Charter grads showcase style
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter High School graduates pose for the camera before the graduation ceremony commenced in the North Summit Church auditorium Saturday.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Alexander Riach, right, gives fellow graduate Angie Orsi, left, a big squeeze as they prepared to line up for their graduation ceremony Saturday in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird High School graduates Miranda Paddack, left, Lakiah Turnbull, center, and Emily Invernon, right, pose for the camera before Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Miranda Paddack fixes classmate Alexander Riach's tassle before Saturday's graduation ceremony.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduates Patrick Sherman, left, and Ericka Moore, right, were being a bit goofy as they waited for Saturday's graduation ceremony to begin.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter High School graduate Serenity Winey gets a big hug from a staff member as she enters the North Summit Church auditorium during Saturday's graduation ceremony.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Serenity Winey was surrounded by little ones after receiving her diploma during Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Lakiah Turnbull sang an original song she wrote titled "Always a Rainbow" during Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduates pose for the camera before lining up for Saturday's ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduates pose for the camera before lining up for Saturday's ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduates pose for the camera before lining up for Saturday's ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Jack Meier was the senior speaker during Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduate Charlie Harrison performed the "Star Spangled Banner" for the audience during Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School graduates celebrate during Saturday's graduation ceremony in North Summit Church.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Forrest Bird Charter School principal Mary Jensen was one proud administrator and mother as her own son, Damian Fitzpatrick, was one of 33 graduates during the school's graduation ceremony Saturday in North Summit Church.
SANDPOINT — Everyone in the audience turned toward Serenity Winey as the Forrest M. Bird Charter School graduation ceremony commenced.
It was a good thing the teen had decked her graduation cap out in red, white and blue, because a flag could not be found in the Northern Summit Church auditorium for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Forrest Bird's class of 2017 was not only artistic, a few talented musicians were in the group as well. This was proven as Charlie Harrison played a rendition of the "The Star Spangled Banner" on the electric guitar, and Lakiah Turnbull stole the show with an original song titled, "Always a Rainbow," which she said was inspired by a good friend of hers.
"The people in this graduating class are really, really unique — I can't emphasize that enough," said Principal Mary Jensen, whose son was one of this year's graduates.
In the group, she said, there are future teachers, aviators, healthcare workers, technology gurus, engineers, environmentalists, artists and parents. Some, like Winey, plan to go into the military. Winey said she ships out to Texas in July to start her new life in the United States Air Force. Her red, white and blue cap donned the words, "May the force be with you," which, she explained, for her is a cross-reference between "Star Wars" and the Air Force.
Liz Garza's cap revealed she plans to become an EMT. Garza said she has already been working toward that goal through volunteering at the Schweitzer Fire District. Although she was a little nervous and hoped she didn't trip during the ceremony, she said she enjoyed her high school years.
"It was super fun," she said. "It was definitely not stereotypical, so the movies are B.S., but it was really interesting and I learned a lot."
Of the 33 Forrest Bird students who received their diploma, more than a third of them attended the school since sixth grade. One student was unable to attend the ceremony, but Jensen said she came to the school as a freshman and finished in three years instead of four.
Jensen shared some memories of the teens, particularly since her son was one of Saturday's graduates. There were times she was "tired of teenagers," such as the time she said she came home to about 10 teenagers in her house and simply said, "I'm going shopping," and turned around and left.
"For those of you who know how much I hate shopping, that was a big deal, but I still love them, regardless," Jensen said. "They as a whole class have shared concerns, tears and joy with me. We cried together on several occasions, but we laughed more."
Graduate Jack Meier was chosen by his classmates as the senior speaker for the ceremony. He first came to the school, he said, with new glasses and a glow-in-the-dark cast on his broken left arm. He said he looked like a "discount Frankenstein's monster," and figured he was in for a rough time.
"Since then, I have learned that this school is not really your stereotypical school," he said. "The people here are not your stereotypical students, and they're not the stereotypical people you expect to meet in high school ... Going to school at charter has been one of the most interesting and, how should I put this — enlightening — experiences I've ever had."
Meier said he and his classmates were committed to making an impact in student council and have been the "heart and soul of the school." They survived the school dances where "Gangnam Style," played over, and over, and over again. They also pioneered something called, "Bang the Bongo." This was again brought up by charter teacher Mark Webber, who delivered the keynote speech.
"You are also the class that got it banned," Webber said, describing the "whirlwind" of destruction that occurred every time the students played it. "From broken table, to holes in walls, to broken administration."
Webber watched many of the kids grow since middle school, and they promised him they would get him to "choke up" during his speech, so he did some research online beforehand on how to stop the tears — apparently grabbing his thigh really hard and crossing his eyes did not work out so well. He choked up anyway.
"You are a strong group of individuals," he said. "Each of you have your own unique personality ... during your years at Forrest Bird Charter School, you have been through some great tragedies, both public and deeply personal. We have been shaken to our very core. Yet, here we are together because of the love of community and a sense of family ... We are stronger as a community because of our strength together."
Webber said the class of 2017 is the last class of students born in the 1990s, so next year will be the "year of nothing, '00." As Meier pointed out, the class of 2017 has the freedom to "be whoever they want to be."
"Every single one of us here is a star, all of us," Meier said. "We are all stars."
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.