MPHS Soroptimists
Claire Dobler and Sam Watson from Marysville Pilchuck High School were honored as the Soroptimist Students of the Month for November. They each received $100 scholarships.
Dobler has a 3.99 GPA and is a member of the senior class cabinet, Honor Society, special needs prom committee, and was a Homecoming court nominee.
Watson has a 3.9 GPA and has been involved in football and track all four years of high school. He also is a member of the senior class cabinet and Honor Society.
DECA spreads cheer
Arlington High School DECA students collected 22,937 food and grocery items as well as $8,307.19 as part of an annual holiday food drive.
The donations helped provide meals and gifts to 32 families. Leftover food donations were given to the Arlington Food Bank. Pet food donations were given to the Everett Animal Shelter. And excess monetary funds were given to the family of a classmate who lost their home in a fire earlier in December.
A classroom was packed with donations, which teens collected from the community at the Arlington Walmart and the Arlington and Smokey Point Safeway stores. Students packaged and delivered it all before leaving for winter break.
Marketing teacher Ty Payne and his DECA students hold a holiday food drive each year. This year’s drive broke all previous records.
Edmonds teen wins $20K scholarship
Jack Zhou of Edmonds, who attends King’s High School in Shoreline, has been awarded a $20,000 scholarship through the H&R Block Budget Challenge.
The personal financial education program rewards students for mastering real-world budgeting and personal finance decision-making. In the simulation, students paid virtual bills, saved for retirement and repaid student loans.
Zhou was one of 66 winners nationwide.
Schools of Distinction
The Center for Educational Effectiveness named its 2015 School of Distinction Award Winners. The schools showed the most improvement over a five-year period in reading and math, and in graduation rates for high schools. Statewide, 90 schools were named award winners.
Local winners were Garfield Elementary School (Everett School District), English Crossing Elementary (Lakewood), Bio Med Academy on the campus of Marysville Getchell High School (Marysville), and Cathcart Elementary and Machias Elementary (both in Snohomish). Bio Med Academy was a repeat winner.
Many of the schools face challenges that are associated with lower test scores. Seven out of 10 students at Garfield Elementary, for example, qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on family income. Many are still learning to speak, read and write in English.
“Improving scores one or two years in a row is an accomplishment,” Everett Superintendent Gary Cohn said. “Holding and achieving that continuous improvement standard for five years is very difficult.”
Marysville cadet
Tiffany Johnstone, a Running Start student from Marysville Pilchuck High School, was recognized by the local Rotary Club for her commitment to community service as an AVID tutor at the high school and middle school levels, Rotary auction volunteer, and Marysville food bank volunteer. Johnstone also is a commander with the school’s Navy Junior ROTC program.
To submit items for School Winners, email newstips@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
