HAZEL DELL — Skyview High School senior Nathan Holmgren, 18, earned the Fire Cadet Distinguished Graduate Award in his second year of the Fire Cadet Program as part of Cascadia Tech Academy in Vancouver. The award is the “equivalent of being selected the valedictorian of a graduating senior class,” Cascadia Tech Academy Director Mark Mansell said in a release.
Holmgren was nominated by his instructors and peers for the honor. In Astoria, Ore., he will enter the intern firefighter program, a resident student firefighter program that allows students to attend Clatsop Community College to get an associate degree in fire science and work with the career firefighting staff at the Astoria Fire Department.
Fire District 6 had 19 seniors, including Holmgren. Twelve will continue their education and gain work experience directly related to the fire cadet program. The other cadets continuing in the field are Alex Avramenko, Nicolas Otasu, Gage Piguet, Alyssa Beedon, Royce Cone, Jacob Cook, Jacob Dobbins, Kent Park, Shayna Pichler, Austin Vargo and Roberto Villalpando.
