By Shaun Scott, Puyallup Tribal News
The long-awaited moment finally arrived for the Chief Leschi Schools’ senior class.
Forty-one seniors donned their caps and gowns for the school’s 2025 graduation ceremony on June 14 at Four Seasons Gym.
Puyallup Tribal Council Vice Chairwoman Sylvia Miller expressed words of encouragement to the graduating seniors during the ceremony.
“It was a struggle for our people to keep our identity because they tried to take that away from us many times, but we’re still here, so remember that every day of your life. You’re strong individuals. Your ancestors before you made sure that they paved the way for each and every one of us,” Miller said. “Every single one of you, every one of you every day remember what it took to get here and what it will take to continue because you can do it. You can do it, you guys. You can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t let anybody ever tell you that you can’t.”
Miller assured the newest Chief Leschi alumni they will always have support from the Tribe.
“We have confidence in you guys. If you need something, don’t be afraid to ask. This is your family. Everybody here is your family. A Tribe is all a family, so remember no matter where you are, we will always be here with you,” she said.
Two chairs on stage were left empty to honor Ty Conway and Rocco Conway who would have graduated with the 2025 class.
Former Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was the ceremony’s keynote speaker.
“This event is all about achievement and all about success,” Thomas said. “I think the pathway, whatever jobs and whatever interests them, they have all these different avenues they can possibly go down. I think all of the avenues these kids are going to go down, they will be successful.”
A large number of seniors were recognized with scholarships and awards before diplomas were presented to them.
Vice Chairwoman Miller, along with Tribal Councilmembers Annette Bryan, James Rideout, Anna Bean, Monica Miller and Fred Dillon blanketed and congratulated each graduate after they accepted their diplomas.
Issiah Kalama, who will study mechanical engineering at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey this fall, said graduating was a surreal feeling.
“The community kind of held us together for a long time so when I grabbed the diploma, it is kind of like them letting us go into the world. It was a happy moment,” Kalama said. “All of us are going our separate ways, but we will all bring back something different to our community.”
Valedictorian Lailah Loucks shared a speech to her graduating class and will attend Pacific Lutheran University this fall to study anthropology and art history.
“Making my speech made me really nervous, but just getting to be there with all of my classmates and my friends was really nice,” she said. “I was really excited to be there and finally graduate, especially since most of us have been all growing up together since kindergarten. I was really happy to see my classmates getting their awards. I felt like they really deserved it.”
Cecilia Dillon, who exuberantly raised her diploma into the air after receiving it, said she’ll reflect fondly on the past, but is looking forward to what’s ahead of her.
“I was kind of sad that my time (in high school) is over, but now I’m moving on to bigger and better things and focusing on real life,” she said.
