Nearly the entire community of Ouzinkie filled the school’s gymnasium on Thursday, May 22. Blue and yellow streamers decorated the entryway; a makeshift walkway of blue tissue paper leads the village’s two graduates under a bright blue star with dozens of balloons hanging in the air above.
Two senior Hawks, the Ouzinkie school’s mascot, walked down the aisle to the podium at the end of the court.
Robert Boskofsky Jr. is the valedictorian and the first senior to speak to the packed room of his family members, his fellow students, and neighbors. He was born and raised here. Boskofsky said he’s not sure what he’ll do next but he’s not ready to leave Ouzinkie.
“Actually everyone here is my family, literally everyone. It’s nice having them around," Boskofsky said. "Knowing you have the support and everyone around you is pretty nice.”
Support from people like Ralph Joe the school’s maintenance staff, Mayor and Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) Elijah Jackson, and local Elders. Boskofsky also mentioned his former and current teachers. The Ouzinkie school currently has three teaching staff members to educate the whole school population of about a dozen students.
Head teacher Estella Bryans has only been teaching in Ouzinkie for the last two years. Bryans said both seniors have resilience in common, and have seen significant transitions during their school years, like teacher turnover and the pandemic.
“These young men are part of a unique group as far as Alaska is concerned," Bryans said "They lived through an epidemic that in prior times would have left us with a whole generation of orphans and kids their age who would have had to figure it out on their own.”
Kodiak Island Borough School District members Kerry Irons, Mike Litzow and Jim Pryor also took the 15-minute flight to be at last week’s ceremony. School Board President Irons said the rural school’s graduation marks a crossroads for the Ouzinkie seniors.
“The decisions you face, for example whether to leave your community or to stay, or whether to start a job right away or opt for further education or training; these require thought, reflection and courage," Irons said.
Kodiak Island Borough School District’s Superintendent Cyndy Mika encouraged both Boskofsky and fellow graduating senior Vadin Peterson to look at this major milestone as a new chapter not an end.
“So Robbie and Vadin, as you leave here today, remember this. It is not the end. This is your beginning," Mika said. "Go forward with courage, take the road that calls you and make it your own.”
Boskofsky and Peterson make up half of the school district’s rural schools graduating seniors this year.
Last week on May 21, Jess Eggemeyer III’s graduation was also celebrated in the village of Port Lions and in Old Harbor the community held a graduation ceremony for Charles Pestrikoff on May 23.
Ahkiok and Larsen Bay did not have seniors graduating in their local schools this year. Last year there were a total of four graduates across all rural schools in the school district as well.
