06.16.2021

Meet Treehouse’s Class of 2021

By Linsey Hunt, Marketing & Communications Intern

   

As the Class of 2021 celebrates graduation, we held conversations with our high school graduates to talk about their excitement for the future. We asked three questions: why is graduating high school important to you? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? And what is one word to describe how graduating makes you feel? Read their responses below!

Abbie, Roosevelt High School: “Graduating is important to me because I can move forward in my life. In 10 years, I see myself as a commercial pilot. One word that describes how graduating makes me feel is ‘proud.'”

Aeirieck, Dolan Academy High School: “Graduating is important to me because it gives me opportunities. One thing I’m excited about after graduating is I get to support myself and my family. How I feel about that is I’m enthusiastic!”

Alexis, Mountain View High School: “Graduating is important to me because I’ve spent so much time working to be able to graduate, and I’m really glad that I finally get to. In 10 years, I see myself working as a taxidermist doing my own private thing. And one word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘elated.'”

Ali, Shorecrest High School: “I’d say graduating is important to me because I feel like my diploma will give me an answer every time I look at it and wonder why you did that for four years. One word to describe how I’m feeling is ‘excited.’ In 10 years, I see myself doing good.”

Anai, Marysville Pilchuck High School: “Graduating is very important to me because I have worked really hard to be where I am now. In 10 years, I see myself becoming a veterinarian and helping all the animals that I can. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘very accomplished.'”

Brayan, Cleveland STEM High School: “Graduating is important to me because it’s the next big step in life where my decisions determine whether I succeed or fail as I become more independent. In 10 years, I see myself working as a dentist. One word to describe how I feel about graduating is ‘excited.'”

Connor, Lewis and Clark High School: “Graduating is important to me so I can get out of here. In 10 years, I see myself making money and going places. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘happy’ and ‘excited.'”

Cynthia, Ferris High School: “Graduating is important to me because I’ll be the first one to graduate high school and go straight to college. In 10 years, I see myself – actually, I don’t really know what I see myself doing, but I know I’ll be helping people. One word to describe how graduation makes me feel – kind of stressed, but actually really happy that my dream is coming true.”

Daniel, Franklin High School: “Graduation is important to me because I think I worked really hard this last year to get my diploma and finally getting into college. I see myself in 10 years as a social worker helping other kids that are in the same situation.”

David, Timberline High School: “What graduation means to me is that high school will be over. One chapter ends and a bigger one will start. More responsibilities are coming our way. It’s time to start thinking more wisely with our lives. Not just for me, but all seniors graduating now or any time in their lives. And that’s what I think about graduation and graduating, period.”

Denzell, Lincoln High School: “What I plan to do after high school is to start a nonprofit organization that targets racial disparities in the foster youth system.”

Ellie, Ferris High School: “In 10 years, I see myself being a social worker. I want to be a social worker because I know the system, and I want to help kids that are like me in the future. Graduating is important to me because I never thought that I would see myself graduate. And one word for graduating for me is ‘excited.'”

Erica, Central Valley High School: “Graduating is important because it is a very inspirational four years of my life. In 10 years, I see myself in college, and maybe in California or across the world. One word that best describes me is ‘loyal.'”

Giselle, Franklin High School: “Graduating is important to me because I can get a job. In 10 years, I see myself as a nurse. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘excited.’ Thank you!”

Gracie, Nathan Hale High School: “Graduating is important to me because it is that first step of me becoming my own person, and living the life that I want to live. In 10 years, I will either already have or be on my way to getting my doctorate in astrophysics. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘excited’ because I worked really hard and now it’s paying off.”

Ibrahim, Juanita High School: “Graduation is important for me because I am the first person to do it in my entire family. In 10 years, I see myself working as a scientist.”

Ilario, Sequoia High School: “Graduating is important to me because I have been struggling since – I don’t know, I don’t think people should go through the struggle that I went through, but I’m just trying to get out of this funk and stay positive. There’s a lot of good things and good opportunities I don’t want to miss out on because of past situations I have been in, so I just want to come up. Where I see myself in 10 years – very financially stable, great relationship with my family, can do whatever, whenever I want to, so long as it is civil. One word to describe how I feel about graduating is, let’s say, ‘anxious.'”

Jahid, Mt. Spokane High School: “Graduation is important to me because it is my country and I can go to school in America. In 10 years, I want to be a teacher. Graduation feels ‘happy’ to me. Thank you, I really appreciate Treehouse!”

Jahray, Tyler High School: “Graduating is important to me because I get to show the people who didn’t think I was going to graduate that I am. In 10 years, I see myself as a hair stylist or a barber. And one word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘great’ because there’s been a lot of obstacles in my way, and so far I’ve been able to overcome them.”

