{span}A section of family and friends waiting for the Wallowa High School graduation ceremony to begin at the New Perce Wallowa Homeland Grounds in Wallowa.{/span}

WALLOWA — Despite the rain and the rumble of thunder, 15 seniors from Wallowa High School, diplomas clasped firmly in hand, stepped into their futures, as approximately 200 family members and friends looked on. Some are headed to various colleges while others look to enter the workforce, work with their family’s business or attend a trade school.

The Wallowa High School Class of 2022 members are Haley Brockamp, Kolby Mandal, Levi Pringle, Lane Tanzey, Josey Johnson, Abby Tippet, Hailey Davidson, Chance Young, Ryder Goller, Ian Foster, Ruben Hunt, Jesse Duncan, Willie Gibbs, Adalyn Deal and Jessica Duby. The graduates were awarded over $320,000 in scholarship and grant money to help them reach their academic goals.

The ceremony was held on the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland Grounds. Salutatorian, Jesse Duncan told his fellow classmates that it was up to them to take what they had learned and go to into the world and make the world a better place. Willie Gibbs, the valedictorian, thanked his parents, teachers and everyone for “making Wallowa what it is,” he said. “Growing up here made me feel so special,” he said.

The commencement address was delivered by Cody Sheehy, Class of 1997, a documentary filmmaker. He told the graduates they didn’t need to feel guilty if they didn’t know what they wanted to do with their lives right now. He told them friends and family are for life and they should be open to new ideas to start a new career because they wanted to, not because they had to start one.

“The best part is still ahead. You get to be yourself and make the rules,” he said.

Superintendent Tammy Jones’ first word to express the significance of the day and of the specialness of the class of 2022, was “Wow!”

“It’s a really exciting, special day. These students are some of the hardest working, most fearless kids I’ve ever met,” she said. “They are the first to step forward to help with anything. They’ve had to go through high school with COVID, gallons of hand sanitizer and masks. Today is their day. One-hundred percent rain or shine, they wanted to be here,” she said.