Kent student wins Holocaust writing contest | Kent School Briefs

Schools Briefly

Writer wins contest

Cedar Heights Middle School student Steven Weier recently placed first in the fifth- through eighth-grade writing category of the Jacob Friedman Holocaust Writing & Art Contest.

Weier received a $200 award for his victory May 4 at the Holocaust Remembrance Day Community Program at the Herzl Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island. All first-place winners in the writing contest had the opportunity to read an excerpt from their entry during the program.

Local wins award

Sung Jae Jung of Kent recently won a first-place award in the 14th-annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest.

The kindergarten student wrote and illustrated a story entitled “No School, No Work” to garner the top prize, which includes a package of Reading Rainbow books, DVDs, a backpack, art supplies and games.

Students in kindergarten through third grade in Washington and British Colombia wrote, illustrated and submitted nearly 700 stories for this year’s contest. A panel of local teachers and librarians selected the local winners.

Jung will now have a chance to record the winning story for broadcast on KCTS 9. The story will also move on the to national competition. For more information or to read winning stories, visit www.kcts9.org.

Students are ‘heroes’

Crestwood Elementary School sixth-graders Christopher Katsafanas and Evan Sullivan recently were named Earth Heroes for their dedicated efforts to help the school reduce the amount of waste it disposes of each day.

The two students were nominated for King County’s Earth Hero Award by their teachers. Katsafanas and Sullivan have helped with the schools Earth Tub project for three years. The Earth Tub is a plastic tub about the size of a car, and the school uses it to compost organic food waste. By composting lunch scraps, the school is keeping more than 100 pounds of waste out of the landfill each month.

Katsafanas and Sullivan manage the bin with the guidance of the school’s lead custodian. Additionally, the compost is used in the school’s gardens and sold to the community.

Katsafanas and Sullivan were recognized April 24 by King County Executive Ron Sims at a ceremony in Renton.

Haddock lauded

Mark Haddock, assistant superintendent for learning and school improvement, recently received the Outstanding Educator Award from the Kent Area Council PTA Board.

Allyson Johnson, president of the board, noted Haddock’s committment to mentoring a student in the Kent School District and serving on several committees as well as the Kent Area Council PTA board as reasons for selecting him for the award.

Nominees for the award are all Kent School District staff members.

Locals make list

Five Kent residents recently were named to the dean’s list for their academic performances during the 2008 spring semester at University of Portland.

The following students earned at least a 3.5 grade-point average to make the list: Stephanie Axtman, junior nursing major; Alyssa Nauer, junior environmental science major; Brianna Popson, senior accounting major; Allison Ritchie, senior biology major; and Elizabeth Vogel, freshman German studies major.studies.

Adams part of CWU cortege

Green River Community College graduate and current CWU-Des Moines elementary education student Colette A. Adams of Kent has been selected as a member of the 2008 Silver Cortege for Central Washington University’s 117th Commencement. The Westside ceremony will take place 6:30 p.m. June 8 at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium.

The Silver Cortege, which leads the procession of graduates into commencement, consists of a select group of junior students who have achieved academic excellence at CWU. Each student is chosen based on grade point average and credits completed.

Locals make podium

Jenkins Creek Elementary students Logan Fritz-Sanchez and Derick Panico participated in the Regional Special Olympics Tournament May 3, both placing in their events.

Second-grader Fritz-Sanchez earned two gold medals, one in the 10-meter assisted walk and one in the 25-meter assisted walk. Fourth-grader Panico earned a gold medal in the 400-meter walk and silver medals in the 100-meter walk and 200-meter walk.

Both boys qualified to participate in the state-level Special Olympics at the end of May.

Students earn honors

Kent residents Diane De Fries and Kristen Hirschey earned places on the dean’s list at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham during Winter Quarter 2008.

Students at the school are named to the list for high scholastic achievement.

Merit scholars announced

Three Kent School District students were recently named National Merit Scholars.

National Merit Scholars are selected based on their academic achievements. The intent of the National Merit Scholar Corporation is to support student education and provide an efficient and effective scholarship program for organizations that want to sponsor undergraduate scholarships.

The 2008 National Merit Scholars are:

Erik-Dardan Ymeraga of Kentlake High School — National Merit $2,500 Scholarship

Elliott Brossard of Kentwood High School — Boeing Company-sponsored Merit Scholarship

Joshua Kutterer of Kentwood High School — Boeing Company-sponsored Merit Scholarship

More scholars are slated to be announced in May and July, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. By the end of the 2008 program, about 8,200 students will receive more than $36 million in scholarships.

Summer school sign-up starts

Parents now can enroll their children in the Kent School District Summer School Program.

Summer school provides students opportunities to take classes to reinforce concepts they learned during the school year, improve grades or make further preparations for taking state assessment tests.

Enrollment deadlines are June 19 for elementary students and June 25 for middle- and high-school students. Registration is granted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parents need to contact their child’s school to register.

Buses are available for summer school students. For more information about registration or transportation, contact your child’s school, call the Summer School Information Line at 253-373-7424 or visit the Kent School District Web site at www.kent.k12.wa.us.