“When I look back at this class in 10 years, I’ll think of them as multi-talented.”
Reflecting upon the Sequim High School Class of 2017, career counselor Mitzi Sanders says this year’s seniors have loads of skills and is one of the more active groups — from academics to athletics to community efforts — she’s ever seen.
“They want to take advantage of everything,” says Sanders, who along with high school staff congratulated dozens of seniors for earning more than $4 million in scholarships, a new record, at an awards event on May 31.
“They don’t take just an AP (Advanced Placement) class; they take every AP class. They’re in every club. They want to take every opportunity. That’s why we have so many athletically talented kids who excel at multiple sports.”
Prior to Sequim High’s commencement festivities set for Friday, June 9, graduating seniors got a chance to recognize financial supporters last week at the scholarship recognition night in the SHS auditorium. This year’s class was bestowed more than $350,000 from local groups, SHS principal Shawn Langston said, from civic service groups such as Rotary, Elks, Eagles and Masons, from local singing, hiking, tennis and garden clubs, from established philanthropic entities like the William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation and the Albert Haller Foundation, and local chapters of national organizations.
Other local funds came from local churches, from memorial scholarships, pioneer groups and volunteer firefighters.
More than $1.5 million worth of college funds went to 10 Sequim High seniors from military service groups, Sanders said, also a new school record.
Sequim High School has four valedictorians boasting of 4.00 grade-point averages: Morgan Bingham, who will attend Southern Virginia University; Cathy Dao, who will attend Stanford University; Grant Pierson, who starts at West Point Military Academy this fall, and Anika Van Dyken, who will attend Gonzaga University in Spokane.
While many SHS graduating classes have distinct personalities, Sanders said, this year’s class Sanders will remember for their tireless enthusiasm and energy.
She points to students like Emily Straling — who fills her scheduled with City of Sequim council student representative, Irrigation Festival princess cheerleader and other school activity responsibilities — as an example.
“This class fills their plate so much,” she said. “They are kind of leaving big shoes to fill, in that respect.”
Fortunately, the SHS career counselor said, the Class of 2017 doesn’t let much of that talent and hyperactivity go to their head.
“They are some of the kindest, most polite kids I’ve every known,” Sanders said. “They will race to open the door for you, thank you for the smallest thing. That’s one of the things that seems to stand out.”
As of late last week, 237 Sequim High School seniors were on track to receive diplomas at the June 9 commencement ceremony.
Nicole Anders — Fairview Grange $1,000, Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000, Clallam County Firefighters Local #2933 $750, WSCFF Benevolent Fund scholarship $750, Sandra Bailey Memorial Scholarship $500, Clallam County 4-H Leaders Council Scholarship $400, Sons of Norway Scholarship $400, Peninsula Youth Equestrian Foundation $300, Olympic Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship $1,500, NOTAC $1,000, College of St. Scholastica Benedictine Scholarship $76,000, College of St. Scholastica Educational Grant $12,200, College of St. Scholastica Travel Grant $6,000, College of St. Scholastica Alumni Referral Award $1,200; College of St. Scholastica
Thomas Arneson — U.S. Marine Corps Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Marine Corps
Travis Baker — International Footprinters Scholarship $1,000, Westport Shipyard National Scholarship $1,500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Peninsula College
Sydney Balkan — Washington High School Equestrian Scholarship $500, SEA Future Teacher Scholarship $500, SSD Rowland Memorial Scholarship $500, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Tacoma Community College
Curtis Beery — SSD Lyons Memorial Scholarship $500, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $750, Clallam County District 3 Firefighters Local #2933 $750, Richard Heilman Memorial Scholarship $500, Clallam County District 3 Volunteer Fire Association $1,000, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000; Peninsula College
Logan Bennett — U.S. Army Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Army
Morgan Bingham — Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, SEF Halloran Scholarship $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000, S. Virginia University Scholarship $10,000, S. Virginia University Educational Grants $24,000; Southern Virginia University
Erica Bower — Soroptimist Ruth Mogan Scholarship $2,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, WWU Merit Scholarship $2,000, SSD Rowland Memorial Scholarship $500; Western Washington University
Molly Braaten — Women of St. Joseph’s & Knights of Columbus $2,800; Western Washington University
Colleen Carpenter — St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus $500, Grand Olympics Chorus of Sweet Adeline’s $500, Peninsula Singers Denise Graham Scholarship $500, Monday Musicale Scholarship $2,500, Women of St. Joseph’s & Knights of Columbus $3,500, Pacific University Oregon Pacesetter Scholarship $10,000, Pacific University Oregon Grant $12,400, Pacific University Music Talent Award $24,000, Pacific University-Oregon Scholarship $48,000; Pacific University-Oregon
