Thurston High School Celebrates the Class of 2026 at Senior Scholarship and Recognition Night

Thurston High School proudly celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 during its annual Senior Scholarship & Recognition Night, an evening dedicated to honoring the hard work, perseverance, leadership, and achievements of this remarkable graduating class.

The event recognized academic excellence, military commitments, artistic achievement, local scholarship recipients, and students who have earned significant scholarship and grant awards to support their post-secondary plans. This year's graduating class includes 13 Valedictorians and 4 Salutatorians, all of whom will be recognized with gold honor cords at graduation.

Among the evening's highlights were two extraordinary scholarship recognitions. Senior Andrew Jones was awarded the prestigious Gates Foundation Scholarship, a full-ride scholarship awarded to only 750 students nationwide from a pool of more than 61,000 applicants. Senior Rylin Ivey received the University of Oregon Ballmer Institute Scholarship, a full-ride award given to just 40 students across Oregon.

The evening also celebrated students pursuing military service, recipients of community-sponsored scholarships, and students whose academic accomplishments earned them substantial scholarship and grant support. Several seniors received scholarship offers exceeding $100,000, while others earned more than $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, and even $800,000 in combined awards.

In total, 59 seniors received scholarships and were offered a combined $7.3 million in scholarships and grants, a testament to their dedication and the unwavering support of families, staff, and community partners.

Congratulations to all members of the Class of 2026 on their outstanding achievements. Thurston High School is proud of each student's accomplishments and looks forward to seeing the impact they will make in the years ahead.