FBCS students ready to take on the world

SANDPOINT — From amazing things in technology like the birth of the iPad to an explosion of British boy bands, the Forrest M. Bird Charter graduates have seen a lot in their lifetimes.

"You've been through many trials and tribulations over the years. I just couldn't be more proud of you guys than I am, right in this moment that I really just honestly want to thank you so much for choosing me to be your speaker," former FBCS teacher Paul Gunter said. "I'm so proud of you guys as a class and as humans."

Watching them grow up, from the middle school to their years at the high school has been amazing, Gunter told the 30-plus graduates.

"You really have been an inspiration to more people than you realize," Gunter said. "The last several years have a little bit of a weird way to finish up high school, just a touch, but just think of all the other things you guys have made it through in your lifetimes."

Gunter than detailed a list of what the students have seen in their lives, from "Shrek 2" to a time when oil was less than $50 a barrel. Their lives have included the beginning of Lady Gaga "singing from sweet tunes" but also some "horrible things in music like 'Baby' by Justin Bieber," he said. The class has also seen a global pandemic, the final installment of the Harry Potter series, the advent of TikTok, and a variety of political events and much more.

"I mean, you guys are just graduating high school and it's a pretty extensive list," Gunter added.

The point, Gunter told the students, is that the world doesn't have to be what it is today or what it will be tomorrow. What the world is and will be is up to them.

"The world doesn't have to be what is today, it doesn't have to be what it is tomorrow," he said. "It doesn't have to be where we might think it might be going today. The world is ready for a change and it's your time to make it happen. It's your time to go out in the world and tell everybody that the next generation is totally okay."

He told the students that they are a source of inspiration, being everything from learners to musicians, but mostly by being exactly who they are — themselves.

"Looking at you graduates today, I see some and strongest people that I've ever known, people that truly are ready to change the world, people that will change the world," Gunter told the graduates. "People that know it won't be easy and a group of people that will try and do it anyways. People who know they can because you know who you are. Of all the classes I've ever seen go through Forrest Bird Charter School, you guys definitely know who you are. You've never been anything by yourselves — unapologetically yourself at times. A group of people that truly know who they are and are comfortable with who they are going out into the world truly is an inspiration to all of us."

The graduates includes everyone from future cabinet makers, electricians, counselors, YouTube bloggers, teachers and cybersecurity experts and more, principal Mary Jensen told family and friends gathered at the Panida on Saturday morning. She has watched them grow, overcome challenges and pull together in support of a classmate going through a tough time.

They have overcome uncertainty caused by a global pandemic and taken on challenging college courses. They have maintained friendships forged in their early days at FBCS but expanded that circle to included those who began attending the school later.

"You are busy living your best life that you can and you don't even know how impressive you are to everybody because you truly are impressive," Jensen said. "You as graduates have faced adversity and fused together. You are unsung heroes."

Taking a moment before giving out awards, FBCS staff quickly switched the decor to mimic an awards show before handing the awards out. As they began taking the decorations down, the students and their families made it clear they wanted them to stay.

In introducing the student speaker, graduate Priscilla Cuaya, Jensen said the school doesn't have the valedictorian or salutatorian speak. Instead, the student speaker is someone that the class best feels exemplifies who they are. Cuaya has inspired her classmates, cheered on those feeling blue, make them laugh as she found humor in every day life and "almost single-handedly put together prom."

In putting together her speech, Cuaya said she was torn between doing a sentimental speech or a humorous one. Sentimental won, she said, albeit dressed in a prom dress with a slash that read 'prom queen' on the front and 'slay' on the back.

During their freshman year, Cuaya said they were figuring themselves out, who they were, what they wanted out of life. By their sophomore year, things in the world changed their course of what their high school experience would look like. A varsity of events, including COVID-19, drastically changed their world — from remote learning to wearing masks.

Despite the challenges — and not spending as much time as other classes have together in person at the school, Cuaya said the Class of 2022 has made a lot of great memories and friendships in their time at Forrest Bird Charter School.

From dances to government classes to birthdays to delicious smells coming out of the cooking classes, these are memories they will remember throughout their lives, Cuaya said.