Katelynn Carter — Clallam County Fair Royalty $500, Clallam County AAUW $2,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Vocational Scholarship $5,000, Gardiner Garden Club $500; Peninsula College
Riley Chalk — SEA Future Teacher Scholarship $500, Sequim School District Bus Drivers Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Riley Chase — Experience WSU Scholarship $1,000, WSU Engineering Award $2,000, WSU Achievement Award $4,000, Charlotte Kirby Memorial Scholarship $1,000; Washington State University
Evan Chatters — Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, WA State Elks Vocational Scholarship $1,900; DigiPen Institute of Technology
Ella Christiansen — Concordia Excellence Scholarship $72,000, Concordia College Grant $20,500, Cobber Edge Award $4,000, Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church Scholarship $2,000, DVLC Endowment/John Behrens Scholarship $2,000; Concordia College
Alison Cobb — SEF Engineering Challenge Scholarship $1,000; Peninsula College
Riley Cosio — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Peninsula College
Hannah D’Amico — Col. Patricia T. Murphy Nursing Scholarship $16,000, Peninsula Tennis Club $250, Gonzaga University Dean’s Scholarship $68,000, Gonzaga University Educational Grants $72,000; Gonzaga University
Lane Danielson — Ben Merscher Memorial Scholarship $500, Sequim Junior Soccer $500, Charlotte Kirby Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Quinten and Elsie MacDougall Scholarship $2,000, Experience WSU Scholarship $1,000; Washington State University
Cathy Dao — SEF Ward Scholarship $2,000, Sunland Owners Association $3,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Scholarship $2,500, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,000, AWC Quality Communities Scholarship $1,000, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Stanford University Fund Scholarship $176,000; Stanford University
Harley Davidson — Soroptimist of Sequim Scholarship $2,000, Andrea Gaxiola Memorial Scholarship $7,500; Peninsula College
Mikaela Dodson — SSD Jeff Caterina Memorial Scholarship $500, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Ben & Myrtle Walkling Memorial $600, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $2,000; Peninsula College
Jack Drennen — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Western Washington University
Taylene Eldredge — Soroptimist of Sequim Scholarship $2,000, WWU Opportunity Pathway Scholarship $2,000; Western Washington University
Brandon Fudally — Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $3,000; Peninsula College
Emily Funston — Sequim Pioneer Foundation $1,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000, Northwest University Success Award $78,000, Sequim Community Church $2,300; Northwest University
Jett Gagnon — Shipley Center $1,000, Mike Beery Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, University of Washington Seattle Educational Grants $64,000; University of Washington-Seattle
Payton Gagnon — U.S. Marine Corps Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Marine Corps
Joshua Gaylord — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000, Western Washington University
Lillian Gloor — Western Washington University Grants $24,000, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $28,000, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $1,000; Western Washington University
Christian Goodrich — U.S. Coast Guard Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Coast Guard
Joshua Gonzales — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Central Washington University
Cortney Gosset — Shipley Center $1,000, Sequim Boys & Girls Club Maytag Scholarship $1,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000, Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award $250, Rainbow’s Amaranth Scholarship $1,000, WSU Achievement Award $9,200; Washington State University
Rylee Gray — Helen Haller Elementary PTO Scholarship $500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Western Washington University
Shae Green — Blue Whole Gallery Shirley Foss Memorial $500; The Evergreen State College
Stephanie Grow — U.S. Navy Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000, SEF Engineering Challenge Scholarship $750; U.S. Navy
Kaylee Gumm — SSD Student Board Representative $500, Sequim Association of Realtors $625, Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Scholarship $1,500, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite $1,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000, Middlebury College Educational Grant $177,000; Middlebury College
Adrienne Haggerty — Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, SEF Jane Miller & Gertrude Greenside Scholarship $8,000, Highline College Athletic Scholarship $5,000, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $6,800, Highline College Educational Grants $12,000, Washington State Educational Grant $17,000; Highline Community College
Victoria Hall — SEF Film Festival Scholarship $500, Peninsula Singers Dewey Ehling Scholarship $500, Sequim Irrigation Royalty Scholarship $1,250; Utah Valley College
Abigail Hansted — Sequim Lavender Growers $1,000, Agnew Helpful Neighbors Club $2,000, Rich Meyer Memorial Band Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Calvin Hazard — Gardiner Garden Club $1,000, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $1,000; Washington State University
Jensen Heike — Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Gene & Norma Turner Achievement Award $500, WWU President’s Scholarship $4,000; Western Washington University (with distinction)
