School Winners
Published 1:30 am Monday, February 27, 2017
Edmonds Heights students are robotics champs
Two state-level FIRST Robotics championships were held Feb. 4 in Kent.
The Atomic Robotics Team 3805 from Edmonds Heights K-12 came away with their first-ever state championship at the FIRST Tech Challenge Western Washington State Championship for grades 7-12. They were part of the winning alliance that included teams from Vashon Island High School and the Seattle Academy.
“It felt like losing my voice over stress in the final matches and excitement over the victory at the end of the day,” team member Isaac Waggoner said.
Team member Jesse Sershon said the team has worked hard. “I’ve been on the team for three years now, and throughout all of our successes, the winning alliance title at state might be the most rewarding.”
Other members of the winning team are Luke Brisse, Madeleine Jenness, Jonny Red, Zach Red, Nathan Anderson, Hillel Coates, Laney Peterson and Donovan Burger.
Other local teams that advanced to state for FIRST Tech Challenge were the BEARbots Team 6485 and Hibernotics Team 7342, both of Cascade High School in Everett, and the NeoBots Team 9330 from Arlington High School. The three teams competed together and reached the finals.
Local teams also advanced to the FIRST Lego League Western Washington State Championship for grades 4-8 held at the same time.
Northshore Christian Academy in Everett fielded two teams. Robogators Yellow Team 6430 won an award for their robot’s mechanical design, while Robogators Blue Team 6438 won an award for their robot’s performance.
Local Girl Scouts (The Not So Mad Scientists Team 6788) and Edmonds Heights K-12 (Flaming Wolves Team 8024) also competed at state.
The state-level FIRST Robotics Competition championship for high school teams is slated for April in Cheney.
Immigrant grad honored by EdCC
The Edmonds Community College Board of Trustees awarded alumna Yasmin Dunn with its 2016 Transforming Lives award.
The award is given annually to a student whose life was transformed by attending EdCC and who also overcame significant barriers to achieve his or her educational goals.
Dunn, 20, immigrated to the United States as a high school student. She excelled academically and was accepted to the University of Washington, Washington State University and Seattle Pacific University. However, her parents used all of their savings to move to the U.S. and could not afford to send her to a school that would cost $20,000 per year or more.
“It was heartbreaking to be unable to attend a four-year university, and my situation weighed heavy on me,” Dunn said, “but my desire and dream of becoming a biochemist far outweighed the setbacks.”
Dunn ended up at EdCC. She graduated in 2016 with an associate in science degree in chemistry. She is now studying biochemistry at the UW.
Lowell’s Foster is principal of the year
Lowell Elementary School Principal Cindy Foster was named Snohomish Region Principal of the Year by Association of Washington School Principals.
“Our group was struck by her unrelenting focus on closing the opportunity gap for her students, in addition to the energy and dedication she has shown for each of her students,” said Matt Pewitt, of the principals association.
Foster is now in the running for State Principal of the Year. The Everett School Board plans to recognize Foster at its March 7 meeting.
Everett woman awarded WWU scholarships
Western Washington University student Katrina Duttkin, of Everett, was awarded the $1,000 Jolene Sanchez Memorial Scholarship and the $3,000 Non-Traditional Student Waiver for the 2016-17 academic year.
The Jolene Sanchez Memorial Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students who are dealing with major medical problems or physical disabilities. It helps fund tuition, books or other academic needs. The Non-Traditional Student Waiver is awarded to students who display a financial need and have a non-traditional student background such as a disability, delayed college enrollment, dislocated worker, or a student with dependents.
Duttkin graduated from Mariner High School in 2016. She is a freshman at Western and majoring in mathematics and secondary education. She hopes to graduate in 2020.
To submit items for School Winners, email newstips@heraldnet.com.
