First out of dropout family to graduate from Airport High School

I am the first out of three generations to not dropout. My name is Jarrett Kanipe and I am a senior at Airport High School. I've been kicked out and gone to Pair Alternative School, and I've been expelled but I'm still going to graduate. I've made it harder than it should be but it all worked out in the end.

Although my grandfather did get his diploma in the Navy, my dad, however, never did. In 1962, my grandfather, William Kanipe, attended Airport High School in 10th grade and dropped out soon after. In 1993, my father, Wayne Kanipe, attended Airport High School for 9th through 11th, in which he then dropped out.

My grandfather was one of the first at this school. He only went there for 10th grade in 1962. He said it was so small that people who wanted to play football played for BC. He dropped out in 11th from Olympia to join the navy in which he did get his diploma.

My father went here not too long ago, actually. He went to Airport for 9th-11th between 1993-1995. He said that the school was “terrible” when he attended. When asked why he dropped out, he said, “Because I was dumb.” After dropping out, he went to work.

Despite both my father and grandfather dropping out, they both live fairly easy lives. My grandfather owns a house, two RVs, two boats, two cars, two mobile homes that he rents out, etc. My father owns two houses, two boats, two jet skis, two cars, a dirt bike, a quad bike (aka 4-wheeler), etc. They have nice things despite not having a diploma. We own a business that my grandfather started, K&K Printing, which supports our lifestyle.

According to DoSomething.org, every year over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day.