Colony High celebrates the success of the class of 2020

PALMER — The class of 2020 graduation week is halfway through. Colony High School was the eighth Valley school to hold their virtual graduation ceremony due to COVID-19.

Colony principal Brendon McMahon said that no matter the medium, high school graduations leave all the reason in the world to celebrate and he was proud of this year’s graduates.

“While this may not be the ceremony we expected the start of this journey, we are excited nonetheless to be able to celebrate them together...” McMahon said.

Keynote speaker Trevor Townsend said the virtual graduation ceremony felt ironic. He said that he spent the last few years telling his students to put their phones away only to talk directly into a camera for his message to be viewed on a screen. He said it was sad he couldn’t see their smiling faces but this graduation and everything afterward is all going to be about connection.

“You will always be more important than a screen. You will always be more important than technology,” Townsend said. “If the last two months have taught us anything, we cannot replace healthy human relationships with technology. We need the kindness of others.”

Colony Students and staff shared sentimental messages of hope over adversity, triumph over mediocrity.

The 2020 class president Ashleigh Olson said this last year has been an interesting challenge even without the outbreak. She said that nearly nothing she expected to be turned out the way she planned.

“Life threw me a few curveballs. I dealt with them; and now I believe I’m where I’m supposed to be,” Olson said.

Olson said that keeping a prevailing sense of optimism with a dose of excitement for the road ahead, even if she doesn’t know where it will take her.

“And though I don’t know what the future holds, I do know it’s going to be okay. Life is ever changing and there’s two ways to view it. You can fight the change or embrace it,” Olson said.

Colony has one of the biggest student populations in the district and that often shows through its diverse range of programs, activities, and overall student interest. There are 175 members of Colony’s class of 2020.

Student speaker Tyler Pasa spent his high school years playing football while dabbling in the school’s theater program.

The 2020 graduate and master of ceremonies Gregory Jacobson said Pasa’s jovial demeanor and sociable personality made it easy for him to bridge the gap between the artistic and sporty worlds. He said Pasa was a mainstay at all the school’s various events and activities.

Pasa was happy to relate the various feats the class of 2020 accomplished over the years during his speech, from their football field winning streaks to their marching band’s worldwide claim to fame.

Colony’s marching band has been on the national and international spotlight for the last few years.

“We are still moving forward and opening new doors,” Pasa said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com

Colony High School Class of 2020

BrookeAlaniva, Richard Athanas, Gunner Atkin, Alexis Babbitt, Wyatt Baker, LaurenBang, Alexander Bayle, William Bennett, Camille Bernard, Elise Best, Mekenna Bills, Hannah Bissett, KiaraBonnell, DaxiaBosen, NathanBoyer, Elijah Bradley, Michael Bradley, JamesBrewster, Isabella Brown, Nicole Catlett, John Ciucci-Brunner, RubyClark-Mayfield, Bristol Cole, VincentCramer, Kateland Crane, Dylan Dean, StephenDefillipo, Tristania Dodd, Makiah Downs, Caitlynn Duncombe, Ryan Dunn, HaileyDykman, Tuker Eby, Cai Edmunson, MasonEngdahl, LukeEverett, SheridanFinley, GabrielFish, Aubrey Flaming, Esperidon Floresta, Krista Floyd, JuliaFonov, JeremyFrantz, Molly Frati, DominicFreeman, Morgan Fronek, TylerFronek, TahniFugate, JosephGehring, Angelina Gonzales, AshleyGreen, KatarinaGrover, Chloe` Gunther, KTGustafson, Mayerly Hagerty, Madison Henson, BenjaminHess, Josiah Hill, Astrid Hollis, MyahHoover, Vanessa Huffman, Aidan Hull, GraceHunter, IvanaIngle, Yazmean Inman, Gregory Jacobsen, Emily Jakiemiec

Alexander Johnson, David Johnson, Finn Johnson, Joshua Johnson, Mea Johnson, NolanJohnson, Cianna Jorgenson, Alexandra Kavanagh, Abigail Kenley, Madison Kennedy, Zachary King, Alexus Klun, Brooklyn Kopsack, IsaiahKopy, Ethan Korynta, Kobe Kramer, Alexander Lackey, Noah Larson, Joshua Leath, Aaron Lemmer, Mirakahl Lopez, Keet Tlein Lorrigan,Tyler Lumb, Cynthia Mach, Savanna Mahoney, WyattManculich, Halen Marcinek, Jacob Marsh, Riley Marshall, Payton Martin, Alan McAlister, Alekszander McCormick, Jolie McDougall, Shawn McMillian, Jaydon McQuee, Mya Meehl, Seth Meyer, Kevin Moffat, Hayden Moore, Katy Moseley, Weston Moser, Ryan Murphy, Denis Muzychuk, Micah Nashold, Conrad Nelson, Krynn Nelson, Abel Neria, Lauren Nolder, Nikolas Nygard, Cordelia Ohde, Ashleigh Olson, Devin Ott, Tyler Pasa, Ridge Peter Patrimonio Raval, JosephPavia-Jones, LiamPavilionis, John Perenyi, RileePettit, Thipsouda Phetphommasouk, Glenn RoiPia, Madisen Pillsbury, Sophia Pitts, Kayleen Plano, HayleyPritchett, BriannaPunturo, Casey Rahn, Riley Reeves, Blake Reid, Amber Richardson, Isaac Richardson, Naia Rigdon, Paige Ripley, Jeffrey Ripple, Brodrik Rivers, Katelynn Rogers, Tavis Russo, HunterSasser, Quinten Sereyko, Roman Shepard, Anyka Siegrist, Ryan Siracusa, Tyler Siracusa, Christian Smith, Ellezabeth Smith, McKinna Smith, LaurenSolomon; Colton Spencer; James Stanley, Steven Sutcliffe, Carter Thomas, Malcolm Tucker, Brandilyn Ukena, Austin Valliere; Madison Wakaliuk; Hannah Webber, Isabella Weiss, Hailey Welcome, Healy Wells, Hailey Westover, Anthony White, SydneyWhitmore, Jenna Wolf, Saaren Wright, Vanessa Wright, Dalton Young, HalleeYundt