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Edmonds School District

Senior Standouts 2019

Senior Standouts 2019

Posted on 06/14/2019

Featured Graduates Who Are Building Bright Futures

 

Marisa Leung
VOICE Program

I have experience in many different work environments from the successful completion of many internships during my time at VOICE Transition Program, including but not limited to Urban PaperCrafter, Walgreens, Value Village, MOD Pizza, Harbor Square, and Chase Lake Elementary. At these internships, I had the opportunity to utilize my customer service skills, complete tasks independently, and increase my stamina to work.
After graduation, I plan to have a paid job that utilizes my many skills and interests. I am friendly, have a positive attitude, excellent attendance and am always on time. I am interested in finding a position that allows me to be a valued member of the team. I am currently looking for employment at a grocery store, restaurant, daycare, or craft store in my community.


 

Jose Guillen
Scriber Lake High

I have been working at Volkswagen of Kirkland as a technician part-time since August. I will start working full-time the day after graduation. I am fortunate that my company pays tuition to send technicians to Lake Washington Tech School. I will start there this summer to expand my knowledge on cars. That will allow me to move up on the pay schedule and become one of the top technicians in the company.

I never knew what I would do after high school. When I was in 10th grade, I started thinking about my plans after high school. I tried a few things like Robotics, but I didn’t really get excited about it. One day, my dad told me to do an oil change on a car and I didn’t know where to start. After that he showed me and it got my attention and it seemed interesting. So then I found out about the automotive program at Meadowdale High School. I started going there and I got placed in advanced auto right away. I was so confused when I started. I went online and looked at videos, and then I asked my teacher so many questions. To this day, I feel like he was annoyed with me for all the questions. But, to be honest, if it weren’t for those questions I asked, I wouldn't be a technician at Volkswagen. I also appreciate Scriber Lake High School for giving me a light of hope on graduating. When I got here, because of all the credits I needed to earn, they told me I might need all of this year and next fall. But I worked hard and with all the support of my teachers and counselor, I am excited to be graduating this spring.


 

David Buckingham
Project Search

Post-Graduation Plans:

  • Continue working full time at Dunn Lumber
  • Continue swimming in Special Olympics
  • Get an apartment in Lynnwood with my girlfriend
  • Travel to Italy to see my relatives
  • Travel to Texas to see my family

During my time in Edmonds School District:

  • I learned what the working world looks like
  • I learned how to budget and how much living in this area costs
  • I learned about what tasks are expected of workers in different jobs
  • I learned to walk with a purpose
     

Kristen Walter
Mountlake Terrace High

The jewelry & metals program at my high school is what caused me to seek out art as a career. If it were not for the class or my teacher, Mark Walker, I would be studying an entirely different field category this fall.

Currently, I plan to attend the University of Washington. I hope to become an art teacher in the future who creates art on the side.


Sophie Stocker
Meadowdale High
 

I will be attending Webster University's Conservatory of Theater Arts in St.Louis Missouri for a BFA in costume design! I'd like to credit my opportunity to be in this amazing major to the Meadowdale performing arts program run by Mrs.Powell-Mitchell. I was not only able to costume shows very early on in my high school career but also costume over nine shows with Meadowdale performing arts which gave me a very solid portfolio to audition to colleges with. From Mrs.Powell's encouragement I competed in National Individual Events, a theater competition with technical and performance aspects. I entered my costume design for Macbeth this year. I got a perfect score at the regional level, then at the state level I won the showcase spot for costume design and had the highest score of all tech presentations in Washington State. At the end of June I will be competing at the national level.

I couldn't have done it without the support of my family, my teachers and my drama program who also is a family to me, I'm so glad Edmonds School District supports the arts and meadowdale performing arts because without them I wouldn't have found my future in costume design.


 

Shintaro Taneda
Lynnwood High

I’ll be attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the fall to start my Violin Performance Degree. I’m planning on becoming a professional violinist after college.

Being able to be in a district like Edmonds School District, with their stellar music program with a rich history, I was able to learn and acquire many skills to become a more well rounded musician. I started the violin when I was 6, but being able to join my friends and occasionally help them with their music was an experience I can only get in a district like Edmonds School District. When I got to high school, the guidance from Ms. Stevenson and Mr. Onishi was really helpful, from musical advice to discussing about my future, and I would not be where I am today without those two. I also want to thank my principal Mr. Piper and my counselors for being so understanding with my future goal, and letting me be more flexible with my class scheduling.

 

Jacob Barnes
Life Skills

Post graduation Jake wants to get a job with Legos or with wood. He wants to be a master builder!

He said he learned at school how to put things together and that teacher Tom Pirie helped him how to cut wood and put things together in a WoodShop class. He also learned art with beads.


Ken Razo
Edmonds-Woodway High
 

The Edmonds School District has provided me with various resources to help me become successful in shaping my plans for post-secondary education. One of my main sources of help has been David Quinn, IB-coordinator at EWHS. Being a first-generation student to attend college, I was not familiar with the college application process. David Quinn, along with my counselor Evan Hatch, helped me navigate though the process. My teachers have also been supportive of me throughout high school and have always believed in my potential, even when I didn’t see it in myself. I couldn’t be where I am now without the support of Edmonds School District staff and educators.

In the fall I will be attending American University, a private liberal arts school in Washington, D.C. I will be majoring in political science with a pre-law track in order to become an immigration attorney. I will also be continuing to study Spanish with hopes of graduating with a double major in political science and Spanish studies. I plan to continue my work in social justice by joining advocacy groups in Washington, D.C., such as the NAACP chapter at American University and the Human Rights Campaign.


 

Marina Pierce
Edmonds Heights K-12

Marina will be attending Pacific Lutheran University with a full scholarship. She will be double majoring with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance. She will also be achieving a minor in Women and Gender Studies.

My life in the Edmonds School District helped prepare me greatly for my college plans and beyond. Starting in Kindergarten, my music education started with Ms. Annie Floe, who sparked my love of music at an early age. Through my elementary and middle school years, I was heavily involved in the school musicals and music programs. When I started high school, I transferred into EHK-12, which allowed me to have a more developed musical theatre education, as well as having a more flexible schedule. With these opportunities in our community, I have been able to receive my AA degree through Running Start. This incredible opportunity resulted in receiving an $84,000 academic scholarship from Pacific Lutheran University, as well as giving me the opportunity to double major.

 

Sam Schippers
Edmonds eLearning Academy

After graduation I plan to attend Western Washington University for four years to study anthropology and video journalism. I hope to pursue a career in adventure filmmaking and photography

Because Edmonds School District offers online classes I was able to free up a large amount of my time to discover myself and my passions. I would not have been given as many opportunities to practice my craft if not for the programs offered to me.