Top of her class
The June 7 commencement ceremony at Skykomish School may be fairly short. That’s because the class of 2013 includes just one student: Savannah Slone.
This year, Savannah split her time between the tiny 37-student school and Sno-Isle TECH Center’s fashion and merchandising program. Last year she also took courses at Everett Community College through the Running Start program. Slone also was involved in Reel Grrls, a nonprofit film-making program in Seattle, and works as a barista in Index.
Slone, 17, graduates with a 3.5 GPA and will attend EvCC this fall with plans to transfer to Western Washington University next year.
The class of 2012 also was one student, according to Cindy Pugh, who works in the school office. The school expects two graduates next year. Typically there are three to five graduates. The public is welcome to attend commencement. The program starts at 7 p.m. in the gym; the school is at 105 Sixth St. N.
EWU scholarship for Snohomish teen
Sheridan Becanic, from Glacier Peak High School, has been awarded a Scholastic Honors Scholarship of $3,500 for the 2013-14 academic year at Eastern Washington University. This scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman with a GPA of 3.7 or higher.
Oak Harbor girl competes in Bee
An Oak Harbor fifth-grader was among the 281 spellers who competed under the lights for the prestigious title of 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion. The bee was held May 29-30.
Trina Felizia-Alarkon Desquitado, also known as Speller 272, made it to Round 3 of the competition. Trina, 11, attends Broad View Elementary School.
In her spare time, Trina enjoys riding her scooter, singing, dancing and swimming. She also likes to read John Grisham’s thriller novels, most recently “Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer.” She dreams of becoming an ophthalmologist and conducting medical missions.
This was Trina’s first trip to Washington, D.C., for the Bee.
Jackson teens earn cash awards at fair
Members of Jackson High School’s Engineering and Research Club won awards at the Imagine Tomorrow fair held May 18-19 at Washington State University. The fair challenges high-schoolers to look for new ways to transition to alternative energy sources. The 10 students — Miranda Aiken, Hannah Cho, Celia Evans, Artyom Kozorezov, Akshy Palanisamy, Shruti Parikh, Brooke Parsons, Indira Rayala, Anastasia Redina and Madison Warnke — are now eligible and recommended for the WSU Scholar Program if they choose to enroll.
Students won awards for themselves ($1,100 each) and their school ($5,500 total) for their research on “The Effect on Methane Production during the Anaerobic Digestion of Cow Manure Along with Bio-degradable Plastic.” The Everett School District’s STEM director, Bob Sotak, was credited with lending chemistry advice on the project.
Lynnwood teen wins photo contest
Krystyka Kaminski, a student at Lynnwood High School, won first place in the “People” category in the 2013 Washington State High School Photography Competition. The honor came with a $100 prize.
Jonas Skalsky, Snohomish High school, placed second in the “Color” category.
Both their works will be professionally matted and travel around the state over the next year at area museums, including the Seattle Art Museum.
You can see a gallery of all the winners at www.kenmorecamera.com.
Jackson teens submit winning essays
Two students from English teacher Debora Kalina’s class at Jackson High School in Mill Creek took awards in a recent essay contest held by the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center.
Leah Shin won second place, followed by fellow sophomore Olivia Carter in third place.
Every year, Kalina, whose parents survived the concentration and labor camps in Czechoslovakia, has her students write an essay for the WSHERC writing contest. Read the girls’ essays at www.wsherc.org.
Three teens get last EAC awards
The Edmonds Arts Commission presented it last scholarship awards to three Edmonds students on May 21 at the City Council meeting. Sydney Bennett, graduating from Edmonds-Woodway High School, plans to attend the University of Washington. She was awarded a literary arts scholarship to pursue her goal of a career as a political columnist.
Marco Voli, also of Edmonds-Woodway, will attend Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. He was awarded a performing arts scholarship to pursue his goal of a career in theater.
Taylor Zickefoose, graduating from Meadowdale High School, plans to attend Central Washington University and use his performing arts scholarship to continue his work as a jazz vocalist.
This is the final year of the 27-year-old scholarship program due to funding cuts.
Theater students receive scholarships
The Edmonds Driftwood Players recently awarded five local students with $500 scholarships to help them to start or continue their post-secondary theatre arts studies: Bethany Arneson and Zoe Jovanovich, both of Kamiak High School, and college students Jennifer Lindell, Marissa Wyll and Summer Hofford.
Edmonds district scholarships
Thirty-nine students received Edmonds School District Alumni Association scholarships totaling $64,000.
Hazel and Morris Miller Memorial Scholarship ($5,000): Morgan Smith, Meadowdale; Erika Teasley, Edmonds-Woodway
Hazel Miller Memorial Scholarship ($2,000): Karl Bloomberg and Uloma Okoro, Meadowdale; Brayan Hernandez-Vazquez and Cherokee Thornton, Scriber Lake; Justin Kang and Stephanie Lam, Edmonds-Woodway; John Moore and Laura Taylor, Mountlake Terrace; Sierra Olsen and Soren Steelquist, Lynnwood.
Individual scholarships ($1,000): Taylor Zickefoose and Gino Thompson, Meadowdale; Veronica Sloboda, Sierra Olsen, Juan Rodriguez, Kaitlin Evers and Jacob Morgan, Lynnwood; Aaliyah Cheatham, Jackson Mindt, Lauren Nguyen and Marco Voli, Edmonds-Woodway; Jerusalem Kifelew, Mountlake Terrace
Vocational-technical scholarships ($1,500): Abby McDermott, Tess O’Reilly, Armen Nalbandyan and Samantha Netz, Mountlake Terrace; Nathan Nosek, Madison Parker, Anna Pham and Rachel Watanabe, Meadowdale; Kathryn Lowe and Sumeya Jama, Lynnwood; Peter (Max) Bennett, Sydney Bennett, Elizabeth Elnemr and Aimie Epoch, Edmonds-Woodway
Lenovo Thinkpad notebook (about $1,000): Kaitlin Evers, Lynnwood
Opera student awarded scholarship
Denná Good-Mojab, 16, of Lynnwood has been awarded the 2013-14 Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship for vocal performance. She is among 17 undergraduate and graduate students awarded this scholarship by the Young Singers Foundation. This is the second year in a row that she has earned the award. Good-Mojab is finishing her junior year at the University of Washington School of Music.
Lions honor Snohomish scholars
The Snohomish Lions Club recently honored several top scholars from the Snohomish School District class of 2013. In addition to the top scholar designation, these students received a $500 scholarship: Emily Coronado, AIM High School; Brianna Langley, Glacier Peak High School; and Lyndsey Dalton, Snohomish High School.
Freedom essay winners
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8870 in Edmonds recently announced the four winners of its $1,000 Freedom Scholarships based in part on essay submissions. They are Soren Steelquist, Lynnwood); Stephanie Lam, Edmonds-Woodway); and Brent Haub and Jack Anderson, Kamiak.
Arlington teen gets FFA scholarship
The National FFA Organization in partnership with John Deere awarded a $2,000 scholarship to Christina Rogers of Arlington High School-FFA. This scholarship is from Papé Machinery and John Deere Co. through a special project of the National FFA Foundation. Rogers plans to attend Western Washington University.
AKC scholarship for Monroe grad
Snohomish resident Haley Pemble has been awarded a 2013 American Kennel Club Junior Scholarship. She was one of 19 students from 14 states to receive a scholarship. Pemble was awarded $1,000 toward her studies at Everett Community College. She is a Monroe High School graduate. Pemble has competed in Junior Showmanship and AKC Rally with a Shetland sheepdog.
Stanwood steps up grads
The Stanwood-Camano Community Scholarship Night Award Ceremony took place at the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center on May 28. This year, 121 students received 205 scholarships totaling $123,430. The Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation manages about three- quarters of the scholarships.
