Apache Graduates Make History

Comanche cousins Kameryn Komardley and Kalestha Pewo graduated from Apache High School on Friday, May 19.

Komardley received Valedictorian, and Pewo was named Salutatorian.

Komardley said she was proud to receive her honors.

“It felt really good because I spent a lot of time on the softball field and in sports. I actually played five sports this year, so to keep my grade up, it felt really good,” she said. “So, I mean, I've been doing it the past four years. I've maintained a 4.0, a majority, until I started taking my college classes and it dropped to 3.96, but still up there, but I don't know. All my hard work, it all paid off and my family's really proud of me.”

She said she had a busy schedule.

“I ran cross country and I played fast-pitch softball at the same time,” she said. “They go on at the same time, so during the week I was playing softball and then Saturdays we go to run cross country, so Saturdays I was busy. My only free day was Sunday. And then I played basketball and then I decided, they asked me to run track this year, so I played slow-pitch, which we made it to the state tournament.”

Komardley said she will continue playing softball at Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

“I'm on an athletic scholarship to continue my softball career at Rose State,” she said. “I've been playing since I was maybe six, seven years old and that's my sport. I double all-stated in it and I don't know, I just feel really proud to be continuing playing.”

Komardley said she went on a visit to Rose State after she decided she would no longer play softball; however, the college changed her mind.

“I got invited and the community was just really small, small school, small classes, a lot like Apache, which I really liked because I've never gone to a big school,” she said. “And having small classes, I don't know, I feel like growing up here we're close in a community and our classes and my classmates, we're all just super close. And when I got there, everyone was so nice. My coach was nice. And I don't know, once my season ended, I couldn't let my career end right there, so I just decided to go another two years and if I still feel the same way, I'll play another two years.”

Some of Komardley’s other awards included a pre-calc award, two scholarships for Rose State and two local scholarships. 

She said her most prominent supporters were her aunt and her grandpa.

Komardley plans on receiving her Associate's in Business on time.

Pewo said she received honors throughout her high school career, including Oklahoma Indian Honors Society, Oklahoma Honors Society and band awards. She said she was excited to receive her honors.

“I feel like I've worked hard for the things I receive and I like the fact that I'm recognized for what I do,” she said.

Pewo said she is passionate about the arts and will attend the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where her auntie attended.

“You heard me talking about band. I'm bigger involved in art,” she said. “And then I realized that's kind of what I wanted to go to college for was studio arts.”

She said her goals are to become more experienced and create more.

 Pewo said her favorite era is Renaissance.

“Because it's so romantic. I like most of the paintings there. Though, some of the things that were painted during that era was kind of weird,” she said. “But I do enjoy just, it's when everyone became more prosperous in ideas, technology and even in art. And I think that's such a great avenue to be inspired by.”

She said her biggest supporters were her family, more specifically, her parents.

“They always encouraged me to follow my passions,” Pewo said. “It never held me back from doing any of that. It's always encouraging and trying to get me involved with different aspects in art. I'm happy they allowed me to be so free-spirited I guess.”