Police foundation awards scholarships

EDMONDS ­ Grace Woo and Joe Trieu, seniors graduating from Edmonds-Woodway High School, have been named the recipients of the Edmonds Police Foundation’s DARE Role Model College Scholarship for 2003.

Woo and Trieu each will receive $1,000 toward their college tuition.

The Police Foundation, an independent, non-profit citizen group, issues the scholarship every year to honor two students who serve as role models for dedication in living drug-and-alcohol free lives, said Harold Huston, Foundation president.

The scholarships were awarded based on scholastic performance, school activities and community service, Huston said.

“There were 11 applications in all and in my opinion all 11 of them are winners, because they’re great people,” Huston said in introducing the scholarship winners to the Edmonds City Council June 17.

“Down the road of life there’s a high road and a low road,” Huston said. “These kids chose to take the high road and by doing this they are not losers, they are winners.”

Both Woo and Trieu outlined lengthy lists of activities, both at school and in the community, and of awards they’ve won and career goals in their applications for the scholarship. Each also included glowing letters of recommendation from teachers.

“This was a great experience for me,” Woo said at the City Council meeting, “not only because I got to work with kids (in community service)” but also because of the scholarship “which will help me toward my college education.”

Woo will attend the University of Washington, where she will study communications.

Trieu said the DARE program has “moved in a very positive direction, and it’s actually improved a lot, you guys (police) listened to our inputs and comments about the program.

“I had such a great time interacting with kids, and just having a reminder on why I don’t do drugs or drink alcohol. I just hope I can repay the program somehow, I’ll find a way.”

Trieu will also attend the UW and will study electrical engineering.