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Arone
Andu – Evergreen High School
 Arone
Andu has learned how to juggle! Maybe not objects in
the air – but certainly multiple, high-priority
tasks! He is a senior at Evergreen High School with
all the normal high school challenges…finishing up
his senior project, keeping his GPA up, applying for
college, and playing on the basketball team. Arune
also had to learn English. He works at the local
Target store, performs with the Eritrea Youth Dance
Group, teaches choir and his native language to
children at his church, and is a Running Start
student at South Seattle Community College – with
dreams of being a dentist one day.
But, Arone is not a stranger to challenges. Born in
Eritrea, his family fled the war there and settled
in Yemen. He attended a private school and found
that it was very rigorous – and high stakes. Tests
covered not just a chapter or section of the study –
but, the whole year of study. Failing the test meant
the student could not continue in school. Due to the
high cost of private school, Arune and his siblings
moved to public school but found the education there
was not as good and as immigrants, they were not
eligible for university. Finally, after six years in
Yemen, they were able to immigrate to the U.S.
For his senior project, Arone wrote a book entitled
Brother Bear. It tells the story of three immigrants
and their joys and struggles while in the United
States. “This is a family that is very brave – and
very kind,” comments Karen Lance, teacher at
Evergreen High School. “I am really impressed with
how hard he works and how committed he is.”
Another of his teachers, Ann Morris,
describes Arone, “Wow, what a wonderful young man
and student. He is a very hard working student and
puts in a lot of time in order to be successful.”
Arone has been selected as the Rotary Student of the
Month
Adam
Common – Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment
 Adam
started in the Highline district as a
kindergartener. He attended Hilltop Elementary,
Chinook Middle School, and then started Tyee High
School. Adam liked the comprehensive high school
program and thought he was being well-served. He was
not enthused about the idea of converting to small
schools. But, if you talk to him now, he is quick to
explain exactly why he is such a strong proponent of
small schools today. He was “just getting by” during
his freshman and sophomore years – getting C’s was a
good thing – he was passing and didn’t have any
interest in going to college.
As a junior, entering the small schools, he realized
that doorways opened to students with college
educations and that he needed to take responsibility
for his academic performance. It was clear from the
beginning that at ACE, quality was a requirement and
that standards and expectations were higher than he
had experienced before.
Now, as a senior, he is a student leader. He is
taking Advance Placement classes and is fully
engaged in his own education. Adam loves his role as
a mentor to ACE freshmen. He sees it as an
opportunity to help those students take a different
route than he did in the beginning – passing along
all the lessons learned so they can avoid his
mistakes.
Adam will be attending Highline Community College
this fall.
Phi Le – Puget Sound
Skills Center
 Imagine
what it takes to go from being a
non-English-speaking immigrant to Student of the
Year for the Leadership and Management in Business
program in just a little over three years! Phi Le
arrived in the U.S. from Viet Nam on November 13,
2003 – yes, he knows the exact day! Sponsored by his
grandmother, and hoping for a better life, Phi and
his mother and father joined his older brother here
in the Highline area.
He listened to the radio and TV to learn English –
very aware of the need to work hard on what he calls
his “weaknesses.” He also focused special effort on
listening, speaking, and writing to improve his
overall communication.
Phi attended Evergreen High School and then chose
the Puget Sound Skills Center (formerly OSC) to
learn the hands-on skills he knows he’ll need as he
pursues his dream of starting his own business.
His internship – and his culminating project –
focused on learning more about something very
crucial for Phi – transportation. He uses Highline’s
bus system to get between EHS and PSSC, and he uses
the Metro bus system regularly. He wanted to learn
more about all the things that go on “behind the
scenes.” His mentor at the Highline Transportation
Department, Lance Bowman, praises Phi’s work
ethic and computer skills. During his internship,
Phi created Safe Walking Route maps for all Highline
schools. He also took on the daunting task of
scanning historical paper records, converting
boundary descriptions and maps from paper to
electronic documents. This will help preserve
important historical information and make it readily
accessible for future use.
Sherryl Gunnels, PSSC instructor, tells us,
“Phi has done an exceptional job of learning the
language. He is our math and technology go-to man in
this class.”
Phi will attend Highline Community College in the
fall.
