Kentlake students see Rotary honors

Two high school students from Kentlake were honored recently by the Rotary Club of Kent.

Allison Combs and Craig Heffner were both recognized for their effort in the performing arts category. They were treated to a Rotary lunch and each addressed the club membership, speaking about their experience and aspirations in the theatrical vocation.

Allison has been a part of four plays, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Damn Yankees,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Noises Off.” She is a member of the vocal ensemble and also plays the flute. She sang for two years in the Columbia Choirs and is in her third year of the Rainier Youth Chorale. Balancing her efforts in performing, she also helps as a teacher’s aid at the Temple Beth El in Tacoma. She hopes to be accepted at the Julliard School of the Arts and someday pursue her career in New York.

Craig, who also was part of the same plays, also has performed in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Once Upon a Mattress.”

“I am an actor,” he informed Rotarians during the lunch. “It’s my passion and I love it.”

He’s furthered his training by attending three drama camps at Green River Community College, and this summer he was part of the Fifth Ave Theater Camp. Additionally he assisted in the production of the school newspaper. He has plans to attend a four-year college with an emphasis in theater and communications.

The Rotary club of Kent has a membership that acknowledges outstanding local high-school students. Annually, they distribute scholarships to local youth who plan to attend both colleges and technical programs. They also work with the Kent Sunrise club and the Covington club to distribute dictionaries to all third-grade students in the Kent School District.