Honors

Student named volunteer of month

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring recently presented Preston Dwoskin as the community Volunteer of the Month for the student’s community involvement and advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities, and the deaf and hard of hearing.

Dwoskin received the award at the Jan. 9 Marysville City Council meeting.

Instructor Jim Strickland nominated Dwoskin for the December award. He first met Dwoskin in 2006 when he was a student at Totem Middle School.

He was enrolled in the Marysville School District’s Life Skills Program, and graduated from the program in 2010.

Dwoskin is now a student in the Transition Opportunities Program, a work-based learning program funded by the district for students ages 18 to 21 with developmental disabilities.

Dwoskin has assisted with various community service projects, helped coach youth baseball teams as a huge fan of the sport, and has served as announcer for the YMCA’s 360 break-dancing competition.

He also participated in the Arc of Snohomish County’s Leadership Training Program, which culminated in a trip to Olympia for Legislative Advocacy Workshops.

Local artist featured in state-wide exhibit

Artist M. Crit Davis of Everett has been accepted into the 2012 Collective Visions Gallery Show, a state-wide juried art show held in Bremerton.

His photograph titled “Poppy Flame Universe” is one of 136 artworks chosen from more than 800 works submitted by artists throughout the state.

Accepted artists will be competing for $6,000 or more in cash prizes plus potential purchase awards and will be on display Jan. 28 through Feb. 25 at Collective Visions Gallery.

Local musicians to perform in recital

Snohomish County Music Teachers’ Association recently announced the winners of a student concerto contest planned for 3 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Music Hall in the Everett Mall.

Student musicians include Aaron Adams, who attends Marysville Getchell High School; Stephen Binondo, a fifth-grade student at Northshore Christian Academy; Daniel Chong, a senior at Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek; Frederick Huyan, a seventh-grade student at Skyview Junior High; and Zhi Long “Eric” Tan, a senior at Stanwood High School.

Aaron began playing piano at age four. He is the pianist for his school’s jazz ensemble and has also played piano for the Marysville Pilchuck Pit Orchestra during his freshman and junior years. In 2010, he attended the Washington State University piano camp and in 2011 he participated in the Icicle Creek Music Center in Leavenworth.

Stephen began showing musical interest in piano at an early age and started taking piano lessons when he was five years old. He was invited to play at the Historic Hartley Mansion’s centennial celebration last year and at the grand opening of the Everett Community of Performing Arts Symphony to benefit the Everett Symphony. He also accompanied the Imagine Children’s Museum Choir with the Snohomish County Training Choir during the Christmas Spectacular concert at the Everett Civic Center to benefit the Volunteers of America.

Daniel said he wants to pursue his dreams as a concert pianist, conductor and jazz pianist. He is set to make his debut at Carnegie Hall in May performing with the Jackson High School Honors Wind and Percussion Ensemble.

Frederick started playing piano at the age of four. He also plays the violin and guitar. In 2010, he won first place in the Seattle Bach Festival and was chosen to play at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

Zhi Long began studying piano at age 6 in China. He has been a certified student teacher with the Washington State Music Teachers Association since 2009 and has been teaching beginner and intermediate piano students for over two years. He is also the jazz band pianist at Stanwood High school and enjoys playing his guitar or computer games and doing computer graphics in his spare time.

Concert ticket prices are $10 for students; $12 for seniors; and $14 for adults. Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com and at the door. The seating is festival seating. The students will be accompanied by the Starry Night Orchestra of Mount Vernon.

The Music Hall is across from Macy’s in the Everett Mall located at 1402 SE Everett Mall Way.

Riverside group picks top home

The Riverside Neighborhood Association in Everett recently named its January Home of Excellence.

The home, at 2124 Walnut Street, was built in 1922. It was bought in 2010 by the nonprofit, Washington Home of Your Own, an Everett-based nonprofit that helps people find housing.

Resident Ria Poor and her daughter live in the house.