Scholarship recipients: Ashley Adams, Alyssa Anholt, Lisa Baker, Lance Belanger, Natasha Bennett, Joseph Benoit, Alexander Bentz, Rossella Bernocco, Allyson Berry, Courteney Bomgardner, Ashley Bradshaw, Blake Branstrom, Payton Brosseau, Hanna Brown, Abby Buchanan, Jacey Bustad, Amanda Bye, Christina Callies, Collins Cameron, Jacob Campbell, Christina Chappell, Heidi DeBauge, Ryan Demers, Analissa Eakin, Ian Edlund, McKenzie Enge, Avery Ervin-Anderson, Kevin Escobar, Andrew Firman, Logen Flem, Joeli Funderburke, Mason Garcea, Audrey Garman, Katelynn Geer, Keidy Guerra Saenz, Jordan Hackett, Jordan Hammond, Breanna Hansen, Hannah Headrick, Cameron Hensel, Taylor Hilley, Holly Hillman, Alexandra Holden, Miranda Hope, Cody Hoskins, Kurtis Hushagen, Jamie Ihler, Shelby Jacobsen, Travis Jones, Hunter Jordanger, Rachel Kettler, Zachary Langdalen, Chad Larson, Caroleigh Lawrence, Michael Lee , Grayson Lein, Jack Lund, Curtis Maile, Kiersten Mara, Katelyn Marlow
Marco Martinez, Erik Martinez, Travis Mason, Nick McIntosh, Franklin Medlicott, William Metzger, Melissa Mitchell, MacKenzie Moklebust, Ellen Muldoon, Caryn Nash, Taylor Nelson, Tanner Nieman, Marisa Norman, McKenzie Norris, Kyle O’Donnell, Brian O’Donnell, Michael Pacheco, Rachel Rich, MacKenzie Rich, Cannen Roberson, Olivia Ross
Colleen Salmon, Arthur Sand, Monica Sanford, Brandi Sansaver, Sara Schlagel, Lora Schmidt, Octavia Schultz, Andrew Sears, Kyle Shankland, Elisabeth (Elle) Shaughnessy, Trevor Shaw, Kaari Skaugrud, Leif Small, Harlan Smouse, Sara Southward, Jordin Stephenson, Kyle Strachan, Abby Struiksma, Madellen Szymborski, John Talkington, Allison Teigen, Ashley Thayer, Laurel Thornlund, Selena Tibert, Janee Vlach, Lindsey Weaver, Madeline Wiganosky, AnnaLissa Winters, Christine Wolf, Haley Wolhart, Savanna Woods, Megan Wyles, Alexandra Yerigan, Kylie Holzknecht, Felecia Newton, Patrick Rose, Zanetta Uy, Natalie Lombard, Marissa Hansen, Tyler Bender.
Local PTA state’s best
Forest View PTA, of Everett, was named the 2013 Washington State PTA Outstanding Local Unit of the Year at the Washington State PTA convention last month. The selection includes a cash award to enable Forest View PTA president Laura Peterson to represent PTAs from Washington state at the National PTA Convention June 20-23 in Cincinnati.
Mukilteo district honors teacher
The Mukilteo School Board recognized the winners of the Lighthouse Award — the district’s highest honor bestowed on an employee — during its May 28 meeting.
The winner among certificated employees for the second semester was Sharon Feather, mentor teacher, while the winner among classified employees was Melanie Hokin, administrative assistant at the district office.
Everett mom named regional PTA director
Jenny Forbes of Everett was recently elected as Washington State PTA Region 7 director for a two-year term that started Saturday. As a region director, Forbes is responsible for organizing leadership workshops and providing support for the councils and local PTAs in Snohomish and Island Counties. She will also serve on the WSPTA Board of Directors.
Forbes has been involved in PTA groups in the Everett School District for over 11 years. In addition to PTA, Forbes is a married stay-at-home mom to two children (ages 12 and 16), enjoys spending time with them and with the family’s two dogs, and enjoys scrapbooking and card making.
Granite Falls staff, students honored
The Granite Falls School District announced its fourth quarter Success in Education award winners.
Staff members Jim McNulty (grounds) and Matt Mecko (Middle School teacher) and students Rachel Simmons, Aili Hartman-Muchoney, Lily Marks, Isabella Hensley, Lillian Hensley, Makenna Marks, Heather Hirschi and Darryl Web were recognized at the May 15 Granite Falls School Board meeting. The awards recognize staff who create a caring learning environment through excellent service and recognize students who show an understanding of the importance of education and provide service to other students, staff, or the community.
E-W teacher honored by Northwestern
David Quinn, International Baccalaureate coordinator at Edmonds-Woodway High School, recently received the Northwestern University Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award, which came with a $2,500 award and $2,500 for his school. Quinn is donating his honorarium to the Weiss/Pittis Leadership Scholarship that honors EWHS student mentors.
Quinn was nominated for the award by a former student who is in the engineering program at the university in Evanston, Ill.
Glenwood principal named
John Balmer III will be the principal of Glenwood Elementary School in Lake Stevens starting July 1. Balmer is currently an assistant principal at Heatherwood Middle School in the Everett School District, where he’s served since 2006. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal and teacher in Yakima.
Rotary funds e-books
The Alderwood Middle School library recently received a grant of $600 from the Alderwood-Terrace Rotary Club to purchase fiction and non-fiction e-books. The grant will give more students an opportunity to use a technology that is not always available at home.
School librarian Shelli Vacca, who wrote the grant request, accepted the award at a recent Rotary Club breakfast meeting.
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