Tag: Graduates

Seldovia’s Class of 2015 Graduates!

| May 20, 2015 | 0 Comments

by Jenny Chissus

Every year I have the pleasure to sit down with the graduates and hear from them, about their time in Seldovia, their time at Susan B English, and the excitement of the future ahead!  This year, is another special one for me, as my middle son Devin graduates!  I ask the same questions of each, and it is always heart-warming to see the similarities and the differences in their experiences and dreams.

Screen Shot 2015-05-20 at 1.12.54 AM

Please join us on

Wednesday, May 20 at 4:00pm

in the Susan B English commons

for the Graduation Ceremony to

Celebrate their achievement!

Enjoy this small glimpse into the Senior Class of Susan B English 2015.

Screen Shot 2015-05-19 at 10.17.34 PMSeth
Jonathan
O’Leary

What is your “Seldovia” Story?

In 2000, my family moved here from Wasilla when I was just about to turn 4 years old.  We owned the restaurant Sweet -n- Clean until 2006 and my siblings all played sports, so I played sports, went fishing with friends and that is pretty much a huge part of what you do here.  I was always busy in Seldovia.

IMG_1118As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Now, as a Senior- what do you want to be when you grow up? How has that changed?

When I was 6 years old I wanted to be a cowboy and I even went to a horse camp, which was a lot of fun.  When I became a teenager, I wanted to be a truck driver or heavy equipment operator.  I just love the big machines.  Mr. C’s mechanics class had a huge impact on me, taking apart machines and putting them back together again, it was just so much fun!  Wow!  I should do this for a living because I like it!  I found out that there were vocational schools for diesel mechanics, and I said “Heck yea, I am going to do that!”

IMG_1116What are some of your favorite school memories? Seldovia memories?

Winning the state championship (big smile) that was pretty exciting!  I think that was the top, I can’t think of anything else that was bigger.  I really like basketball, and though I’m not the worst at it, any success I did have was because of our team.  I know I made the Alaska team because of my Seldovia team.  If you had five of me on a team, it would be a lot harder.  The Sea Otters play as a team, that is what it is all about!  We all help each other out, Calem, Aidan, Dylan and Chance – we have always worked together – and that is why we won!  Pretty much all of my memories are around sports.  I do remember horsing around with Nathan and being sent to the principal’s office, and we would just look at each other and start laughing!

One thing I really like about Seldovia, is that you know everybody and everybody knows you, it is like living with a bunch of friends – and because it’s so small, we could always just go see somebody if you want, unlike being so spaced out in a big city.

What are your plans this summer? This next year?

Right after our graduation, we’ll take a family vacation to Ireland!  Then we are going to Colorado – and to the Country Jam – which will be great!  I start school right after that on June 29th at Lincoln College of Technology.

IMG_1119Growing up requires a lot of help – who do you want to thank?  Who made a big impression on you and has influenced you in a positive way? Who deserves a “Virtual Rose”?

It is hard to rule anyone out, because Seldovia made me who I am.  If it weren’t for that person I wouldn’t be like this, if it wasn’t for this person, I wouldn’t be like that!  But like I said, Mr. C., if it wasn’t for his class, I probably wouldn’t ever have thought about mechanics, so he was a big part of making me want to go into that field.  In school, Mrs. Hingley was a big part of my life, as she helped me realize what the real goal was in being in school, and Mr. Derks and Mr. Winters showed me that I could have fun and still learn something in school.  Regarding sports, Crystal and Kim Collier really pushed me and encouraged me and helped me to do my best.  Of course my parents, also always helped me to be better, and to be less reckless.  I had a tough time growing up, and some parents would have sent me off to military school, so I was lucky that they never gave up on me, and they are the biggest influence on my life.  My older brother Tim just graduated with a law degree, Tyler is working for the city in a great job, KC works on the slope, and there’s also a graduate from SBE that works for Google, I realize that a lot of successful people come out of here, and I want to be like that!  

What would you do with your life if you KNEW you could not fail?

I would play baseball!  I love lots of sports, basketball, baseball, and football.  Football really breaks your body down, but baseball is fun, you can make good money, become famous – it really looks like a lot of fun!  Me and my dad used to go up to the field and play, and I just really like it and to play for a living, I think it would be so much fun!

 

IMG_1102Chance
Harper
Haller

What is your “Seldovia” Story?

I don’t really have a Seldovia story.  But I have a story about how I got to Seldovia.  About six years ago, we were all sitting around the table when Dad came up to us and asked us what we thought about moving.  Being a military family, moving every couple of years, everyone was pretty used to it until he said “Alaska”!  We had been all over the lower 48 – but never to Alaska.  We bought a trailer and loaded it up and drove up through Canada – lost 8 tires, drove the Alcan – lost another 6 tires!  It was a fun adventure the whole way.  All the sites were just amazing.  There is a certain beauty in Alaska you just won’t get anywhere else.  It was a great adventure with the dog and whole family.  When we came into town on a bright sunny day and seeing the town for the first time, that was pretty amazing!  

What are some of your favorite school memories? Seldovia memories?

(Big smile) – Winning state.  It was… amazing.   I can’t tell you the speech Mark gave us before we went out for that game, but he had every single one of us crying in that locker room.  It was… amazing.  Another one.  We have this chant we do before every game:  Who are we, What are we, and What are we going to do?  The last time we did that as a team was pretty emotional.  

IMG_1104What are your plans this summer? This next year?

I’m heading to Arizona to go to college.  I’m going to do Accounting through UAA, all my classes will be online while I’m down there.  Then I’m going to be taking a game development classes through Yavapai College.  I want to design, develop and create my own game – I already have an idea for a team strategy game. (he wouldn’t go into any further detail – it’s a secret!)  

Growing up requires a lot of help- who do you want to thank? Who made a big impression on you and has influenced you in a positive way? Who deserves a “Virtual Rose”?

Other than my parents, Bob Rafferty.  He’s been like a second father to me, working on the boat the past three summers has been amazing.  It is sad to have to leave him.  Andy Anderson – he has such a connection with our family, and he’s such a good guy, and always been there for us.

What would you do with your life if you KNEW you could not fail?

I would start my own business.  I would run a game shop, with role-playing games, dice, books and comics, video games.  I would have a massive shop for people to come and hang out, where people could just be with their friends, it would just be really cool.

 

DSC_6402Devin
Alexander
Chissus

What is your “Seldovia” Story?

We moved here from Fairbanks in 02 when I was just six years old, and we lived along the slough and then by the school until we finally found a nice home to buy.  What I’ve liked about Seldovia is that it has easy access to nature because I love hiking, kayaking and camping with my friends.  

unnamedAs a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Now, as a Senior- what do you want to be when you grow up? How has that changed?

When I was a kid I wanted to race dirt bikes.  I’ve always liked motorcycles and owned motorcycles.  Last summer I went to the British Virgin Islands and learned to scuba.  It was awesome, and it made me realize that I want to be a dive instructor.

unnamedWhat are some of your favorite school memories? Seldovia memories?

There’s a lot of things we did at SBE.  Wrestling, Basketball, Mix 6 Volleyball, Geography Bee trip to Anchorage and an awesome trip to Washington DC.  Some of the things I have loved in Seldovia outside of school would be the camping trips to Red Mountain and driving dirt bikes at Outside Beach.

unnamedWhat are your plans this summer? This next year?

This summer, I’m going to be working as a deck hand on the Seldovia Bay Ferry.   I will be leaving Seldovia at the end of August for Mexico because I’ve been accepted into an Internship with Dive Paradise in Cozumel, Mexico to get my PADI Dive Master and Dive Instructor certifications. 

Growing up requires a lot of help- who do you want to thank? Who made a big impression on you and has influenced you in a positive way? Who deserves a “Virtual Rose”?

I really loved wrestling, and it was cool to be coached by Dan Blodgett.  Dan was a knowledgeable coach, he supported and encouraged me to be my best.  Mr Derks was a very enthusiastic teacher, who made coming to school fun.  The coolest thing he did was coach me in wrestling, when Dan left and no one else would.  We started the season with six guys, but within a week, it was just me, and he still coached me through the season.  I wouldn’t have been able to wrestle without him.  There’s more people to say here, but you’ll have to come to graduation!

10346209_10204176880044851_4789660915602352539_nWhat would you do with your life if you KNEW you could not fail?

I will travel the world diving and teaching other people how to dive.

 

Congratulations Seldovia Graduates! Part I of V – Taylor Morgan Haller

| May 13, 2014 | 0 Comments

by Jenny Chissus

This week, we are honoring our 5 Seldovia graduates, Alexandria (Xandria), Aydana, Chaela, Kaitlyn and Taylor!  5 beautiful girls with 5 stories to share about their Seldovia experience in school and community!  This is part I of V in a series this week!  Graduation will be held at Susan B English school on May 20, 2014 at 4:00pm in the school gymnasium and all are welcome to celebrate with our graduates and families!

There is one exception as Aydana Omar will be leaving Seldovia for Kazakhstan on Monday, the day before graduation, so there will be a Community Graduation/Certificate Ceremony for her on Sunday, May 18th at the Sea Otter Community Center at 4:00pm, with a potluck to follow – and all are welcome!

TaylorPortraitCongratulations Taylor!

