PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College will award more than 500 degrees and certificates to graduates at its 49th commencement ceremony Saturday, June 18.
Commencement exercises will be at 2 p.m. in the college gymnasium on the main campus in Port Angeles, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
A reception will immediately follow.
The commencement keynote speaker will be Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval.
The student speaker will be Carlos Estrada of Forks, a member of the 2011 All-Washington Academic Team.
The state award is given to students for scholastic achievement and service to their communities and colleges and recognizes top scholars from community and technical colleges across the state.
Sandoval is in her third term on the Port Townsend City Council.
She has been a co-owner of Windermere Real Estate in Port Townsend since 2005 and has been a broker there since 1993, when she moved to Port Townsend to raise a newborn son — Dakota, now 20 — and soon got involved in local politics because she knew she wanted Port Townsend to remain “one of the last best places” forever.
Prior to relocating, Sandoval was in the restaurant business, starting her first restaurant at the age of 24. She went on to own two restaurants and a catering company in Southern California with her husband, Marty Gay.
Estrada was born in Mexico to migrant parents. The family later moved to Forks.
When he graduated from high school as valedictorian, he gave his speech in both English and Spanish.
He maintains a grade-point average of 3.48 and plans to transfer to the University of Washington to study engineering and hopes to pursue a law degree at a later time.
