Bridgeport Class of 2021 graduates 40 strong

Page A1 Story #1. jump to A02, 6 photos – Photos #1, #2 on front – rest on A2 with jump
#1 - Photo: H23 Kimberley Avalos – 3 col on front
Cutline:
Mike Maltais/QCH
Kimberley Avalos accepts her diploma from principal Tamra Jackson.
#2 - Photo: H23 Avalos supporters – 2 col on front
Cutline: : Kimberley Avalos had her own sign-carrying cheering section.
#3 - Photo: H23 Skiff & Lombera
Cutline: : Bridgeport art instructor and school photo Brad Skiff takes a photo of graduate Jacqueline Lombera.
#4 -Photo: H23 Anissa Bustos
Cutline:  The graduation portrait of Anissa Bustos decorated a downtown utility pole.
#5 - Photo: H23 Omar Ibarra Ornelas
Cutline: : Omar Ibarra Ornelas in a soccer action photo hung along Columbia Avenue.
#6 - Photo: H23 Balloons away
Cutline:  Seniors release orange and black balloons prior to their farewell parade through the streets of Bridgeport.





BRIDGEPORT – A stiff west wind blowing across the campus could not dilute the air of celebration surrounding commencement exercises of the Class of 2021 at Bridgeport High School last Friday afternoon, June 4.
The class valedictorian was Brandon Valdovinos and class salutatorian was Mariam Rocha.
The ceremony was held outdoors in front of the main entrance as 40 seniors drove up in vehicles and disembarked one at a time to receive their diplomas from high school principal Tamra Jackson. Some held their mortarboards on their heads with one hand while accepting diplomas with the other. School art instructor Brad Skiff snapped photos of each graduate alone and with family members as the procession of vehicles slowly completed the circuit. A high point of the diploma ceremony was Kimberley Avalos, with a little help from family, accepting her diploma to the cheers and applause of classmates and supporters.
After diplomas were issued the vehicles gathered in the east end of the parking lot where the grads, under the instruction of class president Lizette Trejo-Bernal, released in unison balloons in the school colors of orange and black. Then, escorted by Douglas-Okanogan County Fire District and Douglas County Sheriff vehicles with sirens wailing the line of graduate vehicles completed a long circuitous drive-by through the city.
From here the graduates have plans aplenty from entering the world of work (WOW) to higher education at colleges, university, and tech schools.
Class president Trejo-Bernal, valedictorian Valdovinos, and salutatorian Jimenez are headed for Eastern Washington University.
Jose Gordillo plans to enlist in the U.S. Army and Karla Torres is head for the U.S. Air Force.
Didier Acevedo and several of his classmates want to enroll in nearby Wenatchee Valley College. Citaly Guzman will attend Evergreen Beauty College and David Valdovinos wants to be a plumber.
Many of the grads are headed for community colleges like Spokane CC, Spokane Falls CC, or Green River. Others are headed for tech training or plan to enter the work force.  One thing is for certain; we have not heard the last from them.