More than 400 graduates crossed the stage beneath the bright lights inside of the Tacoma Dome on Sunday, June 7, as Yelm High School’s class of 2026 celebrated the culmination of four years of hard work, perseverance and personal growth at the school.
The graduating class of 2026 was surrounded by an emotional sea of cheering family members, proud teachers — who often double as mentors – and school administrators. In unison, each attendee created a memorable environment which allowed graduates to both reflect on their journey through grade school and celebrate the hard work it took to graduate.
In 2026, YHS celebrated two valedictorians, Ciarra-Nicole Bratton, who read her speech, titled, “Evolving,” and Sofie Miera, who shared her speech, titled, “Rubatosis.”
“I think the strange thing about growing up is that it doesn’t happen all at once. It happens quietly,” Bratton read. Growing up is exciting, but it can also feel lonely. Nobody really warns you about that part. People can support you, guide you, and love you, but ultimately, becoming who you are is something you have to do for yourself.”
Her classmate, Miera, said rubatosis, which is the title of her speech, is used to describe the unsettling awareness of one’s own heartbeat. Though she isn’t sure when that term entered her vocabulary, it’s a feeling that she remembers experiencing while growing up.
“It can be slightly annoying to become hyperaware of oneself, just as it can be bittersweet to suddenly notice that something that was always there, is no longer there any more. I think graduation feels a little bit like rubatosis,” Miera read. “When I experience rubatosis during these decisive endings–and on this stage as I speak to you all right now — it is not of my physical heart but of my mind and its memories.”
YHS also celebrated two salutatorians, Kaylee Little, who presented her speech, “The Last Time,” and Melony Blankenship, who read her speech, “Day By Day.”
“Life is full of so many firsts, and from childhood, we’re taught to celebrate those firsts. Your first steps, first friend, first school dance, first football game, first car. We look forward to every beginning because beginnings are exciting,” Little said. “But what nobody tells you is that every first quietly creates a last. The last time we’ll eat lunch with our friends, that last attendance call, our last Prom, last football game. None of us ever walked into school thinking, “this is the last time.” We spend so much time chasing the big moments, all the firsts in life, that we often overlook all of our lasts.
Blankenship said that she stood at graduation with the values she’s accumulated over the course of her life — as the experiences people go through “can be definitive in nature.”
“Success is not only determined by a title such as Salutatorian, but also for individuals who have suffered from unexplainable losses and grief,” Blankenship said. “Success is also a powerful word for people who have survived horrific events, where in the darkest windows of time, it seems impossible to go on. The majority of people do not get recognized for their resilience. No awards are given for the silent battle many face, but many still endure.
Additionally, Yelm’s ASB President Madelyn Lawson read her speech, “To Be Determined,” to those in attendance.
“The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the truest title for what I want to say to you all today is written in my notes, “To Be Determined,” Lawson said. “It feels fitting, doesn’t it? We’ve spent years working toward this moment. Our entire lives, people have asked us, “What do you want to be?” “Where do you want to go?” And when we were little it was much easier to answer. Then the questions got harder. “What’s your major?” “What’s your five-year plan?” As if at eighteen, we’re supposed to have the entire map of our lives planned perfectly and neatly folded in our back pockets ready for anything.”
Yelm High School’s top graduating seniors
The list of YHS’s top 10 students included Ciarra-Nicole Bratton, Sofie Miera, Chance Nohelty, Kaylee Little, Melony Blankenship, Caleb Robinson, Elizabeth Sloan, Rylan Beaudin, Ethan Stewart and Alondra Cintron Roche. Out of the 10, Miera, Little, Robinson, Sloan, Beaudin and Cintron Roche wished to participate with responses to a questionnaire.
Miera, whose favorite memory at YHS involved the sports medicine team’s trip to California, finished her journey at YHS with a GPA of 4.0. She’ll attend Northeastern University to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Neuroscience.
Her classmate, Little, said her favorite memory at YHS was her first year on the jazzline team — where she danced as a varsity team member during her freshman season. After high school, Little will attend George Mason University in Virginia, where she plans on majoring in criminology.
Robinson, who said favorite memory at YHS was last year’s art walk, has been part of the Needlework Club since his sophomore year of high school. He eventually served as club president in his senior year. This summer, Robinson is participating in a backcountry leadership program in Idaho, and will attend the University of Alaska Fairbacks in the fall.
His classmate, Sloan, said her favorite YHS memory was making and sharing homemade bento-style lunches with her friend during school breaks. This fall, she’ll attend Saint Martin’s University and plans to major in environmental studies.
