Eastern Star chapter awards two scholarships
The Afton Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star recently awarded two high school students with scholarships worth $500. Helen Collins, Worthy Matron of Afton Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, presented the awards.
Kaitlan Hereth, of Marysville-Pilchuck High School, received the Penny Bare Memorial Scholarship. She plans to pursue a degree in teaching at Western Washington University in Bellingham.
Jacob Aylesworth of Arlington High School received a $500 scholarship.
The Penny Bare Memorial scholarship was created to honor Penny Bare, a former member of Afton Chapter and a former president of the Marysville School Board.
Lake Stevens student wins karate awards
Mckenzie Brown, 10, of Lake Stevens recently placed first in Kata and weapons and third in sparring in the AAU Karate district tournament qualifying for the regional competition. Mckenzie was also named an outstanding athlete for girls ages 12 and under.
At the AAU Regional Tournament in Grants Pass, Ore. Mckenzie placed third in Kata and weapons, winning an invitation to nationals in New York.
Mckenzie takes classes at Family Karate Center in Everett and has also been invited to the AAU Junior Olympics.
Grace Academy honors two top graduates
Grace Academy recently recognized its 2008 graduates, along with its valedictorian and salutatorian.
Valedictorian Naomi Sleppy attended Grace Academy for three years, and plans to attend The School of Ministry Arts Northwest, majoring in Bible and ministry. Salutatorian Kathryn Hawke attended Grace Academy for five years and plans to attend the University of Washington.
Among their many academic awards, Sleppy and Hawke are members of the National Honor Society, recipients of the President’s Education Award, and ended the year with 4.0 grade point averages.
Sleppy was also recognized with the Washington State Principal’s Scholars Program Award, and Hawke was awarded the Principal’s Leadership Award.
Hawke presented the graduation address.
EvCC teacher attends national conferences
Everett Community College history instructor Thomas Gaskin was one of 50 educators nationwide selected to attend one of six summer study opportunities supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Gaskin participated in a workshop entitled “Revolution to Republic: Philadelphia’s Place in Early America.” The one-week program was hosted by the Society for the Historians of the Early Republic and directed by Roderick McDonald, professor of history at Rider University and editor of the Journal of the Early Republic.
The 50 faculty members selected to participate in the program each receive a stipend of $500 to cover their study and living expenses.
Gaskin was also one of 13 educators selected to attend the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations summer institute at Ohio State University.
Stipends were provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations for Gaskin’s travel.
Marysville custodian wins green award
Service Employees International Union Local No. 925 member Matt Edgerton, a custodian in the Marysville School District, recently won first place in the union’s “Everybody Wins” contest for improving public service.
The first place win was announced at the union’s convention in Puerto Rico.
Edgerton won for his idea of uniting the school community to replace some or all of the nearly million Styrofoam trays used by the district’s middle and high schools each year.
The contest awarded $5,000 to Edgerton and $20,000 to Local No. 925 to help implement his idea. Edgerton first presented his idea to delegates to the Local 925 Leadership Assembly in February.
Edgerton will work over the summer with school administrators, food service managers and custodians to craft a plan to reduce the environmental impact of discarded lunch utensils.
More than 400 ideas were received from the U.S. and Canada.
Single mother wins Masonic scholarship
Morgan Webb, a single mother with a 4-year-old son, Dylan, recently received a $1,000 scholarship from St. John’s Masonic Lodge in Seattle.
Webb works with a homeless shelter and attends Everett Community College. She is working on a degree in human services with an emphasis on psychology and hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree.
Since 1996, the St. John’s Scholarship Program has awarded about 200 scholarships totaling more than $206,000 to local high school students and others in need. The lodge continues those awards for past recipients, enabling students to remain in colleges, universities or vocational training.
St. John’s Lodge No. 9 is a fraternal organization of men working to better themselves through Freemasonry.
Marysville student earns BA from Gonzaga
Wesley Taylor of Marysville recently received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gonzaga University, which recently celebrated its 115th undergraduate commencement. The keynote speaker was Rev. Gary Smith, S.J., a former street priest serving the homeless and disadvantaged of Portland, Ore.
Snohomish County students on dean’s lists
Christopher Parson of Everett, son of Gregory Parson, recently was named to the dean’s list for spring term 2008 at Furman University in South Carolina. Furman’s dean’s list includes full-time undergraduate students who earned a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher.
Zachary Wegermann of Mukilteo recently was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2008 semester at Grinnell College in Iowa. The dean’s list includes those who rank among the top Grinnell students.
Adam Aljets, a student majoring in mechanical engineering and a 2005 graduate of Cascade High School, recently was named to the dean’s list at Grove City College in Pennsylvania for spring semester 2008.
Mill Creek student honored by Hopkins
Aaron Roe, a student from Mill Creek, recently was honored at a statewide awards ceremony for gifted children held by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.
Aaron was invited to the awards ceremony based on exceptional performance on a rigorous, above-grade-level test given to second- through eighth- grade talent search participants.
Aaron, who attends Cedar Wood Elementary School, joined other award recipients at the recent state ceremony, and was individually honored by Johns Hopkins for his academic performance and promise.
Washington PTA names Reflections winners
The Washington State PTA recently named winners in its Reflections Cultural Arts program.
More than 15,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, including 1,200 from Washington, created artworks in one of six media: literature, visual arts, photography, musical composition, film and video, and dance and choreography. This year’s theme was “I can make a difference by…”
The following students received Awards of Excellence:
Ashley Pace, sponsored by Horizon PTA in Everett, was selected as one of five intermediate division choreography-dance winners for “By Riding the Train.”
Alex Engelberg, sponsored by Sequoia High PTSA, in Everett, was selected as one of five intermediate musical composition winners for an untitled work.
Toryia Egeler, sponsored by Monroe PTA in Everett, was selected as one of four primary division choreography-dance winners for an untitled work.
Chance Mair, sponsored by Quil Ceda PTSA in Marysville, won a photography award for “Mosaic Veteran.”
Claudia Furmanczyk, sponsored by Tenth Street School PTSA, in Marysville, won a middle-junior division award for a musical composition, “A Different Kind of World.”
Eric McElroy, sponsored by Darrington Schools PTSA, Darrington, won a senior division award for musical composition for “Musical Merriment.”
Payam Khastkhodaei, sponsored by Northshore Jr. PTSA, Bothell, won a senior division award for musical composition for “Making Dreams Come True.”
Kevin Dong, sponsored by Skyview Jr. PTSA, Bothell, won a senior division award for musical composition for “Better Than This.”
Katy Stevick, sponsored by Marysville-Pilchuck High School PTSA, Marysville, won a literature senior division award for “A Conversation.”
Abigal Hau, sponsored by Pinewood PTA, Marysville, won a choreography, dance, primary division award for “I Believe.”
India Kato, sponsored by Lockwood PTA, Bothell, won a choreography, dance, middle-junior division award for “Making People Happy Through Dance.”
Ana Colley, sponsored by Sunnycrest PTA, Lake Stevens, won a visual arts, primary division award for “Feeding My Cat.”
Jay Shubert, sponsored by Henry M. Jackson High PTSA, Bothell, won a visual arts, senior division award for “Imagination.”
Maureen Monson of Renton led the Reflections committee, which included 41 judges. The Reflections program is sponsored by the National PTA in Chicago. Eight students from Washington were recognized at the national level and scheduled to have their artworks presented at the National PTA Convention in San Diego.
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