Erin Moore – CHOICE
Academy
 Early
on, she went to school to escape an awful situation
at home. But once her step-father had gone to jail,
Erin Moore decided she’d rather be home than at
school. By 9th grade, she was skipping school so
much that she averaged only two days a week in
class. Academically, she fell further and further
behind. Emotionally, she sank into depression. She
simply wasn’t connecting with high school – and was
planning to drop out. Then a friend told her about
CHOICE Academy, an alternative program in the
Highline district and she thought the different
approach might be a good fit for her. And, so right
she was!
At CHOICE, Erin found very small classes with staff
that set high expectations – and called her on it if
she didn’t do the work. She tried skipping school at
CHOICE and found there was no tolerance for her
absences…teachers noticed and wanted to know what
was happening. She felt cared about and knew there
were adults who were interested in her. That proved
to be the critical difference for Erin and she began
to turn her life around. But, she still didn’t want
to go to college.
Over the next couple of years, the caring staff at
CHOICE started to draw Erin into leadership roles –
exposing her to leadership training and mentoring
others until, before she realized it, she was
stepping into a new role – and began to see herself
in a new light. She really could do it!
It’s a long way from where Erin was in 9th grade to
this, her senior year, where she served as the
yearbook editor, participated in Town Hall Forums,
and has taken on the mentoring of a first grader at
Bow Lake Elementary. She exudes excitement when
talking about the progress of her protégé.
Erin is graduating – on time! She is headed off to
college this fall – Green River Community College
and then Pacific Lutheran University…and to the
start of what is likely to be a career in teaching.
Lydia (Crystal) Mose
– Odyssey - The Essential School
 Crystal
will be the first in her Samoan family to enter
college – she’s been accepted to The Evergreen State
College. Crystal has been enrolled in Upward Bound
since the 8th grade and, according to her principal,
Joan Ferrigno, that program deserves credit
for helping her find her way.
Crystal has been a leader among her peers during the
small school conversion –
attending two Coalition of Essential Schools (CES)
conferences to learn about small schools and how to
make them work well for all students. Then, applying
all she had learned about student empowerment and
student voice, she returned to campus to share her
new-found skills with her peers.
In addition to being focused academically, Crystal
also played basketball all four years of high
school.
Wise beyond her years, Crystal observed, “You know,
you really need to start talking to students about
college much sooner. I’d never even heard of college
until the 8th grade.” She clearly articulates her
desire for more than just a job…she’s looking for a
career she can be passionate about. As Ms. Ferrigno
says, “This young woman, a remarkable on-her-feet
public speaker, is going great places!”
Rachel Reynolds –
Highline High School
 Wanting
to be a veterinarian since before she could say the
word correctly, Rachel came into high school with a
burning desire to do whatever it would take to be
successful. Faced with many challenges, she
struggled early on – saw her grades start to slip –
and then, connected with a teacher, Taija McClure,
who helped Rachel recognize her own potential,
guiding her along the way. Rachel joined the
veterinary careers program at Puget Sound Skills
Center (PSSC) where she excelled. In addition to her
academic success (Rachel maintains a 3.5 GPA), she
is also involved in a number of leadership
activities. She serves as president of Student
Associated Council at PSSC, is on the ASB Executive
Council at Highline High School, has been president
of Skills USA (a job-based skills organization which
hosts competitions), is a cheerleader, and plays on
the school fast pitch team, lettering all four years
– to name just a few. All this while working two
jobs.
Rachel’s senior project – and the subject of her
demonstrations for the Skills USA competition – is a
community service project she started at the Burien
Community Center. Once each month, Rachel provides
complimentary dog grooming services for senior
citizens. This work has earned her team first place
in regional and state Skills USA competitions and
the right to compete in nationals in Kansas City,
Missouri, later this month. Winners of this
competition receive full-ride, four-year
scholarships to the school of their choice.
Rachel has
received a two-year tuition scholarship from the
Washington Award for Vocational Excellence, four
alumni scholarships, and the Elks scholarship. She
will be attending Washington State University in the
fall – the first in her family to go to college –
where she plans to study zoology in preparation for
veterinary school at WSU. She hopes some day to be
able to give back to the program at PSSC where she
got her start.
Michael Sereke –
Global Connections High School
 Michael's
work ethic and “never give up” attitude have enabled
him to overcome many challenges. He is focused,
takes ownership of his work, and has learned to
advocate for himself. Starting life in Eritrea when
the war was a constant presence gives him a
different perspective on life than many of his
fellow students. When the war escalated, schools
were closed and his family fled to Egypt. Michael’s
father was able to immigrate to the U.S. – and the
rest of the family followed about two years later.
