive awards along with seven local colleges and universities. Since the award inception in 1974, Yakima Federal Savings and Loan has provided over $2,800,000 in assistance to area students to pursue their college dreams.

Alexa Guzman - A.C. Davis HS

Isabelle Ehlis - A.C. Davis HS

Hailee Mendez - Chiawana HS

Courtney Burke - Chiawana HS

Kathryn Crowder - Chiawana HS

Joel Kelly - Cle-Elum Roslyn HS

Jessica Copp - Cle-Elum Roslyn HS

Morgan Jenks - Connell HS

Spencer Harris - Connell HS

Juliana Poracayo-Jaimes - Delta HS

Katelyn Albertin - Delta HS

Tinley Taylor - East Valley HS

Brady Locke - East Valley HS

Mark Stephens - Eisenhower HS

Joshua Jaiyeola - Eisenhower HS

David Aguilar - Eisenhower HS

Reyna Flores - Eisenhower HS

Abby Paige Harrell - Ellensburg HS

Alexandra Rose Gamache - Ellensburg HS

Lilly Rose Kassinger - Grandview HS

Damaris Martinez - Grandview HS

Eliana Rios-Rodriguez - Granger HS

Marian C Alaniz - Granger HS

Kennard Hou - Hanford HS

Rachel Lauren Tucker - Hanford HS

Maria Ellen Jacobson - Highland HS

Carol Elena Govea - Highland HS

Claire Jeanette Emmans - Home School

Ansel Hilding McCord - Home School

Ailish Grace Carey - Home School

Alexis Destefano - Kamiakin HS

Jonah Austin Gebers - Kennewick HS

Emma Racquel Rodriguez - Kennewick HS

Emily Mae Williams - Kingspoint Christian HS

Serenity-Fey Carey - Kiona Benton HS

Jedediah Norman - Kiona Benton HS

Brendon Trudell - Kittitas HS

Jack Matthew Pietrusiewicz - La Salle HS

Devin Michael Seaman - La Salle HS

Andrew Gerrit Smith - Liberty Christian HS

Lauren Ann Reed - Liberty Christian HS

Keanna Haberkorn - Mid Columbia Partnership

Abigail Longbottom - Naches HS

Cambria Wright - Naches HS

Michael Axel Lopez - Pasco HS

Anna Cathrine Pattee - Pasco HS

Auslyn M Schab - Prosser HS

Julianna Clare Phillips - Prosser HS

Madelyn Kay - Richland HS

Madeline Nemeth - Richland HS

Jordan Perkins - Richland HS

Jaime Armenta-Gaytan - River View HS

Pedro Morales - River View HS

Querina Gabriella Hickenbottom Riverside Christian HS

Simon James Myers Riverside Christian HS

Allison Moultray - Selah HS

Natalie Nicole Keller - Selah HS

Kaylee Loftus - Southridge HS

Levi Lamprey - Southridge HS

Noah W Cussins - Sunnyside Christian HS

Violet Skye Bosma - Sunnyside Christian HS

Emma L Heeringa - Sunnyside HS

Jared A Sheehan - Sunnyside HS

Melina Rivera Garcia - Sunnyside HS

Olivia Joelle Dobson - Three Rivers HS

Judith Robledo - Toppenish HS

Natalia M Sanchez - Toppenish HS

Mercedes Madalyn De Smet - Tri-Cities Prep

Victoria Rose Muzatko - Tri-Cities Prep

Valeria Marquez - Wapato HS

Ella Kathryn Ferguson - West Valley HS

Haley Lynne Betterton - West Valley HS

Eric Castro - West Valley HS

Brooke Leslie-Anne Heilman - Zillah HS

Lily F Simmons - Zillah HS