Janie Beasley headlined the 111th annual La Conner High Alumni Association Banquet at the middle school gym Saturday night. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community leader and 1970 La Conner High School graduate who serves on multiple advisory panels in Skagit County (in addition to her position on the board of La Conner Community News), was honored as the school’s outstanding alumnus during the June 7 campus dinner and program.
Beasley was lauded as a “shining example” and “steadfast supporter and proud ambassador” for the alumni association by her niece, Brenda Bobb, who formally introduced the honoree.
Beasley, a former La Conner School Board member and older sister of Swinomish Senate Chair Steve Edwards, said one of her missions is to encourage local youth to reach their full potential.
“Don’t be afraid to do things,” she advised members of the La Conner High Class of 2025, recalling times she skydived and parasailed. “I learned to live life, so you can enjoy your life, too, and live it to the fullest.
“I tell our young people all the time,” she added, “to go to school, get an education, and come back and you can be the director (of a department).”
Beasley shared Saturday’s spotlight with this year’s graduating seniors. La Conner’s alumni association, the oldest active organization of its kind in Washington state, each year honors the school’s senior class with the banquet, which also serves as a scholarship fundraiser.
Seniors Tyler Cicotte and Addi Wigal were announced as 2025 alumni association scholarship winners. La Conner alums Kenai Zimmerman, Hadley Shears, Hallie Walls, and Morgan Huizenga also were awarded scholarships.
Association President Jim Hernandez, a 1977 La Conner High graduate, thanked members for contributing to the alumni scholarship fund.
“Because of your support,” Hernandez said, “we’re able to offer these scholarships to the senior class and alums.”
Speaking for the graduating class, Josie Adams, who will attend Colorado University in Boulder this fall, expressed gratitude for that support.
“We’re happy to be the newest additions to the La Conner Alumni Association,” Adams said. “Thank you for bringing us into your beautiful community. We’re so glad to be part of La Conner High School history and be part of it forever.”
La Conner alums from as far as Oklahoma, Hawaii, and North Carolina were among the evening’s nearly 200 attendees. That number included 90-year-olds Sybil Jenson and Roger and Dorothy Dalan.
Virginia Good-Vlahovich, the night’s emcee and a 1975 La Conner grad, joined other speakers in celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2025 and implored its members to continue making a difference going forward.
“Do so,” she said in closing remarks, “with a sense of purpose, optimism, self-esteem, and a commitment to excellence. Be bold and make a difference.”
Bill Reynolds: bill@laconnercommunitynews.org. Bill is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
