"Let go and just live": Whitefish High School celebrates 112th commencement
KELSEY EVANS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 week, 5 days AGO
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Remy Maaliki at the Whitefish High School class of 2026 graduation ceremony on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Senior Kiley Ohs performs with band and orchestra at graduation on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Alexandra Grube is all smiles as the Whitefish High School class of 2026 walks the stage on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Nora Ide receives her yellow rose at the Whitefish High School class of 2026 graduation ceremony on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Grace Kepler receives a big hug at graduation on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Walker Williams graduated with the Whitefish High School Class of 2026 on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Cody Blaize at the Whitefish High School commencement on June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Colt Moss bids goodbye to teachers and staff at graduation on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School graduated 143 seniors in its class of 2026 on Saturday, June 6.
Seniors Lavena James and Unity Loveless gave introductory remarks at the 112th commencement, noting that 11 students maintained 4.0 GPAs and 36 students earned local scholarships.
Many graduates will enter the workforce or pursue further education. A dozen will be college athletes. One graduate will enter the armed forces.
Loveless said the class of 2026 is highly motivated.
In their senior year, speech and debate claimed a state title and the DECA team sent 18 to nationals.
The boys soccer team finished second at state. Football advanced to the semifinals, volleyball finished second in the conference, and girls golf placed second at state. Swimming did well at state and wrestling had divisional titles. Boys and girls tennis swept the state team titles. Track and field sent 23 to state and the baseball team tied for third in the state tournament.
Twenty choir students participated at the state music festival where they earned 10 superior ratings. Choir has 21 seniors, who sang “The Rainbow Connection” at graduation.
Orchestra earned 13 and band 35 superior ratings at the state music festival. For their last song, 13 orchestra seniors and 13 band seniors played “Romeo and Juliet Overturn.”
Vanessa Solomon, student body president and a Brown University bound graduate, gave an address.
“What made this experience ours wasn’t just the highs and lows – it was everything in between,” Solomon said. “The small, ordinary, almost forgettable moments – the conversations, the routines, the passing interactions didn’t seem important at the time. I urge you to hold on to those moments too, because that it where our story really lives.”
Principal Kerry Drown urged graduates to “never stop learning.”
“And in a world where artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, remember that AI should supplement not replace HI, human intelligence. Keep sharpening your greatest asset,” he continued as the crowd responded with cheers.
Scarlet Burke, senior class president and a Columbia University-bound student, gave farewells and read from a Mary Oliver poem, “Wild Geese.”
“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting - over and over announcing your place in the family of things,” Burke read.
Burke said “Wild Geese” is a reminder to acknowledge that the world is much bigger than future plans.
“Amid the chaos of becoming the driven, exuberant people I know we will become, remember there is beauty in simple existence,” Burke said. “Our higher expectations for ourselves are as much entrances as they are driving forces so we must always be willing to let go and just live.”
Editor Kelsey Evans can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.
Remy Maaliki at the Whitefish High School class of 2026 graduation ceremony on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Senior Kiley Ohs performs with band and orchestra at graduation on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Alexandra Grube is all smiles as the Whitefish High School class of 2026 walks the stage on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Nora Ide receives her yellow rose at the Whitefish High School class of 2026 graduation ceremony on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Grace Kepler receives a big hug at graduation on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Walker Williams graduated with the Whitefish High School Class of 2026 on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Cody Blaize at the Whitefish High School commencement on June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Colt Moss bids goodbye to teachers and staff at graduation on Saturday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish High School Class of 2026 graduated on Saturday, June 6. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)ARTICLES BY KELSEY EVANS
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