First Seniors Graduate From Amazing Grace Academy

Students, family and faculty gathered May 25, 2021 to celebrate the first graduating class of Amazing Grace Academy in Palmer, Alaska.

The senior class invited their teacher, Louis Melchor, to be the graduation speaker. Melchor and the seniors took turns sharing important lessons learned from an unforgettable moment during their first day of school, their freshman year.

It all started during PE class. The students were doing squats. By all accounts, they were pitiful-looking squats, so Melchor decided to demonstrate the proper way to do the exercise. As Melchor descended into position, a huge ripping sound tore through the gymnasium. Sadly, his dress pants did not withstand the demonstration. Suddenly leaving the building with a shred of dignity became more important than teaching proper exercise technique and Melchor made a hasty exit.

In addition to laughing over their first-day together, Melchor presented the seniors with gifts. Each graduate received a roll of quarters to use in the college dorm laundry room to help them make good-smelling first impressions on their classmates and teachers. And to encourage them not to spend all the quarters in the snack vending machine, the students were each gifted a box of ramen noodles to hold them until breakfast at the cafeteria.

Each of the five graduates gave a short speech highlighting their unique personalities. The Alaska Conference and AGA congratulates Kadin Bailey, Emily Miklos, Kendra Burtch, Ian Olson and Joshua Hernandez.