PORT ANGELES — At one time, Alexis Biss didn’t think she would graduate from high school.
But today — one day after her 18th birthday — Biss and about 20 Lincoln High School classmates will participate in a commencement ceremony.
The class will walk the stage at 4 p.m. during the ceremony at Peninsula College’s Little Theater at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.
The commencement is one of two planned this week. About 240 students will graduate from Port Angeles High School at 8 p.m. Friday in the school gymnasium at 304 E. Park Ave.
Other North Olympic Peninsula graduation ceremonies occurred earlier this month.
Sophomore year
During her sophomore year at Port Angeles High School, Biss began considering working full time, so she enrolled in the Insight School of Washington online high school.
But after enrolling, she decided the online classes weren’t the right fit.
“By that time I had missed so much, I was really behind in my classes,” Biss said.
“I went back to the high school, but my teachers were saying, ‘Girl, you are really falling behind.'”
Her first thought was of taking the test for a General Educational Development certificate, which is an alternative to a high school diploma.
“I didn’t think it would be possible to graduate with my class,” Biss said.
“And if I wasn’t going to do that, I would have dropped out.
“Just the thought of waiting until 2011. . . I didn’t want to think about it.”
Biss transferred to Lincoln High School, where Principal Cindy Crumb helped her contract classes and organize her schedule to make up her missed credits.
“She is a great example of a kid who, without us, might have dropped out,” Crumb said.
“She has a lot of potential and is very smart and very bright, but just wasn’t doing very well at high school because of the circumstances.”
Tutored student
For one of her class periods, Crumb arranged for Biss to tutor a student at Stevens Middle School.
Crumb said Biss is “amazing, dependable, sweet and mature.”
Biss said she worked with the student, who is blind, both at lunch time and at other times to teach her to type on a keyboard.
“She was doing so well,” Biss said. “I’m so proud of how well she’s done.
“I never thought I was having an impact until she had improved so much.”
When the evaluation from Stevens Middle School was delivered, Crumb said she was proud of Biss.
“That was the first thing out of my mouth — I’m so proud of you, Alexis,” Crumb said.
“But the first thing out of her mouth was, ‘I’m so proud of her.'”
Biss said she plans to major in early childhood education at Peninsula College.
“I would like to work at a day care and at some point in the future my dream would be to run a day care,” Biss said.
“I love the little kids. First grade and younger are my favorite age group.”
Biss said she is looking forward to summer. She plans to search for a job at a day care center while she works her way through college.
“I can’t wait,” she said. “I’m so excited.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
