Marjatta Jyrkinin Bonner won the prize for coming the farthest for the BHS Class of 1960 reunion. She made the trip back to Bainbridge from Helsinki, Finland.

She first came to Bainbridge High School when she was just 18 as an exchange student through Kiwanis International, and spent the entire school year with three different host families. She then enjoyed a couple of extra months sightseeing around the United States.

She returned to Finland to take her senior year before entering the university to study economics. She received her master’s in social and political studies at Helsinki University and worked as a civil servant with the Finish Academy of Sciences, retiring from there in 2009.

Marjatta said her year spent studying in the United States was very decisive in determining the rest of her life, as she went on to work in international affairs. She felt very accepted in Bainbridge and made many warm friendships here. She has come back four times to visit with friends she made while here as a student.