Living

<< Previous   of   Next >> Kevin Nortz / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Archbishop Murphy junior Jillian Stampher, 17, is involved in drama, choir and the student newspaper.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Super Kid: Alyssa Woodard, Lynnwood High School senior 12/7/09 • Super Kid: Allison White of Darrington 11/30/09 • Cascade High senior a leader in school's food drive 11/9/09 • Super Kid: Piano man Eric McElroy 10/26/09 • Super Kid: Proud to farm 10/5/09 • Super Kid: Laura Pfeifer, 17, Mariner High School 6/29/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, January 8, 2009 Super kid / Jillian Stampher, 17: Murphy High senior does volunteer work, considers a journalism career By Kaitlin Manry Herald Writer Unexpected joy: Last year, Jillian began volunteering with Children's Country Home, a group home in Woodinville for medically fragile kids, because she needed to log community service hours for school. She enjoyed the experience so much, she continued volunteering over the summer and into this year. Hanging out with the kids at the home makes her thankful for all she has. "It's fun to see how happy the kids are in spite of all the things going against them." Relay captain: She helped organize a Relay for Life team last year to walk and raise money for cancer research in honor of Terry Ennis, a longtime football coach at Archbishop Murphy and other schools who died of cancer in 2007. Packed schedule: At Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy High School in Everett, she serves on the Link crew helping freshman adjust, sings in campus ministry and in three choirs, acts in plays, edits the student newspaper, runs track and manages the wrestling team. Feeling "Footloose": She's dancing and playing Eleanor, the coach's wife, in the school production of "Footloose." "It's so much fun. The musical gets so many random people together. I love dancing; so it's a blast." Making news: Jillian is co-editor of Murphy's Law, the school paper. She's spent months working on a redesign of the paper. So far this school year, they've published one edition of Murphy's Law. The second edition was ready to go in December, but was shelved when school was canceled because of snow. Into journalism: "I love it. I've always loved writing. I'm considering journalism as a career." Washing cars: She works at a car wash near her school. She washes cars and sometimes mans the till. Earns lots of tip money on cold, rainy days. "We have to layer up so much because it's so cold." Managing wrestlers: She began managing the wrestling team as a freshman because her older brother, Peter, was on the team; so she went to all the matches anyway. She enjoyed getting to know the team and has stayed on as manager. She tapes ankles, keeps score and gets the team organized. Long jump: She started running track while at St. Thomas More school in Lynnwood. "In middle school we had one sport and it was track. My friends and I got involved in that because we wanted to get involved in something." She competes in the 100 meter dash and long jump for Archbishop Murphy. On Catholic education: "I like the community a lot. I think I would like a big school because I like meeting people, but at the same time, it's so nice having a community that will always back you up." Brotherly love: Jillian has two brothers, Peter, 19, and Jeffrey, 13. She's looking forward to driving her little brother to school next year. "My older brother and I really bonded when we started going to school together. I assume Jeffrey and I will too." Big reader: She loves Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series of books about teen vampires, and "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman. However, Ernest Hemingway is her favorite author. "He's got such a unique style of writing and it's always so different. It's never just straightforward." Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com. Know a super kid? Contact us at 425-339-3036 or e-mail schoolfyi@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Boeing 787 Dreamliner lifts its nose at Paine Field; flight set for Tuesday 2. Arlington assault leaves man critically injured 3. Recession hard on Snohomish County eateries 4. Up to 3 inches of snow expected in some parts of Western Washington 5. Washington could see new taxes in a host of areas 6. I'll see you in Hell's Kitchen 7. Biz week 8. Veteran, teacher, painter — and now, Mukilteo man is an author 9. Gov. Gregoire knows her budget is doomed 10. See the holiday light spectacle at Warm Beach 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Zambian woman thanks students for their help • Food banks see rise in use • ‘Making Spirits Bright’ in Edmonds • Wolfpack takes aim at state • Seahawks help students smile • 95 and still volunteering • Sno-King joined by local TV king • Veterans back for Wildcats • Lynnwood seeks to plug $2 million budget gap • Snohomish County offers the best and most affordable venues for conferen ... • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed