West High student celebrates graduation & 13 years of perfect attendance
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - It’s graduation season, and many high school seniors are breathing a sigh of relief with the books and tests behind them, and a large stage waiting for them to cross and receive their hard-earned diploma.
One West High senior is celebrating more than just his graduation — Kevin Wright has never missed a day of school. Incredibly, Wright can boast zero absences in his 13 years attending school in the Anchorage School District.
“[It] feels pretty good to be finally done in high school and [I] don’t have to wake up every day at a certain time,” said Wright after completing his last day of school. “That’s pretty nice so far.”
While Wright looks forward to not worrying about his alarm clock and having the ability to sleep in over the summer, he’s very proud of his accomplishment.
“I think my parents started pushing [me] in elementary, and middle school was easy because it was COVID [pandemic times] ... I just stayed at home,” he explained. “And then high school was only four years. I could easily do that, get all the way through it.”
Wright’s mother, Jen, said that his father pushed for perfect attendance and timeliness early in his school tenure. She laughingly said the two didn’t trust her to get Wright to school on time every day.
Wright said that while his parents pushed him early on, they instilled in him the passion for showing up each day to learn and grow.
“First of all, I have like really nothing else to do at home,” he said. “It’s like, might as well go to school and just sit there and learn something.”
He also participated in track and field, part of West High’s state championship team.
With school and athletics, Wright had a lot on his plate, but still showed up to school each day regardless of how he was feeling.
“There [were] definitely some tough days,” Wright recalled. “I was sick or just did not want to go, but eventually I just, it’s a habit. It was easier to keep the habit than break it.”
It was a habit that earned him recognition from his teachers and peers at a special school-wide assembly.
“I got recognized in front of the whole school, so I thought it was pretty cool and, like, shocking,” said Wright. “Everyone’s clapping, like, wow.”
While an incredible feat, there were a few bumps in the road. A bike accident in sixth grade almost stopped the perfect streak.
“I was biking to school and my chain came off the gears, went into my legs so I had to like hide it from my teacher so she wouldn’t kick me out ... or not kick me out, send me home early, until eventually she took my attendance and I got sent to the nurse and to the hospital, got stitches and came back,” he said proudly.
There was also a time in high school when he had made it to school on time but was late getting to one of his classes.
“It still kind of irks me to this day, but my AirPods got stolen off the football field,” Wright said. “I remember spending like so long looking, I just couldn’t find them. So, eventually, I had to go to class and take the tardy. But that’s like my only tardy through high school and everything.”
He said he pleaded with his teacher to dismiss the tardy, to no avail. Still, perfect attendance and one tardy over 13 years is incredibly impressive.
Wright said that he plans to continue schooling in Alaska, either at UAA for track and field or Kenai Peninsula College to pursue a tech degree.
He said he understands the importance of showing up and doing so on time, appreciative that his parents instilled that at such a young age.
Today, Wright feels a great sense of accomplishment, with excitement for what his future holds. And his advice to those still in the Anchorage School District?
“I think once you get in the habit of doing something good, it’s just really easy to keep it going every day, and you’ll be fine,” he relayed. “Just don’t break [the habit]. Just get through it ... will it through.”
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