AHS seniors go on parade, tour hallways of Ashland elementary schools they attended
By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news
The hallways at Bellview Elementary on Friday morning teemed with emotion and anticipation as teachers, elementary students, parents, aunts, grandmas and staff all gathered to wait for the footsteps of soon-to-be Ashland High School graduates coming their way.
In addition to Bellview, seniors visited Helman and Walker elementary schools and TRAILS Outdoor School for the annual Parade of Scholars. In its fifth or sixth year, according to school officials, the event gives graduating seniors a chance to essentially take a look in the rearview mirror as they move forward in life.
Beneath a “2023” balloon banner at Bellview, parents and aunts gushed over the emotions of the day, which preceded the high school graduation at Butler Bandshell in Lithia Park on Friday evening. It wasn’t long ago that many of the 17 and 18-year-olds lining up to walk were bounding around the corners of the school hallways as first and third and fifth-graders, backpacks in tow.
“It’s hard to visualize her as being a graduating senior,” Joan Wellsmore said, as she waited to see her great-niece, Cadence Brown, take the walk.
She gestured with her hand out that her great-niece was just a “cute little blonde girl” and the “disbelief” that now, she is graduating.
Third-grade teacher Lindsay Gates, who has taught at Bellview Elementary for 19 years, remembers. Gates taught Cadence, too.
“It’s an incredible feeling, I’m so excited,” Gates said, as she waited with her current students lined up in the hallway to see many of her former ones, including Cadence, walk by.
“I’m so proud of them,” Gates said. “It’s such a huge journey and to overcome all of the things they’ve had to overcome with COVID, oh my goodness,” Gates said. “Such perseverance.”
“It’s a way to remember where it all started,” she added. “It’s just an opportunity to come back and sort of celebrate, hey, it started here, and now we’re at the end.”
At the end of their high school careers, but going boldly into the next chapters of their lives, they walked down the hallway.
“Here they come,” Wellsmore said, as the students started to come down the hall.
Applause preceded the soon-to-be new grads as they came down the steps.
Luke Hogan Laurenson, 18, one of 12 valedictorians at AHS, and who walked with help from longtime educational aide, Jannet Mickey, led the group of former Bellview students in white and red caps and gowns. The group was greeted by the applause and cheers of teachers and current elementary students, and essentially, younger versions of themselves.
Luke was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder, at 6 months of age. The neurological disorder affects body movement and muscle tone and, when coupled with dysarthria, a speech disability.
But Luke has far surpassed what doctors said he’d be able to do. And on Friday evening, plans to walk to accept his diploma in addition to giving his valedictorian speech.
“It’s been Luke’s dream since like kindergarten that he was going to walk to get his diploma at graduation,” Hogan told Ashland.news earlier this week. “And so it’s going to be a rigorous day Friday and he says he’s walking the entire Bellview parade route.”
And that he did, and with gusto.
“He’s really excited,” Hogan told Ashland.news earlier this week. “Sometimes he gets anxious about endings but he really seems to be navigating this with confidence.”
He has been a “Sparrow” for Ashland High this school year. As part of a program created by the Bend-based nonprofit group the Sparrow Club, a “Sparrow” – a local child up to 17 years old with a life-threatening or life-affecting illness or condition — is adopted by a participating school that does community service in order to unlock sponsored funds for their Sparrow family. At Ashland High, students have collectively raised funds toward a van that would allow Luke and/or his mom to travel. He plans to take a gap year following graduation, with plans to tour area high schools to share his message of hope to others, in addition to acting and modeling.
Fundraising overall, which includes a GoFundMe page, to date has raised about $45,000 toward the $110,000 goal.
Luke is set to present his valedictorian speech at AHS graduation. The procession starts at 6:15 and speeches begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 9.
Luke will present his speech using a “talk buddy” computer system.
“He’ll sit for his speech but he’ll walk for his diploma,” she said.
Luke walked confidently through the lineup on Friday morning, proudly wearing his Grizzly red cap and gown.
Bellview Bobcats held out their “paws” for high-fives as his fellow high school Grizzlies walked through.
Wearing Grizzly white, Cadence Brown and her great aunt embraced as she came in view.
“It’s really cool to be back at my elementary school, it brings back a lot of memories,” she told Ashland.news as she walked by.
After the event, graduates and their families filed back into the elementary library for photos, snacks and a throwback to their younger selves — Legos — as well as a slideshow with photos from their elementary days.
Libbi Moore, the parent of AHS Senior Callie Moore, walked into the library with the students.
“I enjoy this more than the actual graduation (ceremony),” Moore said. “Probably because I get to reflect … It’s hard for me to explain.”
Christine McCollom, who has served as principal at Bellview for 17 years, was nearby and agreed. She helped Moore finish her thought.
“It’s more personal,” McCollom said, who had Kleenex handy for the event.
“And what’s more fun than elementary school?” Moore added. “It’s where their journey started … it’s a rite of passage.”
One of the graduating seniors came up to ask McCollom to take a selfie with her and she apologized for crying.
“I’ve got my tissues,” McCollom said, noting the emotions of the day.
Students posed together in the library for a myriad of photos before heading off for graduation rehearsal. Senior Jeneya Livingston was among them.
The 18-year-old shared big plans for the days and months ahead for her as well, which include attending community college in Salem. She also plans to attend Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls and pursue a career as a sonographer.
“It’s a really cool experience,” Livingston said, of coming back to the school. “I honestly loved
this school and I was always excited to come here and all the teachers were really great. They were really caring and nurturing … it’s super cool to see them again.”
Ashland.news could not attend all elementary schools for the event. Feel free to submit any photos for publication to [email protected].
Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].
June 11 update: Fundraising goal adjusted to current figure.