Kaitlyn, Kent Phoenix Academy and Green River Community College: “Graduating is important to me because I believe that the stereotypes for foster youth isn’t the way that it is. I want to prove that despite our troubles, that we are smart, brave, responsible, respectful – all of the above. In 10 years from now, I see myself being a high school English professor or teacher, whatever you call it. One way to describe the way I feel about graduating is ‘proud.'”

Kyle, Shadle Park High School: “Where I see myself in 10 years is being a parent. I feel really happy for graduating Shadle Park!”

Lucas, Lincoln High School: “Graduating is important to me because it will give me a good opportunity in the future. I see myself working in my dream job once I figure it out. One word to describe graduating is that is makes me feel ‘happy!'”

Maria, Lynnwood High School: “Graduation is important to me because I want a successful future. In 10 years, I see myself as a nurse, helping people. One word to describe how graduation makes me feel is ‘proud.’ Thank you!”

Mason, Ferris High School: “I see myself in the future as a paleontologist. I’m glad I’m graduating to move one step forward.”

Michael, Lincoln High School: “Graduating is important to me because it will allow me to go to trade school and get the job that I want. I want to get into carpentry. In 10 years, I see myself living a stable life. I want my own place, I want my own car, and I want to be able to set my own rules and graduating high school will help me do that. One word to describe how graduating feels to me: ‘accomplished.'”

Osman, Mt. Spokane High School: “Graduating is important for me because I am the only one person graduating in my family – to go to high school and graduate. In 10 years, I’m going to own my business. How does graduating make me feel? So excited.”

Scott, Tyler High School: “Graduation is important because I think it will allow me to grow and explore what I want to do. In 10 years, I see myself doing some things I like – art, maybe animation. One word that I think describes best graduating for me is ‘great.'”

Sean, Bellingham Technical College: “Earning my GED is important to me so I can get accepted into the technical college for diesel technology. I see myself in 10 years owning my first car hopefully, owning my first house I hope, and having a good-paying job. One word to describe graduating – it makes me feel really accomplished.”

Shaniah, Bremerton High School: “In 10 years, I see myself being successful and having a family, I want to start my own company one day, and help my boyfriend build his business. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘speechless’.”

Tamara, Riverview Learning Center: “Graduating is important to me because I have worked really hard and struggled a lot to make sure I graduate on time. In 10 years, I hope that I am out somewhere helping other people, traveling the world. One word to describe how I’m feeling about graduation is ‘excitement!’ I’m excited and kind of scared because I didn’t ever think that it was going to happen.”

Trevion, Shorewood High School: “Graduating is important to me because I feel like it helps me be more successful in the future. Having a graduate is good in general because you can probably find a job faster and you can probably do a lot of things easier with a diploma from high school. In 10 years, I see myself as very successful due to Shorewood High School’s plans and paths they have set out. The career center really helped me out, and other stuff like that. There’s lots of resources, so I feel pretty good about myself and my future self. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel – if I had to choose one word, I would probably say ‘accomplished,’ because four years of hard work and I finally get to graduate, and that’s something to be proud about or accomplished about. Have a good day!”

Vicente, Lincoln High School: “Graduation is very important to me because it can open more doors for me. In 10 years, I just want to work on my dreams. One word to describe how graduating makes me feel is ‘done’!”

Winter, Shorewood High School: “Graduating is important to me because it’s been my goal since I was a freshman to make sure that I graduated from high school, and it’s also important to me because I’m one of the first people in my family to graduate from high school. In 10 years, I can see myself becoming a teacher in elementary education and having my own classroom. One word to describe how I feel about graduating is ‘super accomplished.’ I feel super proud that I’ve made it through these 12 years and I’m finally getting my high school diploma.”

We want to extend a warm congratulations to all of our graduates! Their hard work to finish high school in pursuit of their dreams hasn’t gone unnoticed. We wish them success and happiness in whatever journeys they embark on next.

Together, we can celebrate this important achievement for our graduates in foster care. Make your graduation gift today at treehouseforkids.org/donate.
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About the Author

Linsey is the Marketing & Communications Intern at Treehouse. She is a graduate student at Seattle Pacific University, where she is studying to become a Marriage and Family Therapist with a focus on adolescents and young adults.


Comments (3)

Toddy Sewell

June 16, 2021

Thank you for sharing these young adults’ accomplishments and thoughts. I hope Treehouse is able to remain a source of encouragement for them for the next five years unfold.

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Valerie Kinast

June 16, 2021

Wow! Congratulations to all of you hardworking young people for reaching the finish line! You are inspiring. I hope you find fulfillment in your futures as you take the next steps into adulthood. Take care. All the best!

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Angelica Glaser

August 17, 2021

So resilient, inspiring and amazing!! Thank you Treehouse!

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