Beaudin, who said her favorite YHS memories were being part of ASB and attending Friday night football games, participated in Yelm Sports Medicine, Yelm FFA, ASB, volleyball and tennis during her time at the school. She’ll attend Washington State University to become an ER nurse.
Her classmate, Cintrón-Roche, said her favorite memories from YHS were being able to grow alongside her classmates and teammates on the volleyball team throughout the years. She plans on attending Arizona State University to pursue a degree in biomedical sciences.
The full list of Yelm’s graduating class of 2026 includes: Alyssa Allen, Sariah Amezola, John Amick, Douglas Anderson IV, Kayla Angel, Bryan Apantipan-Cirilo, Gabriela Aparicio Tinoco, Bryon Appelgren, Isabelle Arena, Braeden Armistead, Gavin Arsenault, Connor Atkins, Taylar Avega, Alyssa Baker, Conlin Barton, Rugia Battaforyen, Lorenzo Battisti, Caleb Baublits, Rylan Beaudin, Cali Becktold, Zaiden Bedolla, Derrick Bester, Iva Billingsley, Mattix Blackburn, Kaydence Blahm, Melony Blankenship, Logan Blocker, Arianna Bloodsworth, Michaela Bloodsworth, Brandon Boone, Dylan Borneman, Caleb Bowman, Isabella Brandt, Ciarra-Nicole Bratton, Author Bray, Broedynn Brodzinski, Amaya Brown, Carmen Brown, Luke Brown, Shayden Brown, Katie Caamano, Keilana Cababat, Haleigha Cameron, Justin Carmin, Camilla Carlson, Emily Carr, Rory Carr, Mariaelena Carrera, Ashton Carreto, Loki Carter, Aldenina Chadick, Emma Chasteen, Chantrea Chhin, Nicholas Choque, Franklin Christianson-Whipple, Joseph Chu, Alondra Cintron Roche, Bradley Clegg, Lincoln Clary, John Clough, Indy Codera, Sophia Cofer, Madison Coleman, Aliyah Congdon-Snyder, Jesse Conklin, Noah Connell, Celeste Contreras, Eneida Contreras, Brady Corbin, Curtis Corbin, Spencer Cornwall, Isabella Cortez, Kaden Coulliette, Nicholas Cox, Porter Crow, Ayva Cruz, Lavanna Cruz, Harmoney Davidson, Collin Davis, Hailey Davis, Samuel DeJiacomo, Jakobe Delima, Karsin Demint, Karol Diaz Cacho, Austin Diaz, Nathan Dobiash, Cadence Douglas, Kennedy Drews, Donnell Duckett, Jaelynn Dunbar, Christopher Dunlap, Ezekiel Ehrlick, Aiden Ellwood, Aspen Epperson, Adam Erickson, Kadin Erickson, Natalie Espinosa, Hayden Etchells, Patricia Fears, Hailey Ferch, Rowan Fogarty, Jackson Ford, Jacob Ford, Donovan Forde-Nihipali, Collin Fowler, Alexandra Fritsch, Alexander Fuller, Skyler Furr, Ke’oni Galindo, Aiyanna Garnier, Seth Garza, Erik Gaspar-Tolentino, Jude Geoge, Tyler Gerber, Nicholas Gonce, Noah Goodwin, Joshua Gossett, Jackson Gray, Gracie Green, Jacob Grice, Juan Guillen, Angel Gutierrez Espino, Hayden Hahn, Landan Halterman, Adelyne Hanson, Madison Hardt, Nasiah Hardy, Reece Hauman, Robert Hellner IV, Keira Heming, Harvey Henninger, Nathanial Hensley, Emily Hernandez, Jayden Hernandez, Myah Hernandez, Hannah Hiiva, Olivia Hill, Trinity Hill, Carly Hillstead, Baylee Hitchner, Liam Hodgkinson, Danielle Hoffman, Mallory Hoke, Rylan Holmes, Myles Howard, Mauricio Huerta, Liseli Hurtado, Ciel Huster, Hieu Huynh, William Icenoggle, Jessica Jedenasty, William Jeffers, Isabel Jenkins, Gabriel Johnson, Hailee Johnson, Kailee Johnson, Michael Kacoroski, Aliihaaheo Kaleiwahea-Hanson, Jacob Kangiser, Nathan Kasnick, Jayden Keller, Falen Kelso, Logan Ketter, Colton Kile, Kaylyn King, Orion Klimek, Jeneva Kuenzi, Eowyn Kukahiko, Rowan Larson, Tyeyo