Nespelem holds first high school graduation since 1956

by Scott Hunter

It's been 69 years since Nespelem High School graduated a class of students, but that longed-for possibility finally became a reality last week.

A class of nine students graduated May 29, 2025, in a commencement ceremony before a gym full of relatives and community members.

Nespelem School Board Chair Jolene Marchand, in a commencement address, related the story of the dream now come true.

In 1956 the state said it was consolidating schools. Nespelem's high school was closed, she said. Their high school students were bussed to the dam or attended a boarding school, or their families moved. In the '60s, they were told they could not find teachers to move there, so their seventh and eighth graders also were bussed to Coulee Dam.

"In the 1990s we hired Al Robinson as superintendent of our school. With his guidance, the decision was made to begin offering the seventh and eighth grade here at the Nespelem School, with the vision of bringing back our high school," she said.

But as superintendents came and left, she said, "Our vision of a high school was set aside, set aside until we hired Dr Effie Dean. When she witnessed our students expressing they did not want to leave our school for high school, students failing, falling through the cracks, and, listening to the current board of directors, Dr. Dean, began working on that vision, working on giving our students a choice without leaving our community.

"It was hard work on her part, [for] our tribal education program, our administrative staff, along with our teaching staff. But here we are today," she said.

Alli Bowles, Ayden Raymond Donn, Janie Mae Epperson, Mia Rose Faulks, William Ray George, Summer Violet Lowery, Maliki Daniel Marchand, Gage Martin Lloyd Olbricht, and Anthony Alexander Smith graduated. although Four were present.

Dean got to present the class of 2025 after two commencement addresses, one by Chair Marchand, and one by Colville Business Council Member Meghan Francis; a presentation of roses by graduates to people they were grateful to, with their written words read by ALE Director Mark Herndon; a graduate slide show; the presentation of diplomas; the certification of graduation, the turning of the tassel. Colville Tribes Chair Jered-Michael Erickson and Francis presented blankets to the graduates.

Jean Rickard Berney, the last surviving member of the Class of 1953, came from her home near Conconully for the historic event.

"I think it's marvelous!" she said as people gathered in the multipurpose room to talk afterward. She noted that she had gone to school with the parents of many of today's board members.