Kent’s accesso ShoWare Center celebrated two major milestones this month as it hosts 26 commencement ceremonies, welcoming its 80,000th graduate and 1,000,000th graduation attendee since the venue opened in 2009.
The busy June graduation schedule brought together students, families and faculty from across South King County. Host institutions include the Kent School District, Federal Way Public Schools, Highline College, Green River College, Renton Technical College, Snoqualmie Valley School District, and Bonney Lake School District.
Venue officials noted that the arena has served as a central hub for Puget Sound area milestones for nearly two decades.
“accesso ShoWare Center is first and foremost a venue for the community,” Cynthia Boyd, General Manager at accesso ShoWare Center, said. “Each graduation season brings so much energy of optimism and celebration to downtown Kent, and it is very rewarding to be part of so many student’s milestones.”
The ceremonies hold personal significance for the stadium’s staff as well. Sabrina Bueno, the event manager for the arena, graduated at the venue twice, first from Kentridge High School and later from Green River College.
“Growing up in Kent, accesso ShoWare Center was always a special part of our community,” Bueno said. “It’s a full-circle moment to now plan these graduations that thousands of people will remember for years to come.”
Local education leaders highlighted the long-standing partnership between South King County schools and the facility.
“I have had the unique opportunity to be a part of graduations at ShoWare since it opened in 2009, and it gets better every single year,” Dr. Wade Barringer, deputy superintendent for Kent School District, said. “An amazing venue for our community to celebrate our students.”
