SUQUAMISH — ‘Tis the season to honor graduates, celebrating their academic achievements and looking to all the possibilities of their futures. In all the excitement and amidst the parties, a gathering of college and high school students was brought together and recognized by the Suquamish Tribe.

The grads were the guests of honor June 22, sitting at a raised table where they could watch the festivities and hear speeches on their behalf. Surrounding the small group were parents, siblings, extended family and friends, all bursting with pride. None shone brighter than the students who worked so hard to graduate.

“I’m inspired on a lot of different levels,” said keynote speaker Michael Pavel, from Skokomish. He is a professor of higher education at Washington State University and noted that seeing all of the graduates’ accomplishments were heartening. “They are living examples of our greatness. The achievement we’re celebrating today has taken years to accomplish.”

Jenifer Agibinik, who graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies plans to move on to get her master’s degree.

“I wanted to learn Chinese, so the East Asian Studies degree grew from that,” she said. “I went to China as well. My dream was to go to the Great Wall, and I did in 1999.”

Agibinik said her mother, Camilla Pratt, was her inspiration for going to college and seeking higher education. With one such degree out of the way, Agibinik had some advice for incoming college freshmen.

“Never give up,” she said. “Just always tell yourself you can do it. Just never give up on your goals.”

John Lawrence Jr. has no intention of losing sight of his own dreams. He and his twin sister, Laree, recently graduated from North Kitsap High School and are ready to move on to higher education. Both plan to attend community college, work and both want to get a degree in business. In the meantime, John will be traveling to Mexico this summer and Laree is looking to buy a new car.

“I’m glad that it’s over,” John said, noting that he would miss the sports he played, but is ready to move on. “I’m looking forward to starting over again next year.”

Local high school graduates were not the only ones at the honoring ceremony. Ashley Cobb graduated from Puyallup High School and was invited to the celebration. She’s headed to Gene Juarez School of Cosmetology, and ideally wants to work on cruise lines as a hairdresser and make-up artist.

“I’m not sad in anyway whatsoever,” Cobb said of leaving high school, though she added that she will miss aspects of it, like her friends.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” said Shelton High School graduate Charles Landshaw. “I’ll miss my friends mostly, most of them are still in high school.”

Landshaw said he’s headed to Olympic College and might work to further his education. He said he wants to focus mainly on sports medicine.

“I’ve always been a person who likes to run and workout,” Landshaw said.

The graduates were honored with a song by the Suquamish Canoe Families Song and Dance group, speeches, a slide show and numerous prayers congratulating them for earning their diplomas.

“Our ancestors were great people,” Pavel said, noting that the tribe’s traditional values and modern core values have stayed the same: be great neighbors, take care of, love and respect family and friends, and honor the land. “I focus on how those values serve as a foundation for guiding our way of life today.”