Students of the Month

The following are Mill Creek Rotary’s students of the month.

Archbishop Murphy

Katherine Robinson – September

Katherine Robinson has a GPA of 3.99, and is a National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist who is currently taking Matteo Ricci classes for English, Social Science, and Theology, as well as AP Calculus, AP Biology and German IV.

Her volunteer activities include working at Camp Providence during the summer (a camp at Forest Park for special needs children); working at Project Mexico in summer of 2003 working to build a home for a family in need. She helped coach Special Olympics-basketball.

Katherine has run varsity track and cross country and was voted most inspirational for track in her sophomore year. She is co-captain of the varsity crew at the Everett Rowing Association. Katherine is currently the National Honor Society president and was awarded the Holy Cross Award in her sophomore year.

Michael Sutton – November

Michael Sutton has achieved a 3.96 cumulative GPA while enrolled in several difficult classes that Archbishop Murphy offers, including three Advanced Placement classes. Michael finds many ways to involve himself at Archbishop Murphy High School. After a successful year as junior class president and being the first recipient of the Chet Wilkerson Leadership Award, he was elected ASB president for the current school year.

Among his academic achievements, Michael was recently declared a National Merit Commended Scholar and has achieved the level of first honors every semester of his high school career. He also is the yearbook editor-in-chief and runs track, which he began his sophomore year.

This past summer, Michael spent two weeks serving at the IDEAS summer camp at Henry Cogswell College and Everett Community College. The IDEAS summer program is a camp designed to educate underprivileged minority children about technology. Michael spent most of his time helping with the Web page workshop.

Other community service Michael has performed includes maintaining the computers at St. Mary Magdalene Parish and helping at St. Vincent de Paul.

Matt Rutherford – December

Matt Rutherford is the ASB vice president at AMHS, where he has 3.99 GPA. He takes classes in AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus, Spanish III and was in Honors English as a junior. He served this year on the school recruitment team visiting area elementary schools to promote AMHS.

Matt is in the National Honor Society, on the Hi-Q team and active in the math club. He has been in the jazz band and the golf team and the stage crew for the school musicals and was instrumental in putting together the lacrosse team last spring, the first time this sport was offered at school.

He is also a member of the Couch Crew, a group of senior boys who provided an exuberant and energetic presence at games during last fall’s football season.

He is a past recipient of the Holy Cross Award, the highest honor awarded a student at AMHS and has won numerous academic awards from various departments.

Matt helps out at St. Vincent DePaul, stocking shelves and delivering food, clothes and other necessities to the poor.

He is currently looking at the schools of the University of California, the University of Washington, the University of Portland and the University of Texas at Austin.

Kat Taylor – January

Kat Taylor is an accomplished student at AMHS. Her performance has been frequently noted by the news media, and she is a mainstay of any athletic team on which she plays.

She is also a superior student, taking AP Chemistry, Geometry, Algebra-Trig, Pre Calc, Calc, and three years of Honors English and four years of Spanish. She is a member of the National Honor Society with a 3.59 GPA.

Kat is in the Leadership Club, was on the Prom Committee and helped out at Freshman Orientation. She has played the piano for five years, played fastpitch softball for three years outside of school, eight years of select soccer, four years on the AMHS varsity soccer team, three years on the varsity basketball team and one year on the crew team outside of school.

She has consistently had either first or second honors, was the soccer MVP, best defender for basketball and has been the AMHS soccer team captain for two years.

Kat volunteers her time at the Marysville Food Bank, at Habitat for Humanity and helped out Royal Ridges Retreat, a Christian Children’s camp. She hopes to play soccer in college, where she intends to study pre-veterinary medicine or physical therapy.

Kevin McGuiness – February

Kevin McGuiness is an outstanding student, with a cumulative GPA of 3.8. He has consistently taken a very demanding course load including AP Calculus, AP Chemistry and AP Statistics. He has earned highest honors or first honors every semester that he has been at Archbishop Murphy, and he has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years.

