Robotics teams advance
Several local teams are advancing to the next level of competition in FIRST Lego League robotics competition for students ages 9-14, competing Feb. 9 at Jackson High School, 1508 136th St. SE in Mill Creek. The public is encouraged to attend the free event.
The following local teams will be competing: LepBRICKcons from Camano Island (also named Regional Champions); Robogators Team 1 (also won awards for “Project: Innovative Solution” and “Robot: Performance”) and Robogators Team 2, Northshore Christian Academy, Everett; 7/8 Team 2 from Edmonds (also won the “Core Values: Teamwork” award); Ravenbots from Snohomish (also “Project: Presentation” award); Disaster Explorers from Snohomish; Lego Guardians from Gateway Middle School in Everett; CPC S678 from Snohomish; and Cognitive Corruption from Granite Falls (also “Robot: Strategy and Innovation” award).
Other Snohomish County teams that received awards in the qualifiers but are not advancing to the semi-finals: 7/8 Team 1 from Edmonds; Bubbly Brainiacs from Coupeville; Mighty Meteors from Snohomish; Supernovas from Snohomish; Lego Dragons from Everett; Tutu Ninjas from Granite Falls; Directed Chaos from Lynnwood; and Green Phoenix from Lynnwood.
Winners at the Feb. 9 event will advance to the state championships Feb. 22 at Central Washington University.
“These are our future engineers, entrepreneurs, farmers, inventors, and scientists,” says Washington FIRST Robotics President Erin McCallum. “The goal of the competition is to motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.”
Meanwhile, Glacier Peak High School and Lynnwood High School are among those who have teams advancing in FIRST Tech Challenge competition to the Western Super Regionals March 20-22 in Sacramento.
Everett teens sow seeds of goodness
The Cascade High School Environmental Arts Club in the past year built raised beds, planted carrot seeds and reaped a hearty, 60-pound harvest to feed both their classmates and clients at the Everett Food Bank.
Students also built an automatic watering system for the hot and dry summer months. Students picked, washed, peeled and bagged all the carrots, with half of the harvest becoming the first-ever campus-grown food served in the cafeteria. Even though they “looked weird” (mixed-color carrots), students overwhelming commented on how great they tasted.
Students plan on the carrot project being an annual event. The Environmental Arts Club also raises seedlings (tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, kale, peppers, melons and other vegetables) which are transferred to the Red Barn Community Farm in Lowell, where the seedlings are raised and harvested for donation to local food banks.
Mariner High celebrates diversity
Every year since 2011, leadership students at Mariner High School organize Culture Days where a great array of cultures are shared with the whole school in the week leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year, from Jan. 10 to 16, the school had Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian-Pacific Islander, European, and African days with maps, facts, clothing, music and ethnic food, all leading up to a Martin Luther King Jr. assembly.
The assembly featured music acts, poems, cultural dances, a step team, and a gospel group.
Kamiak junior to perform at Carnegie
Donavan Blevins, a junior at Kamiak High School, has been selected to play her clarinet in the 2014 Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York in February. Blevins was nominated for the opportunity by her previous band instructor in Kitsap County. Her family moved to the Mukilteo area this year.
Students of the month honored
The Rotary Club of Everett welcomed and recognized two high-achieving Students of the Month at the club’s Jan. 14 meeting. Kianna Estenson participates in cheerleading and service projects at Cascade High School. Samuel Blair is an Advanced Placement student at Everett High School.
Local students serve as legislative pages
Greta Satterfield, a 14-year-old student at Stanwood Middle School, recently served as a legislative page in the state House of Representatives. She was sponsored by Rep. Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island.
As a page, Greta’s duties included delivering messages and bills to lawmakers’ offices and to the House floor. Pages also spend time in the Legislative Page School learning about state government.
Greta is a member of the High Honors Club at her school. She also is active in the school’s jazz band. In addition, Greta is involved in volleyball, basketball, track, and she runs cross country.
