(WSB video/photos)

The last week of the school year began with a lively celebration in the West Seattle High School gym – the cheer team cheered, and band members played, as student-athletes made a grand entrance for a group college-signing ceremony. Family members and friends cheered them too, from the bleachers.

WSHS athletic director Corey Sorenson welcomed everyone, thanked the parents for their support and acknowledged the student-athletes for their hard work, and then it was time to sign letters of intent:

15 student-athletes participated on Wednesday – here’s the list Sorenson provided along with the names of two others who weren’t there but will continue their athletic careers in college too – we’ve interspersed this with more of the photos we took at the event:

Baseball:
Cody Buehring – Whitman College
Jake McCall – University of Puget Sound

Boys Swim & Dive:
Jeremy O’Keefe – Whitworth University

Lacrosse:
Zoe Preveau – William Jewell College

Volleyball:
Jaslynn Daily – City University of New York, Queens College

Softball:
Daeja Piggee – Winston Salem State University

Cheerleading:
Amaya Stagi – Seattle University

Football:
Jonah Pelander – Palomar College
Scott Bremen – College of the Siskiyous
LJ Moody – Palomar College
Esayas Brigham – Palomar College
Gabe Crawford – Portland State University

Girls Soccer:
Grace Carroll – St. Olaf College
Grace Reasoner – Wellesley College

Boys Soccer:
Cole Theisen – Le Moyne College

Signed already, but not able to attend signing day on Wednesday
Claire Gordon – University of Washington, Rowing
Sacha Ninburg – Lower Columbia College, Baseball

Next big ceremony for the graduating seniors is WSHS’s commencement ceremony, 8 pm next Wednesday (June 17) at McCaw Hall downtown,

SEATTLE — Homestead Community Land Trust celebrated the completion of Nest, a new mixed-income condominium community on Seattle’s Phinney Ridge, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.

The development creates 30 homeownership opportunities in one of Seattle’s most sought-after neighborhoods, including 19 permanently affordable homes and 11 market-rate homes.

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Located at 6109 Phinney Ave. N., Nest is Homestead’s second condominium development on Phinney Ridge and the latest addition to its portfolio of permanently affordable homeownership communities.

Residents will have walkable access to neighborhood businesses, transit, and parks, as well as views of the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges.

Homes designated for income-qualified households are expected to be priced between approximately $250,000 and $335,000, compared with Seattle’s median condominium price of about $600,000.

Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, state Sen. Emily Alvarado, Nicole Vallestero-Soper, director of policy and innovation for Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, and Homestead homeowner Jessica Garcia-Ortiz.

The project was developed on a site assembled from a former Seattle City Light property made available through the City of Seattle for affordable homeownership and an adjacent parcel acquired by Homestead.

The development highlights how public land, public investment, and community partnerships can be used to create long-term homeownership opportunities in high-cost neighborhoods.

Nest includes one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes, rooftop community space, and all-electric, fossil-fuel-free construction.

The homes feature heat pumps, induction ranges, and modern building systems designed to reduce environmental impact and operating costs.

The development also incorporates environmentally sustainable materials and bio-based, PVC-free flooring that is cradle-to-grave certified carbon neutral.

The development was made possible in part through the transfer of a former Seattle City Light property for permanently affordable homeownership, advancing the use of public land to support housing affordability in Seattle.