He has taken great
initiative in his senior project, volunteering with
Rise and Shine - an AIDS organization. Michael also
volunteers as a mentor in the Windsor Heights
program with New Futures – a culturally relevant
program in low-income apartment complexes with focus
on building skills and relationships. He knows what
a difference it can make to a young person when an
adult or older student takes an interest in them and
gives them the extra help they need.
In typical
Michael-style, when faced with a really challenging
class like AP Physics, he tackled the learning with
fervor. His teachers observed, “The material was far
from easy for him yet he still turned in all of his
homework, on time. He asked for help and didn’t give
up. He even attended several Saturday classes as a
way to really master the lessons.”
Michael is fluent in several languages and chose to
pursue Spanish this year. He has shown excellent
communication skills – in more than one language -
both in questioning and working with other students.
Michael gave life to his global thinking in his
willingness to work with anyone in the class. Some
days he could be found helping students that were
struggling, while other times he worked with others
to help develop his own understanding.
Michael was the captain of the soccer team this year
and received a soccer scholarship to Highline
Community College for the fall.
Joseph Manaway - Mount Rainier
High School
 “I’ve
had the best home life a kid could ask for!” That’s
how Joe Manaway sums up his childhood. Coming from a
loving environment – with two parents – has given
him a real focus for his life. And he recognizes how
fortunate – and unusual in today’s world – he is.
Joe is a “Highline kid” – having attended Parkside
Primary, Midway Intermediate, Pacific Middle, and
now Mount Rainier High School. Over the years he’s
seen a shift in the focus of the teachers and
leaders – and has benefited from the move to more
personalized education. As a second grader, Joe
recalls difficulty with reading aloud, which caused
him embarrassment. He lived with that for a number
of years until Phil Sampson, his ninth- and
tenth-grade Language Arts teacher helped him
overcome his personal challenges. “The fact that Mr.
Sampson genuinely cared about me was very
motivating,” says Joe.
Joe’s involvement in his church has led to a passion
for music and a love for leadership. He started to
search out tools he could learn in school and apply
in life. He found just what he needed in the
Leadership and Management program at Puget Sound
Skills Center. He also found a great mentor in
Sherryl Gunnels, the instructor. “She tells it
like it is,” Joe observes. “But the kids appreciate
that. And, she always shows us how the lessons we’re
learning will benefit us in our business life.”
Ms. Gunnels explains that her purpose is to “help
students discover their passion – whether it’s human
resources, the F.B.I., or flipping burgers.”
Students are encouraged to explore in high school
rather than in college where the lessons come with a
price. And Joe has taken full advantage of the
opportunity.
Joe will be attending Clark Atlanta University in
the fall where he’ll study psychology with a minor
in religious studies. He plans to help counsel at
the group home for 13-17 year old boys run by his
father, pastor of a local Baptist church. He’ll also
help with a chemical dependency program and an
affordable housing program in the area.
Joshua Dobson –
Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment
 Entering
high school at four and a half feet tall was
daunting – he felt like he was a stranger in the
school. No one knew him as a person or as a learner.
He was thankful to be a part of the 9th grade house
at Tyee that year because it gave him a sense of
belonging and the extra help he knew he needed. As a
sophomore he was part of the larger high school
population and again became invisible. He saw his
grades fall off that year and was not engaged in
school.
As a junior, Joshua joined the Academy of
Citizenship and Empowerment and really started to
take his learning seriously. He knew his teachers
really cared about him, as a person and as a
student. He recounts many times teachers stayed
until late in the evening making sure students were
understanding their work. Staff often hosted study
sessions at their homes and called parents to
follow-up on absences and issues. “It’s like having
an extra set of parents,” says Josh. And, that’s
exactly what he needed.
Joshua Dobson is one of ACE's most outstanding,
energetic seniors. He has been an important student
leader who helped his peers make the successful
transition to small schools. The summer after his
junior year, Josh, along with other students and
staff, helped paint and redecorate classrooms at ACE
so the learning space better suited students'
academic needs.
As a senior Josh has excelled as a leader both in
and out of the classroom. He not only carried a
rigorous academic load but maintained a high GPA. He
was very involved at ACE this year in developing a
peer mentorship program, in which seniors mentor 9th
graders academically and socially. He also helped to
start a Black Student Union at ACE and is working
with other seniors to set up a governing system for
the group for years to follow. Josh will be
attending Western Washington University in the fall,
where he received a full-ride scholarship. |
