Dakota Spencer is the first graduate of the class of 2021 at TEAM High School.
TEAM High School, Woodland Public Schools’ alternative high school, graduated Dakota Spencer during a brief commencement ceremony on Friday, Jan. 15. Spencer is the first member of the class of 2021 to graduate from TEAM High School.
TEAM staff held the commencement ceremony in the school’s new portable building with a few special guests. However, staff kept the ceremony small to maintain social distancing restrictions and required all attendees to wear masks throughout the ceremony.
According to a release from the district, Spencer started at TEAM High School in Fall of 2020 after moving to the area from Oklahoma.
“She never faltered here from the day she started,” TEAM High School’s math and science teacher Elizabeth “Liz” Vallaire said in a news release. “With her goal of joining the Marines in 2021, she worked her tail off to finish in time — she worked through 11 courses, almost two full semesters, in less than four months!”
Jillian Domingo, TEAM’s English and social studies teacher, agreed with Vallaire’s statements. “Dakota is an absolute rockstar with an independent, mature, hardworking attitude that shows she’s figured it all out,” Domingo said. “When she wasn’t working on her studies, Dakota was working out so she could be in the best shape heading into boot camp; she really impressed me with how put-together she is and how prepared she is for her future.”
Vallaire noted Spencer’s willingness to work hard and her friendly demeanor as the secrets to her success.
“It is rare to find a teenager so dedicated to their goals, but Dakota is a force of nature with an unparalleled work ethic,” Vallaire said in a speech she gave during the ceremony. “Every time she entered TEAM, she impressed the entire staff with her friendliness, openness, and genuine passion for the things that are important to her.”
