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<< Previous   of   Next >> Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Lynnwood High School freshman Mickel Ghaly tutors younger students and wants to go into medicine.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, January 29, 2009 Super Kid: Lynnwood teen both student and teacher By Kaitlin Manry, Herald Writer Tutor time: Mickel Ghaly tutors fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students at Martha Lake Elementary School in math. The freshman has always excelled at math and is currently taking honors Algebra II. He enjoys helping students identify their weaknesses and improve their chances of passing the Washington Assessment of Student Learning exam. Twice a week, he catches a school bus from Lynnwood High School to Martha Lake and spends two hours working with kids. WASL thoughts: "It's not bad. It might be challenging for some kids, but everyone can do it. It's just a matter of time. Some kids need more time to study." Academic focus: During the school year, Mickel concentrates on academics. Aside from volunteering at his church and as a tutor, he focuses on earning A's. His dad is an engineer at Boeing and his mom has practiced medicine, and Mickel says they've inspired him. "I just want to be like my parents. ... They're pretty good at academics. They've taught me a lot." Summer fun: During the summer, he enjoys playing basketball and taking classes, such as Web design, at the Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center in Everett. Big brother: With a sister in fourth grade and a brother in first grade, Mickel is the oldest child in his family. He helps his siblings with their homework. Being the oldest means extra responsibilities, but Mickel says he doesn't really mind. "It's hard. I have to do a lot of things, but I like it. It teaches me how to be an adult." Academic adventures: Mickel reads a lot and spends his free time experimenting with electronics and technology. When his biology class recently studied cancer, Mickel did an extra project just for fun. He took a survey, conducted an interview and researched how cancer has been treated through history. The last good book he read outside of school was "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton. Medically inclined: When he graduates from high school, Mickel plans to study medicine in college. "I just like to learn about life and the different approaches and I like to meet new people." New home: Mickel and his family moved to Washington from Montreal three years ago. "It was hard. It was sad to see all my friends go." Trilingual: In Montreal, Mickel spoke French. His parents, who are from Egypt, taught him Arabic. He studied English in Canadian schools and is now fluent. Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292; kmanry@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

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