In The News: Class of 2016 resilient amid change

Written by: Seth Gordon , Newberg Graphic

NHS valedictorians proud of how their classmates have adapted to many transitions

Each year, the best and brightest at Newberg High School boast an impressive list of extracurricular activities, academic and athletic accomplishments, prestigious scholarships and notable awards.

From Haley Bossé’s full-ride scholarship to Williams College to Nathan Spurgin achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, or Newberg Chamber of Commerce Junior Citizen of the year Megan Tarmichael to Medical Teams International volunteer Jessi Gauvin, this year’s 15 valedictorians are no exception.

What stands out to the school’s top students, though, is that the class of 2016 has persevered through more changes in their four years at NHS than perhaps any graduating class in recent memory

After spending two years in the small schools system, this year’s seniors were in the heart of their high school career when Newberg began its transition to a comprehensive model last year under former principal Mark Risen, only to graduate a year later under an interim lead administrator.

“Our class particularly has been affected by those changes with a completely new administration, going from small schools and there is a lot of staff that students grew close to that have left,” Gauvin said. “I think we’ve been resilient to the changes.”

This year’s valedictorians have excelled amid the changing landscape around them, carving out promising paths for themselves along the way.

Tarmichael, for instance, plans to attend the University of Montana Western to study environmental science and natural resource management before joining the Peace Corps.

Cameron Backus will attend George Fox University on three prestigious scholarships, including GFU’s Presidential Scholarship, with the goal of turning a major in biology and a minor in art into a career in scientific illustration or research.

The girls lacrosse team is especially well represented in this year’s group, as Tarmichael and Gauvin are joined by teammates Abby Reohr and Kylee Duey.

Reohr, who played five different sports in her career, will enroll in a five-year C.P.A degree program at Gonzaga University, while Duey will continue her playing career while pursuing a science degree at Linfield College. Gauvin received the Cougar Scholarship from Washington State University and will major in criminal justice and psychology.

A lacrosse player himself, Spurgin earned the Chancellor’s Scholarship from the University of Colorado and plans to study chemical engineering while in Boulder.

Being an athlete was no by no means a prerequisite for gaining membership in the group, however, as Bossé, Derek Harber, Madison Zurcher and Hope Maslen-Fulcher can attest to, having not participated in any sports at NHS.

Zurcher, for instance, spent much of her free time with 4-H, Key Club and National Honor Society, and will attend Seattle Pacific University in the fall.

Bossé plans to major in women and gender studies and environmental studies at Williams, while Maslen-Fulcher plans to attend Portland Community College before transferring to American Military University to pursue a career in the medical field.

Harber, who was active in robotics, National Honor Society and the Boys Scouts, will attend Oregon State University to study mechanical engineering. He will be joined in Corvallis by senior class president and recent Carolyn DeCrevel Award winner Claire Boenisch, who plans to major in kinesiology.

Herring has opted to take a different route than his fellow valedictorians, enrolling in the Navy in hopes of beginning a career in nuclear engineering or teaching.

The group, which also includes Curtis Olson, will be joined at graduation ceremonies, which will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at Loren Douglas Field, by salutatorian Lindsay Louis, who finished as the top graduating student not receiving an honors diploma.