Lakes Graduates Heading Out Into the World to "Show Them What You Can Do"

In her commencement speech, Margie Potoa’e encouraged her fellow graduates not to let others tell them what to do – but to “show them what you can do.”

Doing that started Monday night for the 226 graduates of Lakes High School as they took the final step together as the Class of 2012. Graduation was held at the Tacoma Dome.  

“With minds and determination like ours,” Potoa’e said, “impossible is nothing.”

In addition to serving as senior speaker, Potoa’e, the school’s ASB president, also participated in the ritual of the changing of the tassel at the end of the ceremony, along with senior class president Mataio Manaea.

The pair was among the school’s 63 honor graduates. Also of note: 75 percent of the graduates are going on to a two- or four-year educational program, whether a community college, university or military academy. The class collectively earned more than $2 million in academic scholarships, as well as 67 community service awards and scholarships, and 27 fine arts awards and scholarships.

Superintendent Debbie LeBeau attributed such successes to Lakes being what she called a professional learning community, which fosters student success, lower dropout rates, smaller achievement gaps, leadership and collaborative learning.

“A professional learning community is one in which (students) continuously seek knowledge, share what they have learned and build on it,” she said. “As the world changes, so does the knowledge we need to be efficient.”

LeBeau also named parental support and the graduates’ own perseverance as contributing factors to the students’ success.  

“I hope you all know how you came to be sitting here today,” she said.

In his address to the graduates, Clover Park School Board director Marty Schafer said that Lakewood has suffered somewhat of an identity crisis over the years. The city is often confused with the Lakewood in Snohomish County – not to mention that when he tells people he is from Washington, people assume he means D.C.

But with graduates like these, he added, that’s not going to be the case anymore.

“Look out,” he said, “because the City of Lakewood and Lakes High School is getting on the map.”

Schafer urged the graduates not to forget where they came from.

“When you do what’s right, and make a difference, shout out for Lakes High School, and help keep us on the map.”

Potoa’e also touched Lakes’ sense of school pride in her speech.

“Even though you are in the real world now, you’ll always wear blue and orange on your back,” she said. “Once a Lancer, always a Lancer.”