He has participated in Tae Kwan Do for several years and recently earned his first-degree black belt. Kevin has also been involved in 4-H shooting sports for three years and has held a leadership position in that organization. He was instrumental in founding the AMHS lacrosse club and served as team captain. Kevin has volunteered countless hours at the Monroe Boys and Girls Club as well as Habitat for Humanity.

Jackson

Stephanie Halligan – November

With her high level of involvement inside and outside of school, her dedication to her studies and her compassionate and good-natured personality, Stephanie Halligan exemplifies the outstanding Henry M. Jackson High School student. While maintaining a 3.9 GPA, Stephanie has academically challenged herself through rigorous courses including AP Calculus, AP English, Spanish 4, and AP Studio Art. Her leadership qualities and compassion toward others have been demonstrated through her involvement as member of the Leaders of the Pack, a group of freshmen mentors, and as an ASB representative for her 2005 senior class.

Stephanie plays tuba in the Honors Wind Ensemble at Jackson and went on to participate in the state level of the Washington State Solo and Ensemble competition. She is also a student conductor in both the pep band and other musical groups, and recently she has been nominated for the Hershey’s All-USA High School Band.

Most of her volunteer time is spent helping improve and manage Jackson High School’s National Honor Society as acting president. Through this club, not only has she organized and directed school-related events but she continues to reach out to the surrounding community as well. Along with her great dedication to Jackson, she also maintains a job after school. Stephanie continues to excel in each area of her life through schoolwork, volunteer activities and as an outstanding and engaging person.

Robert Manhas – December

Robert Manhas has always done very well in school. He has taken the schools’ most difficult subjects, which include all AP classes Jackson offers. His GPA of 3.88 is a low indication of his abilities.

Robbie has played tennis all four years for Jackson and lettered this last year. He is president of the Technology Student Association, and he worked for the district last summer installing computers. In middle school he developed the school’s Web site. He belongs to Leo Club (Lions Rotary) and Honor Society. Community service includes food drives at JHS and more than 200 hours of tutoring at Gateway.

Robbie’s work ethic is impeccable and his attention to detail is remarkable. He is the epitome of someone who leads by example.

Kim Frederickson – January

Kim Frederickson is a senior at Jackson High School. During the past four years she has been involved in the school’s band program and the class of 2005 Congress. In Congress, she has participated in the planning of dances, Wolfstock (Battle of the Bands), Senior Breakfast, and Mr. JHS. In addition to her leadership involvement, Kim is also very involved in music. She is a member of Jackson’s Honors Wind Ensemble and the Everett Youth Symphony. This year she has served as one of three student conductors for Jackson’s Pep Band. In January, she and three other Jackson band students traveled to New York to perform with the National Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

Next year Kim is planning to attend Pacific Lutheran University, where she has been granted a President’s scholarship (covers half-tuition) and will be interviewing for a Regent’s Scholarship (full tuition). She plans to study music, public relations and communications.

Pooja Patel – February

Some people find their “extracurricular callings” in athletics or music; Pooja Patel found hers in volunteerism and serving others. During the course of her high school career, she made it a personal goal to serve her class, school and community by getting involved. Pooja believes her most rewarding experience has been her involvement in the India Association of Western Washington Youth Board, a group dedicated to promoting East Indian culture to the younger generation by sponsoring cultural events for Indian youth. One of their most important projects is Camp Bharat, a five-day culture camp in which Youth Board members facilitate workshops and activities to teach kids about India.

At Jackson, she has been a member of the class of 2005 ASB/Congress for the past three years, as well as an active member of the National Honor Society. As the club’s president, it was her job to promote the qualities of NHS throughout the school and get other NHS members involved with the Jackson and Mill Creek communities. In addition, Pooja has promoted togetherness at Jackson as a member and officer of Leaders of the Pack, a mentoring program that works to help freshmen in the transition from middle to high school.

Next year, she plans to attend a selective university where she can not only challenge herself academically, but also grow as a person by meeting new people and becoming an active member of her college community.