Seventeen Fire Service Technology graduates from Class #6 at College of Western Idaho (CWI) walked across the Nampa Civic Center stage and took the Firefighter Code of Ethics oath to celebrate the completion of the program on Dec. 11.
The ceremony commenced with Director of Fire Service Technology, Darrin Raskopf, welcoming the graduates’ family, friends, and special guests. Graduates and Fire Service Technology instructors marched into the ceremony holding flags and reciting the pledge of allegiance.
“I always look forward to the graduation ceremony each year as it is the culmination of all the hard work of the students and is a time to celebrate their accomplishments,” said Raskopf. “The bond that is formed between our instructors and the students extends far beyond the classroom, and it’s great to see some of the friendships and mentoring continue on after they leave. This group of students is a great class, and it was a pleasure to have them in this program.”
Keynote speaker, Kelsey Backen, Division Chief of Training Operations for the Eagle Fire Department, shared with graduating recruits what lies ahead in this career — long days, time away from family, but also the lifelong friends and “second family” they will make along the way.
Valedictorian and Fall 2024 Top Academic Award recipient, Sam Nielsen, also spoke during the ceremony, thanking friends, family, instructors, and the many active and retired members of the Treasure Valley fire community who helped train the class. He shared how proud he is of his graduating class and how close they became throughout the semester.
“We became a team over the last 16 weeks,” Nielsen said. “No matter how hot or cold or the size of the challenge — we encouraged each other at every step of the way. That is what it meant to be a crew. These were the moments that built us.”
The ceremony also highlighted more student honors, including CWI Fire Service Technology graduate, Kyle Fletcher, receiving the Most Physically Improved Award.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates were left with one final piece of critical wisdom, “I always preach the importance of continuing education and can sound like a broken record, but your career will also be an education,” Raskopf said. “At some point you’re going to want to promote, and the extra classes, certifications, and degrees are what will break that ceiling. Keep putting the work in for that prize because it will always pay off in the end.”
