The 8th annual Klamath Promise Graduation Sensation took place in downtown Klamath Falls on Thursday, June 1. Almost 700 graduating high school seniors from all 12 high schools across all of Klamath County paraded in caps and gowns down Main Street with bands and mascots, then joined together with family, friends and supporters in Veterans Park for a celebration and awards distribution. A moment of silence was observed for those no longer with us, the Henley Touch of Class sang the National Anthem and David Stork, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief Legal Officer at Lithia Motors, Inc., provided keynote remarks as the students embark on life after high school.
The Graduation Sensation includes awards for those going on to college, into the military, into the workforce, or who are undecided on their next step. This year 101 scholarships and gift cards totaling nearly $45,000 were announced to the crowd of graduates, families, and supporters braving the rain. More than 20 local business and organizations contributed to awards this year:
- Cascade Health Alliance
- Citizens for Safe Schools in partnership with Youth Development Oregon
- Dana Orr- The Lending Lady of the Klamath Basin
- EagleRidge High School
- Friends of the Klamath County Library
- Glenn & Ursula Gailis
- Healthy Klamath Partners
- Hispanic Health Committee
- Holliday Jewelry
- Kersey Trust
- Klamath Basin Behavioral Health
- Klamath Community College
- Klamath County Chamber of Commerce
- Klamath County Board of Commissioners
- Klamath County School District
- Klamath Health Partnership
- Pelican Education Foundation
- Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center
- Sky Lakes Medical Center
- Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls
- The Stork Family
- Windermere Real Estate
- Anonymous Donors
Special thanks to our entire community and all who help make the largest known graduation celebration happen! Including but not limited to Aurora Simpson, City of Klamath Falls Parks, City of Klamath Falls Streets, Diamond Home Improvement, Klamath County Library, Klamath County School District, Klamath Falls City Schools, Klamath Falls Police Department, Klamath Union High School Digital Media, Southern Oregon ESD Sign Language Interpreters, Southern Oregon ESD Staff, and the 50+ Individual Volunteers!
The winners for the 2023 Graduation Sensation are…
| Winner First | Winner Last | Winner School | Award Type | Amount | Sponsor |
| Yoselin | Alonzo | Henley | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Antonella | Audeh | Falcon Heights Academy | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Dylan | Bachman | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Shaylee | Batten | Henley | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Chloe | Bautista | Mazama | Scholarship | $2,000 | Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls |
| Leslie | Beanland | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Healthy Klamath Partners: Cascade Health Alliance, Klamath Health Partnership, Sky Lakes Medical Center |
| Ryan | Bicknell | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Sophia | Branum | EagleRidge | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Jacob | Bruner | Henley | Gift Card | $100 | Klamath County Chamber of Commerce |
| Jacob | Bruner | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Madison | Camino | Falcon Heights Academy | Scholarship | $500 | Hispanic Health Committee |
| Jonathan | Cazarez Mendez | Lost River | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Hope | Chase | Henley | Scholarship | $2,000 | Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls |
| Layla | Chavez | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Holliday Jewelry |
| Staci | Chipman | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Chayse | Clements | Mazama | Gift Card | $100 | Klamath County Chamber of Commerce |
| Tania | Cobian | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Ashley | Conlogue | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Glenn & Ursula Gailis |
| Kayla | Cook | Mazama | Scholarship | $2,000 | Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls |
| Margot | Cross | CrossPoint | Scholarship | $500 | Healthy Klamath Partners: Cascade Health Alliance, Klamath Health Partnership, Sky Lakes Medical Center |
| Haylee | David-Stewart | Bonanza | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Brody | Derra | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Kristalina | Derry | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Stork Service Scholarship – Commitment to Community Award |
| Alivia | Dibrito | Klamath Learning Center | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Indrani | Espinoza | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Pelican Education Foundation |
| David | Ferguson | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| James | Ferguson | Mazama | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Allison | Fournier | CrossPoint | Scholarship | $2,000 | Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls |
| Jude | Garlitz | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Kaylee | Gettman | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Bryan | Goff-Currier | Mazama | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Charles | Gonsowski | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Friends of the Klamath County Library |
| Esteban | Gonzalez Hernandez | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Jalen | Gotoy | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| James | Grounds | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Owen | Grove | EagleRidge | Scholarship | $500 | EagleRidge High School |
| Izabella | Guadarrama Dahl | Bonanza | Scholarship | $500 | Windermere Real Estate |
