WY’EAST ACADEMY 2022 GRADUATION RECAP
The Class of 2022
On April 28th, Wy’East Academy gathered on Campus in our indoor skatepark, B.O.B to send off The Senior Class of 2022. Held in the same indoor skatepark the seniors learned, laughed, sweat, and bled in during their tenure here, the unique location highlighted the unbelievable experience each student lived while following their passions and academic goals of graduation and beyond.
To the stars through adversity, these students have overcome a lot of adversity over the past four years. Overcoming a global pandemic to go on to be National Champions with Scholarships to four year universities. “Ad Astra per Aspera”
-Mike Hanley, Head of School
The Ceremony opened with Academy President Kevin English & Head of School Mike Hanley welcoming our families to Graduation.
President Kevin English welcoming the crowd.
A VALEDICTORIAN’S PERSPECTIVE
“We All Bleed The Same”
16 year-old, Skateboard Student & Valedictorian Madison Weisman delivered an incredible speech about her time here at Wy’East Academy, and the lessons learned along the way.
“The quintessential thing that Wy'East has taught us is that you get what you put in-, whether that's a trick, a best friend, or even just learning how to do your own laundry. For all of us, this life is a blessing getting to do what we love every day, but not all of us that are here will be professional athletes. Some among us will be videographers or the future of brands as marketing executives, coaches or work for companies like Tactics, Dakine, or, in my case, might be that friendly nurse that pops your shoulder back in place when something doesn't go quite as planned.”
Madison’s speech gave the audience an insider perspective of a student’s life here at Wy’East and their pursuit to follow their passion, to learn and along the way, to overcome fear and adversity, to fail and succeed… and to cook.
“It wasn't always easy, especially for a female in some of these sports. Nick once said to me, "we all bleed the same." Words that often play over in my head when I need them. We got to know each other in a way that not many classmates get to, the coaches, and our teachers. In this journey, we were really getting to know ourselves by pushing our bodies to the limit, not so much being fearless as people like to think; but doing it in spite of fear, often defying gravity. I learned that going fast is mind-blowingly fun, that good comes with the bad, and that a solid group of supportive people is rare and wonderful. And lastly, you can, in fact, cook pasta in a teapot.”
Click here to read Madison’s whole speech.
ALUMNI WORDS OF WISDOM
Academy Alumni & Freeride World Tour Athlete Michael Mawn was our guest Keynote Speaker. He touched on his experience as a student, taking advantage of unique opportunities & never making excuses.
Keynote Speaker Michael Mawn
SENIOR VIDEO
Following Michaels speech, we premiered the Senior Video, put together by Student Arianna Vergani.
PHOTO RECAP
The Ceremony ended with the classic “Turning of The Tassel”, narrated by The Dean of Students, Netanya Beard. Thank you to all who attended, and congratulations to The Class of 2022!
IN CLOSING
The commencement ceremony for the graduating class of 2022 marked a turning point in what it means to become an alumni of Wy'East Academy. For the first time in the history of the academy, our seniors were able to experience all of the pomp & circumstance of a traditional graduation ceremony on campus inside BOB(Building Out Back). The idea of having a ceremony in a skatepark would seem out of place anywhere else on earth, but it was beyond fitting as the speakers referenced switch cork 900's & multiple national champions. It was also exciting to hear about how all of the graduating seniors will have the opportunity to attend universities all across the United States in addition to acceptance letters to schools in England & Switzerland. Even more impressive was hearing about the hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to attend: the University of Portland, George Fox, Westminster College, University of Denver, University of Utah, Sierra Nevada University, Western Washington & Montana State University! We look forward to all of the amazing accomplishments the future will bring with the largest graduating class we have ever had here at Wy'East Mountain Academy
- Mike Hanley
Watch the full Graduation Live Stream here!