Teens home from Genius Olympiad
Three Jackson High School students and their adviser traveled to Oswego, N.Y., with their science research and engineering projects to compete against 400 other students representing more than 50 countries and territories at the International Genius Olympiad, June 16-21.
Shruti Parikh earned second place for her research, “Phytoremediation of Arsenic in Coal Dust Using Polystichum munitum.” Indira Rayala also placed second for her research, “The Effect on Methane Production During the Anaerobic Digestion of Cow Manure Along with Bio-degradable Plastic.” Both received silver medals, Kindle Fire tablets and are eligible for a $16,000 scholarship if they decide to attend SUNY (State University New York) Oswego for undergraduate school.
Artyom Kozorezov earned an honorable mention for his project, “Engineering a Device for Utilizing the Kinetic Energy from the Pitching and Heaving Motion of Oceanic Waves through Mechanical Strain Applied to Piezoelectric Elements” and is also eligible for the scholarship.
Teen elected governor of mock state
Michael Cizek, an incoming senior at Cascade High School in Everett, was elected governor of Evergreen Boys State, a civics program held June 19 at Central Washington University.
For one week each year, Evergreen Boys State — part of Boys Nation founded by the American Legion in 1935 — brings together more than 230 of the top 2012-13 high school juniors from across Washington to learn leadership skills, practice good citizenship and create a mock Washington city, county and state government.
Participants this year heard from speakers that included Snohomish County Councilman John Koster and former Attorney General Rob McKenna. They also debated such hot issues as marijuana laws, gun control, transportation funding, charter schools — and zombie civil rights.
Cizek received a scholarship for his election to the governor position and was sponsored by Lynnwood American Legion Post 181.
Lake Stevens stylist receives grant
Racheal Cooper, of Lake Stevens, has been named one of 10 inaugural scholarship recipients, selected from more than 800 applicants by the Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program in a national competition.
The scholarship, administered by the Beauty Changes Lives foundation, a nonprofit created by the American Association of Cosmetology Schools, honors the late Vidal Sassoon.
The scholarship will cover half of Cooper’s tuition at Northwest Hair Academy in Everett.
Art contest focused on justice system
The Snohomish County Council last month honored winners in its annual art contest. This year’s theme was “Smart Justice: Creating Safer Communities,” which aimed to build awareness about agencies involved in the local justice system, such as the jail, courts, county clerk and sheriff.
Winners by age group: Saya Barber, Lakewood Elementary, kindergarten; Annabelle Moll, Marshall Elementary, first grade; Haley Daugherty, Shoultes Elementary, second grade; Lacee Peterson, Salem Woods Elementary, third grade; Jason Bannon, Chain Lake Elementary, fourth grade; and Kassidy Millar, Cougar Creek Elementary, fifth grade.
Rubik’s Cubes a snap for Woodside students
On May 25 eight students from Woodside Elementary School, near Mill Creek, competed in a regional Rubik’s Cube competition. As a team, students had to solve 25 scrambled Rubik’s Cubes in the quickest time possible. “Woodside recorded a time of (six minutes, 30 seconds), which is a new record for us. We were a minute off the first-place team,” said Wayne Thomasson, fifth-grade teacher.
Principal honored for professional work
Everett High School Principal Sally Lancaster was among nine people awarded a President’s Special Recognition award by the Association of Washington School Principals at a conference June 24 in Spokane.
Lancaster and the others, who include university researchers and industry experts, were honored for updating a framework used to evaluate principals following new state requirements.
Brier school secretary honored by Rotary
Amy McVay, attendance and Associated Student Body staff secretary at Brier Terrace Middle School, has been named the Alderwood-Terrace Rotary Educator of the Month for June.
“She is often the first person students and parents see in the morning and she provides them all with a warm welcome,” Principal Alex Alexander said. “She sets a positive tone in the office and makes everyone feel welcome and important.”
Teachers learn more about Holocaust
Stephen Bretz of the private Brighton School in Lynnwood, and Christopher Ellinger of Mountlake Terrace High School, were among the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous’ Lerner Fellows for 2013.
As Lerner Fellows, the men participated in an intensive Holocaust education program June 23-27 in New York, where they met Holocaust survivors and scholars, and discussed emerging Holocaust education techniques to bring back to their classrooms.
Grants aid college classes, math, supplies
The Edmonds Public Schools Foundation received $8,400 in grant funding from the Greater Everett Community Foundation to support College in the High School Tuition. Earlier, the group announced $38,000 in grant funding from the Hazel Miller Foundation to support student algebra enrichment and teacher classroom supplies.
College Access for All is a new program of the schools Foundation and Edmonds School District to help students in financial need pay tuition for College In The High School courses. Approximately 30 percent of students cannot afford course fees for the college-level coursework offered on high school campuses.
The Schools Foundation also partners with the district to help eighth-grade students who struggle with fundamental math concepts. Currently, 48 percent of all continuously enrolled students in eighth grade score below passing on state assessments. Algebra is a key stepping stone to high-school algebra and geometry.
The Schools Foundation also continues to offer the Hazel Miller Back-to-School Basics program. District teachers can receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs for classroom supplies.
Three named WWU Outstanding Grads
Western Washington University recently announced its Outstanding Graduates for 2012-13, and they include three Snohomish County students.
Melinda Schultz, of Marysville, was named the Sociology Department’s Outstanding Graduate. Schultz graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology. She recently presented her research on white supremacists at the annual meeting of the Pacific Sociological Association in Reno, Nev. Schultz will attend Pennsylvania State University this fall to pursue her doctorate in sociology. She was home-schooled in Marysville, and went to Everett Community College before attending Western.
Laura Tompkins, of Snohomish, the Outstanding Graduate in History, graduated cum laude in December 2012 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. At Western, Tompkins presented a paper on Kosovo’s secession from Serbia at a conference of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. She is now working as an assistant teacher at a preschool in Issaquah and plans to pursue a teaching certificate. Tompkins is a graduate of Snohomish High School and attended Franklin College in Switzerland before coming to Western.
Ayana Robinson, of Stanwood, is the Presidential Scholar for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Social and Behavioral Sciences Division and Outstanding Graduate in the Anthropology Department. She graduated cum laude with a major in biology-anthropology. Her paper on the prevention and treatment of a common obstetric problem in sub-Saharan Africa was nominated for a research award. Robinson will attend Boston University in the fall and hopes to get her master’s degree in public health. She will also start working with the Peace Corps next summer. She is a graduate of Arlington High School and Everett Community College.
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