Gazette:  What is your “Seldovia” story?
Taylor:  When I was younger, my dad was in the army for 13 years, so we moved around a lot, and I do mean a lot.  Before we moved to Seldovia we spent a few years in Washington. My parents came to us kids and we had a family meeting. We, as a family, decided we were going to move to Seldovia. June 28th we came off of the Kennicott into this beautiful town and that is when my life changed.
TaylorCamera I can remember getting off the boat in the car and Kaitlyn and a few other people were standing there to wave to us.  A part of me missed Washington, but a part of me knew that I was home.

TaylorTiffanyBeing in Seldovia has let me do things I would never be able to do. For example, walk around town with my friends or stay out till midnight on teen night. I remember the first year I was here, every time I wanted to go outside I asked my dad, out of habit. He finally got annoyed with me asking every day if I could go outside and he said that I don’t have to ask anymore because if I do something, it would get to the other end of town before I even got home. He knew I would be safe.

TaylorChanceLiving in Seldovia has given me wonderful opportunities. I played volleyball for 3 of my 4 years.   I attempted to play basketball my junior year and I enjoyed being the girls’ basketball team manager!   I was part of student council 3 of my 4 years and president and vice president throughout the last 4 years.   This year I am also part of the National Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Board.  Also, being in Seldovia I have been able to have a summer job every year, which is a lot of fun!  All in all, I love Seldovia and how everyone cares. Seldovia is just very homey.

TaylorYoungGazette:   As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Now, as a senior – what do you want to be when you grow up? How has that changed?
Taylor:  As a child I wanted to be anything and everything! Like any child, I wanted to be a firefighter, a doctor, a princess, (oh if only I could be a princess) a singer and a marine biologist. But I think my true passion lies in cooking.  I think it started to come out in middle school, but started showing more here in Seldovia. Through the last four years I have had the privilege of having foods class with Mrs. Bornheimer and it has been my favorite class every year.  I love to cook!

TaylorCheerGazette:  What are some of your favorite school memories? Seldovia memories? Favorite school memories?
Taylor:  Well where do I begin? I think my favorite memories always happen on volleyball trips. This year we got to do co-ed. Having the boys on the team was a BLAST! There was NO drama at all and they kept everything fun. One of the funniest things I can remember was last year when I was obsessed with One Direction. I made a cake and put a lot of decorations on it, and in the corner of the cake I put 1D on it. The whole cake was eaten except the part that said 1D! Everyone teased me about it for like 2 weeks!

TaylorDadAnother one of my favorite memories in school was when Seth and Kaitlyn would sing “Believe” by Cher.  Mr. Winters was our teacher at the time, and when they came to the part “Do you believe in life after love?” Mr. Winters said very loudly, NO!  I laughed so hard. One of my favorite Seldovia memories is whenever I have a bonfire with all my friends. My friends are the greatest people in the world.

Gazette:   What are your plans this summer? This next year?
Taylor:  This summer I will be working my own hot dog stand called Main Street Munchies. That is the only thing I really have planned. This next year my best friend from Washington will be moving up here. We will both be going to KPC the following year. This next year we plan on working before we go off to college.

TaylorAshleyGazette:   Growing up requires a lot of help – who do you want to thank? Who made a big impression on you and has influenced you in a positive way? Who deserves a “Virtual Rose”?
TaylorTiffanyTaylor:  I would like to thank many people. Mom and Dad, thank you for dealing with me the last 18 years. I know I have been a pain but thank you for never giving up on me even though I’m probably the most stubborn person in the house. Thank you for raising me right. You guy are the best. Jenny, thank you for everything you’ve done to help me with my photography. It means a lot to me. Ms. Montgomery, thank you for all the hard work you put into me and all the other students. You are an amazing teacher and friend! Mrs. Bornheimer, thank you for paying out of your own pocket most of the time just to do foods class. We all love that class and I am so happy you did it our senior year. Ms. Sensenig, thank you for being our advisor and helping so much with everything.

TaylorRobertGazette:  What would you do with your life if you KNEW you could not fail?
Taylor:  If I knew I would not fail I would open a small bakery/coffee shop. That is what I have wanted to do for the past two years.

Gazette:   Final thoughts?
Taylor:  My time in Seldovia was short but in the years I’ve been here I have made wonderful friends, I have learned and seen so much. Thank you to everyone who was there for me and everyone who never gave up. This is one of the saddest goodbyes I’ve had to say. I know I will see everyone around town, but this goodbye means the start of my new life, as an adult. So thank you to everyone who has helped me grow up into the person I am today. As I am writing this, my eyes are tearing up. I feel like I am saying goodbye for good. Where ever my life takes me, Seldovia will always be my home.