| Mary | Hanley | Gilchrist | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Mak | Harris | EagleRidge | Gift Card | $500 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Mak | Harris | EagleRidge | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Jayden | Hartz | Henley | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Gracelyn | Hedlund | Henley | Scholarship | $1,000 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Jesli | Hernandez | Lost River | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Marvin | Hernandez | Lost River | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Zoey | Hildebrand | Klamath Learning Center | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Hailey | Hoehn | Falcon Heights Academy | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Kailynn | Hunt-Plummer | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Healthy Klamath Partners: Klamath Basin Behavioral Health |
| Jaden | Jackson | Chiloquin | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Vivian | Jones | Henley | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Marcus | Kaeding | EagleRidge | Gift Card | $500 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| James | Keimel | EagleRidge | Gift Card | $500 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Keaton | Kensler | CrossPoint | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Levin | Kiss | Klamath Union | Scholarship | $500 | Glenn & Ursula Gailis |
| Codey | Lyman | Lost River | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Peighton | Madron | Bonanza | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Joseph | Mandarin | Lost River | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Matthew | Marcussen | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Ava | Masl | EagleRidge | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Tashina | Matt-Collier | Chiloquin | Gift Card | $500 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Grace | McCollam | Lost River | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Brooke | McNeal | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Crystal | Mendez | Mazama | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Aidan | Miller | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Nick | Morene | CrossPoint | Gift Card | $25 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Caleb | Nejely | Henley | Gift Card | $100 | Dana Orr- The Lending Lady of the Klamath Basin |
| Ellianna | Nowak | Falcon Heights Academy | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Lindsay | Pace | CrossPoint | Gift Card | $25 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Carson | Parrish | Lost River | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Nicole | Parrish | Chiloquin | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Logan | Passmore | Henley | Gift Card | $25 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Evan | Peterson | Mazama | Gift Card | $100 | Klamath County Chamber of Commerce |
| Kai | Pine | Mazama | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Aleeka | Qualls | Klamath Learning Center | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Makayla | Quirk | Mazama | Scholarship | $2,000 | Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls |
| Luke | Rodenhauser | CrossPoint | Scholarship | $500 | Windermere Real Estate |
| Jeshua | Ruelas Salazar | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| LeOna | Santos | EagleRidge | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Jennifer | Serrato | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $100 | Klamath County Chamber of Commerce |
| Jennifer | Serrato | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Aria | Sha | Henley | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Anastasia | Shanks | Chiloquin | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Natalie | Skouras | Bonanza | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Lillian | Smith | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Clayton | Spivey | Mazama | Scholarship | $500 | Holliday Jewelry |
| Raffaele | Squera | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Anonymous |
| Shaw | Stork | Henley | Scholarship | $500 | Klamath County School District |
| Stormy | Tecumseh | Mazama | Scholarship | $1,000 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Angelina | Tietjen-Rodriguez | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Analisa | Trushell | Bonanza | Scholarship | $1,000 | Citizens for Safe Schools |
| Kale | Tschetter | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Grace | Tucker | New Horizon School | Scholarship | $500 | Healthy Klamath Partners: Cascade Health Alliance, Klamath Health Partnership, Sky Lakes Medical Center |
| Shilo | Tucker | Gilchrist | Gift Card | $100 | Klamath County Chamber of Commerce |
| Shilo | Tucker | Gilchrist | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Slade | Villanueva | Henley | Gift Card | $25 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Skyler | Vinson | Henley | Gift Card | $100 | Dana Orr- The Lending Lady of the Klamath Basin |
| Sahalie | Vivanco | Klamath Union | Gift Card | $250 | Klamath Community College |
| Chance | Walton | CrossPoint | Scholarship | $500 | Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center |
| Matthew | Ward | Falcon Heights Academy | Scholarship | $200 | Anonymous |
| Chadwick | Wardrip | Mazama | Gift Card | $50 | Anonymous |
| Cheyenne | West | Henley | Gift Card | $50 | Klamath County Commissioners |
| Malcolm | Whitaker | Klamath Learning Center | Scholarship | $500 | Kersey Trust |
The Klamath Promise is a community-wide initiative connecting the community and schools, from preschool through career and college readiness. Since 2012 the Klamath Promise has aimed to increase “Success through Education” for all students in Klamath County, whether success looks like joining the workforce or military, or going to college.
The Klamath Promise: Connecting and inspiring the community about the importance of education, attendance, and graduation, from early childhood to career or college transitions. Visit klamathpromise.org to learn more!
Contact klamath_promise@soesd.k12.or.us with questions.
