School Winners

Five Schools of Distinction named in Snohomish County

Five Snohomish County schools were among 101 in the state named a 2014 School of Distinction, representing the 5 percent highest schools in the state for showing improvement in reading and math over a five-year period.

Repeat winners were Cedar Valley Community School in Lynnwood and Silver Lake Elementary School in Everett. New to the list were Highland Elementary School in Lake Stevens, Lake Stevens Middle School and Stanwood High School.

The honors were announced Oct. 29 by the Bellevue-based Center for Educational Effectiveness, in partnership with various state education groups.

Pianist wins concerto competition for 3rd time

The Snohomish County Music Teachers Association held its annual Concerto Competition on Oct. 25 at Everett Music Hall. The winners will perform in a concert with the Starry Night Orchestra at 3 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Music Hall, 1402 SE Everett Mall.

Local music teachers Gail Tremblay and Allan Park each had two students named among the five winners. The fifth is taught by Jan Coleman.

Among the student winners is Adrienna Tran-Pearson, a Kamiak High School ninth-grader who takes piano under Tremblay. She also was a winner in the competition in 2012 and 2008.

Adrienna, 14, has studied piano since age 4. Other musical accomplishments include first places in the Seattle Bach Festival, the Anna Rollins Johnson Scholarship Competition, the Snohomish County Convention Recital Competition, and Snohomish County’s Music in Action. In addition to practicing, Adrienna likes to compose music, especially for a small ensemble. She loves walking on the sandy beaches and surfing the warm waves of Hawaii, and in her free time enjoys reading and abstract painting.

Honorees give winnings to autism, Kiwanis causes

The Rotary Club of Arlington recently recognized its Outstanding Students for the month of October. Abigayle Glasco, a sophomore at Arlington High School, and Juan Pablo Coria, a student at Post Middle School, were each awarded a voucher for a $50 donation to a nonprofit of their choice.

Abi is on the cheer team, makes an effort to include everyone, and worked over the summer at an occupational therapy camp. She chose Autism Speaks for her donation.

Juan is ASB president, is a leader in many student efforts, and has helped translate for secretarial staff. He chose the local Kiwanis Club to receive his donation, drawing laughter from Rotary members.

Lake Stevens grad awarded scholarship and trip to Mexico

Olivia Kleyn, a senior at Central Washington University, has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship for the 2014-15 academic year. The scholarship is given by CWU to junior- or senior-level students majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. The scholarship includes a trip to Mexico in April 2015. Kleyn graduated from Lake Stevens High School in 2011.

Kleyn has been in the honors program all four years at CWU. She has been an active member of the Black Student Union where she held the offices of secretary, vice president, and president. She also participated in the pre-vet club during her freshman, junior and sophomore years. She is expected to graduate with honors in June with a bachelor of science degree in biology, specializing in evolution and ecology, with a minor in chemistry.

Lake Stevens teen back from D.C.

Katie Ellis, a junior at Lake Stevens High School, recently returned from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America’s (FCCLA) Capitol Leadership, held Oct. 12-15, in Washington, D.C.

Ellis is a member of Lake Stevens FCCLA, and serves as the Washington state president. While in D.C., she learned about networking, public relations, strategic planning, advocacy and other topics, met with lawmakers, and participated in a service-learning project.

Two seniors receive Everett Rotary ‘Student of Month’ kudos

The Rotary Club of Everett on Oct. 21 honored seniors Michelle Magbag of Everett High School and Audrey Taber of Cascade High School as students of the month.

Magbag is headed for the University of Tennessee after graduation to study veterinary medicine. Taber plans to study environmental science.

Photography student at EvCC gets Port Gardner Rotary nod

Michael Rhodes, a veteran pursuing a fine arts degree in photography at Everett Community College, was recently named Student of the Month for October by the Port Gardner Rotary Club.

“Michael is simply wonderful to work with,” instructor Ellen Felsenthal said. “He is an active participant in discussions and critiques, always maintains a positive attitude, helps other students in the labs, and is generally a pleasure to be around.”

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