Larson, Izabell Laughlin, Conner Laverty, Madelyn Lawson, Devin Le Duc, Keiona Lensch-Herrera, Stefany Lepe-Amezcua, Eliana Lewis, Myles Lewis, Jocelyn Lintz, Kaylee Little, Gage Locke, Dayanara Lopez Valencia, Caden Lord, Juan Luctero, Alexander Macomb, Kellen Macomb, Tristan Malone, Nathaniel Markussen, Mackenzey Marsh, Maysen Martinson, Malachi Mayfield, Alexander McBride, Mason McCormick, Illiana McLees, Taylor McMicheal, James Mejia, Jose Melchor Garcia, Kaydee Mendell, Daniel Mendoza, Narissa Mendoza, Jose Mendoza-Huerta, Eric Mesquitillo, Sofie Miera, Nicholas Miller, Noah Miller, Evangeline Miller-Houtz, Madison Minter, Jaysen Mitchell, Joseph Mitchell, Makayla Mitchell, Sophia Mohrweis, Brooklynn Montgomery, Clover Moore, Tala Morales, Patrick Morales-Mendoza, Jonas Moreno, James Morisset, Brayden Morris, Brody Mounts, Cooper Mounts, Weston Mullins, Camila Muniz Delgado, Jayden Munson, Alea Myers, Amira Myers, Parker Myers, Kolton Nash, Bonnie Newcomb, Chance Nohelty, Benjamin Noland, Kathelyn Obedoza, Savannah Offner, Matthew Osier, Logan Overlin, Hunter Owens, Donovan Padilla, Ashlyn Pape, Kaydence Paradise, Cynthia Parks, Kayden Pedro-Erickson, Tatjana Pengilley, Elijah Perry, Cody Peterson, Preslie Peterson, Jayden Phair, Benjamin Phillips, Maria Phillips, Kameryn Pickens, Ian Pierrepont, Maile Poland, Bruce Polley, Olivia Ponce, Anthony Porreca, Hailey Porreca, Chloe Porter, Bethany Pribula, Evelyn Pruitt, Meriah Pryor, Dulce Puente, Katie Quaites, Tyler Ragsdale, Alexzander Ramirez, Lincoln Ramirez, Jeffrey Randall Jr., Kaylee Rayvon, Annabell Reed, Jolee Reeves, Stylez Reynolds, Kaylin Rice, Morgan Riddle, Noah Riutta, Caleb Robinson, Emma Robison, Kaeden Rochester, Riley Roether, Caylee Rogers, Cindy Romero, Ximena Romero-Johnston, Elijah Ruff, Bella Ruiz, Kayla Rushton, Bradley Ryan, Valerie Salazar Ruiz, Kyle Sanchez, Emma Sant, Peyton Sauceda, Hailey Sayler, Marlee Scanlan, William Schroeder IV, Makayla Schulz, Kenlee Schwenneker, Payton Sell, Sofia Sheedy, Everett Shropshire, Jayden Sigby, Charlie Simon, Robert Simpson, Raelynn Sims, Andre Sipes, Kailey Slevin, Elizabeth Sloan, Anthoney Smith, Cowan Smith, Donald Smith, Evan Smith, Isaiah Smith, Jonah Smith, Noah Smith, Owen Smith, Gavin Smith-Ward, Michael Sneed, Kamden Sommerville, Domani’k Sorensen, Anai Soto, Liliann Squally, Tyler Stasch, Cole Stein, Temperance Stepanek, Riley Stern, Ethan Stewart, Liam Stillwell, Conner Stone, Samuel Strong, Lilly Stutzman, Jaquelynn Sudduth, Jay Sumich, Isaiah Summers, Aniyah Swain, Jordan Swain, Ava Swan, Liam Swearengin, John Talaske IV, Sterling Temple, Penelope Thayer, Memphis Theisen, Emma Thompson, Landon Thompson, Wesley Thompson, Evelin Timblin, Aryan Ton-That, Molly Toompas, Jocelyn Topel, Ineis Torres, Genesis Torres-Contreras, Eugene Trahan, Ethin Turner, Lliam Tveten, Allannah Tyler, Rylei Vajda, Orion Valentine, Aiyana Valera, Isaac Valois, Adiel Vargas Tapia, Kamden Verone, Kristina Vicente, Madison Vinyard, Nikolas Vlnka, Anela Waayngin, Damien Wages, Landen Waldrop, Patrick Walsh, Joshua Ward, Kelly Ward, Kristina Ward, Ethan Warsaw, Tristan Waters, Alexis Weitz, CJ Weston, Theodore Wiese, Katelyn Wisniewski, Allison Wolfe, Jacob Workman, Robert Wright, Starshia Wright, Zowi Lyn Wyman, Sysalie Yeoman, Somaly Yoeurth, Konakapiliahi Young, Brenda Zavala, Beau Zimmerman
