Image is of a beautiful sunset at Alki Beach, featuring the ocean and sand, as well as folks sitting at the beach. 

This June, FEEST youth, their families, staff, and board members gathered at the Alki Beach House to celebrate our Student Organizers, our graduating seniors, and another powerful year of youth-led organizing!

This year’s graduation theme was Tides of Change, a beautiful reminder that growth, transition, and movement are all part of the same current. Together, we celebrated 60+ students, including about 20 graduating seniors who are stepping into a new chapter of their lives.

The evening was full of joy, love, laughter, and good food. Our friends at Salima’s Specialties catered a delicious meal, Cupcake Royale provided tasty cupcakes, and youth and their families showed up ready to celebrate students for everything they have poured into FEEST, their schools, and their communities this year.

We also took time to celebrate the many ways students showed up throughout the year. Students received superlatives that honored their personalities, leadership, humor, care, and contributions to the FEEST Fam. We invited graduating seniors up to be recognized and provided graduation cords for them to wear as they cross the stage and move into their next chapter.

Throughout the celebration, we heard from two Student Organizers, FEEST’s Executive Director Jaimée Marsh, and our Senior Community & Youth Coordinator, Jude. Each speech offered something special: gratitude, reflection, celebration, and a reminder that organizing is something we learn and practice together.

In their speech, Jaimée reflected on the theme Tides of Change and reminded students that they have not just been watching the water. They have been learning how to become the wave. They named the many ways Student Organizers have already been building that wave: speaking out about school funding, helping win free universal school meals for all students, securing wellness spaces, cooking together, sharing healthy snacks, and building a nourished and thriving community.

Jaimée shared:

“Your voice is a ripple. And when enough ripples join together, they create a tide that no barrier can hold back.”

In Jude’s speech, they reflected on water, ancestors, organizing, and the courage it takes to keep showing up:

“This work requires all of us. We might jump in and out of the water because it is too cold, but we get back in. Again and again. Organizing can be taught.”

That spirit carried throughout the night. Graduation was a chance to honor the students who have spent the year building relationships, sharpening their leadership skills, organizing for change in their schools, and dreaming of a future where young people have what they need to thrive.

Graduation is a celebration of everything students have already done and everything they are becoming. Our graduates are carrying their skills, stories, friendships, and organizing practice with them into whatever comes next.

We also want to send a special thank you to the Seattle Parks employees who were such wonderful hosts at the Alki Beach House. Thank you for welcoming our community with care and for helping us clean up at the end of the evening. It meant a lot to our team!

To our graduating Student Organizers: we are so proud of you. Thank you for trusting FEEST with your ideas, your questions, your laughter, your leadership, and your vision for the world.

You are part of FEEST’s story forever, and we cannot wait to see how you continue making waves! Check out some of our fave pics from graduation by sliding through below!