
The 2023 Oakridge High graduating class. Starting from bottom left in the front row: Zoey Callahan, Emilie Allen, Sherry Terral, Miranda Newberry, Monce Guitron, Anna-Marie Moch, McKenzie Skordahl. Middle row: Trinite Perales, Kaleb Ricker, Dylan Stanton, Issac Schroeder, Bryor Mason, Austin Staudinger, Delaney Freeman.
Back row: Salvador Ramirez, Joseph Jones, Cole Melton, Travis Wigger, Austin Dimmick-Hawkins, Tracy Wilson
Not Pictured: David Rodriguez, Lucy Vargas, Sophia Wingo, Jonathan Carlson, Sam Garrison, Kyle Kephart
By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor — Graduating from high school is probably one of the most memorable events in each of our lives. I’m not sure who was happier this last Saturday; the graduating students or their families. Fourteen students of the twenty six that graduated have been together here in the Oakridge/Westfir area since kindergarten. This group includes this year’s salutatorian Bryor Mason.
Our young graduates will form our future

Valedictorian Delaney Freeman.
These graduates will help determine the course yet decided for our communities. This year’s valedictorian is Delaney Freeman. Salutatorian is Bryor Mason.

Salutatorian Bryor Mason
Guest Speakers for the event were Jason Lipe and Ryan Sokolowski.

Jason Lipe Speakes to the graduates.

Ryan Sokoloski, guest speaker, adds a math lesson to his speech.
Oakridge High School’s 100th graduating class speaks to the history of our area. The past 100 years can count Oakridge as a logging mecca, a dam construction, and the pushing of the railroad over the pass. Let’s not forget that Oakridge was where the lost wagon train made its passage before completing its journey into the Willamette Valley. In between, there has been plenty of memorable graduations at Oakridge. Good luck Oakridge High grads of 2023.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.