Jordan Gaebel, an eighth-grade homeschool student from Everett, also served as a page, sponsored by Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens. “Jordan is a very bright kid. He’s the type of kid that can do whatever he puts his mind to,” Hobbs said.
Gaebel’s two older sisters, who also participated in the page program, inspired him to apply. Jordan plans on being a meteorologist. “I want to follow my dad’s footsteps,” he says.
Sultan VFW names Patriot’s Pen winners
The Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Sultan recently honored several local winners in its Patriot’s Pen contest.
Seventh-grade winners were Marianna Martinez (first place), Parker Catlin (second place) and Tori Mayer (third place). Sixth-grade winners were Jacob Batts (first, Lindsey Fleming (second) and Talea Blasko (third).
Students design city of tomorrow
Five teams from Edmond Heights K-12 in Edmonds participated in the 2014 Washington State National Engineers Week Future City Competition, held Jan. 25 at the Museum of Flight.
One of the teams, whose future city name was Future Seattle, was the winner of the CH2M Hill’s Most Holistic City Award. Team members were Kyhardhan Ulvestad-LaReve, Charlotte Day and Christopher Pinson-Meints.
Foundation awards $67K in grants
The Snohomish Education Foundation awarded 89 classroom grants totaling $67,000 to Snohomish School District teachers.
Examples of grants include funding for curriculum to expand the 3D printing program to include reverse engineering concepts, expanding the Summer Bookmobile to include a Summer Reading Intervention Program, a cooking class for special needs students, and creating a music program that will be preformed at local senior centers.
Learn more about the Foundation and how to help at www.snoed.org.
Rotary honors Terrace teacher
The Rotary Club of Alderwood-Terrace January Educator of the Month is Gary Smithers, a physical education teacher at Terrace Park School.
“His students have benefited from his patience, his expertise and his ability to find and bring out the best in every child,” Principal Mary Freitas said. “He is a good example for students of someone who lives what they teach.”
Everett bus driver marks 32 years
Cyndy Turner is celebrating her 32nd year of driving Everett School District students for Durham School Services. The company recently recognized Turner for her service, which has included a stellar driving and safety record.
During her first year, Turner drove a big yellow school bus, but since then she has been driving a wheelchair-accessible bus or van carrying special needs children ranging in ages from 3 to 21. Turner has seen some of the children grow up.
When her employer asked her to recall some fond memories, Turner said, “They’ve all been wonderful. It’s fun to drive kids that have been with me for so long.”
Two named to Lighthouse Award
Lyn Geronimi, special education teacher at Kamiak High School, and Penny Seek, paraeducator at Picnic Point Elementary School, were recently named the recipients of the Mukilteo School District’s first-semester Lighthouse Award. The award is considered the highest honor that can be bestowed on a Mukilteo School District employee.
30 teachers earn National Board Certification
More than 4,000 teachers nationwide achieved National Board Certification in the 2012-13 school year, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced in December.
Washington State gained the most board certified teachers with 516 teachers earning the designation in 2013. National Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas from preschool to 12th grade and are written by teachers.
Teachers in Snohomish County school districts who earned National Board Certification in 2013:
Arlington School District: Benjamin Robison
Edmonds School District: Andrea Albers, Tiffany Hall, Loann Hallum, Sara Hedges, Elissa Lehman, Timothy Rowe
Everett School District: Abby Jane Davis, Kelly Schultz
Lake Stevens School District: Teri Baermann, Jessica Simonson
Marysville School District: Tarek Al-Rashid, Christy Anana, Gayani Rajaguru, Melissa Rendiz, Dara Schmoe, Sara Seiber, Anne Wolf
Monroe School District: Amanda Cope, Melissa Hritsko, Stephanie Hudson, Cletus Kinney
Mukilteo School District: Elise Dame, Alexandra Davis, Katie Divito, Ryan Oxner, Catherine Takayoshi, Karen Vanderveen, Tiffany Williams
Snohomish School District: Willow Kosbab
Find all local National Board Certified teachers online at www.nbpts.org/nbct-search.
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