From the editor’s desk: A salute to the class of 2024

Published 8:30 am Saturday, June 15, 2024

School is out for summer. And for the Class of 2024 at Redmond and Ridgeview high schools, their required schooling is out forever. Some have plans for higher education, joining the workforce or entering military service.

We profiled three of them in the Spokesman this week.

Archer Van Loh overcame an difficult childhood. At a young age, he lost his mother to cancer. His father struggled to keep the family together and Archer went in and out of foster care. But he found his footing and his extended family in Redmond. Archer graduated with the Ridgeview Class of 2024 and heads off to Oregon State on a full ride.

Speaking of Ridgeview superstars, Rylen Castino will become the first Raven to head to West Point. His teachers and counselors talked about how driven he was toward achieving his goals. It worked. Typically, around 10,000 students apply to West Point each year, assessed by leadership abilities, academics and physical education. Only 1,200 are accepted and Rylen is one of them.

Lucas Stevens found a different flavor of success. Lucas followed his singing dreams to tryouts for “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent.” While those didn’t turn out exactly how Lucas hoped, community college and a couple of great career choices await.

Wish them the best in future endeavors. All local graduates will be honored in a graduation tab being printed in next week’s paper. Keep an eye out for that.

After all the hullabaloo around the Sisters Rodeo, the Crooked River Roundup returns to Prineville this upcoming week. Rodeo managers across Oregon have looked at what went wrong in Sisters and how they can keep crowds safe.

‘Chucks’ have taken over Redmond. Here’s our latest that has been crowned “Chuck of the Week.” Have one you’d like to enter the competition? Send a photo and info to news@redmondspokesman.com and you could win prizes.

Looking for something to do? Plan to attend this photo tour of the Crooked and Deschutes river canyons out at Crooked River Ranch. Or how about jumping on a motorcycle? Join the rest of the BMW riders out at the Fair & Expo Center for the national MOA rally.

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If you haven’t already, consider purchasing a subscription for digital access or weekly print delivery. Visit redmondspokesman.com or stop by our office, at the intersection of Deschutes and 6th St., and we’ll get you signed up at an affordable price. It’s the best way to support our work and stay informed about your community.

— Tim Trainor is editor of the Redmond Spokesman.

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