Christopher Heintz — Washington State Opportunity STEM Scholarship $5,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite $1,200, SSD Wright Memorial Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Justin Hermosada — Women of St. Joseph’s & Knights of Columbus $1,500, Walmart Dependent Scholarship $1,625, Westport Shipyard National Scholarship $1,500; Washington State University
Hilary Holtrop — Pacific University-Oregon Pacesetter Scholarship $8,000, Pacific U Global Community Award $16,000, Pacific University-Oregon Grant $29,600, Pacific University-Oregon Scholarship $48,000, Olympic Unitarian Fellowship Scholarship $250; Pacific University-Oregon
Abby Jaeger — Sequim Association of Realtors $625, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Skagit Valley Fraternal Order of Eagles $500; University of Washington
Tatum Jensen — Sequim Irrigation Royalty Scholarship $1,000, PEO Chapters EP—FY & HM $2,500, Sequim Elks Lodge $1,500, WWU Opportunity Pathway Scholarship $1,000, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $22,000, Westerrn Washington University Educational Grant $28,400; Western Washington University
Shaun Jones — Shipley Center $1,000, Gardiner Garden Club $1,500, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $1,500, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Sequim Prairie Garden Club $1,000, Sequim Boys & Girls Club Maytag Scholarship $1,000, UW Milgard School of Business Scholarship $2,500, UW Milgard Direct Admissions Scholarship $5,000, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $4,600, UW Tacoma Educational Grants $64,500; University of Washington-Tacoma
Andrew Juntilla — SEF Ray and June Robinson Scholarship $10,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Scholarship $1,500, Charlotte Kirby Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Westport Shipyard National Scholarship $2,000; University of Washington-Seattle
Hailey Kapetan — Sequim Irrigation Royalty Scholarship $1,000; Undecided
Kyle Klopfenstein — U.S. Army Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Army
Stephanie LaCour — Soroptimist Sally Sue Barry Memorial $2,000; Peninsula College
Michael Larsen — U.S. Army Advanced Designee ROTC Scholarship $178,600, PLU Q Club Scholarship $1,721, Pacific Lutheran University Educational Grants $5,536, Washington State College Bound Scholarship $6,368, Pacific Lutheran University ROTC Discount $10,520, Pacific Lutheran University Academic Scholarship $22,000; Pacific Lutheran University
Sydney Lestage — Soroptimist Ruth Mogan Scholarship $2,000, Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, SSD McDonald Memorial Scholarship $1,000, Sequim School District Bus Drivers Scholarship $500, WWU Opportunity Pathway Scholarship $6,000, Western Washington University Grants $50,000; Western Washington University
Alexander Lopez — Gardiner Garden Club $1,000; Peninsula College
Issaiah Madison — SEF Sequim Options School Scholarship $1,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Vocational Scholarship $5,000; Bellingham Technical Institute
Thomas McCulloch — Experience WSU Scholarship $1,000, WSU Educational Grant $3,300, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Washington State University
Alexandria McMenamin — George Fox Duke Scholar Award $68,000, Charlotte Kirby Memorial Scholarship $1,000; George Fox University
Jordan McMinn — Ben Merscher Memorial Scholarship $500, University of Oregon Enrichment Award $2,000, Charlotte Kirby Memorial Scholarship $1,000; University of Oregon
Alma Mendoza — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Oregon Institute of Technology
Danica Miller — SEF Ward Scholarship $2,000, Sequim Association of Realtors $625, SHS Honor Society Scholarship $500, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite $1,000, Sequim Sunrise Rotary Scholarship $2,500, Sunland Owners Association $3,000, WSU Regents Scholarship $16,000; Washington State University
Claire Nakagawara — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; University of Victoria
Spencer Neale — U.S. Marine Corps Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Marine Corps
Teana Neske — SEF Jane Miller & Gertrude Greenside Scholarship $8,000, Gardiner Garden Club $1,000, Washington State Governors’ Scholarship $10,000; Whatcom Community College
Dana Nguyen — Sequim Irrigation Royalty Scholarship $1,000; Peninsula College
Lillian Oden — Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, SEA Future Teacher Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Konnor Parrish — Sequim Pioneer Foundation $1,000, Sequim Association of Realtors $625, Helen Haller Elementary PTO Scholarship $500, Bremerton Valley Scottish Rite Borah Scholarship $2,500, Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, WSU University Achievement Award $2,000, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000; Washington State University
Hannah Patterson — Rich Meyer Memorial Band Scholarship $500; Peninsula College
Tori Phillips — Puget Sound Anglers Association $1,000, Klahhane Hiking Club $250, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $750, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500; Peninsula College
Christopher Piersoll — Northern Arizona University Blue Scholarship $12,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Northern Arizona University
Grant Pierson — West Point Military Academy $400,000, SSD Rick Kaps Memorial Scholarship $500, SHS Honor Society $500; West Point Military Academy
Justin Porter — Peninsula Tennis Club $500; Central Washington University
Madelynn Potts — South Puget Sound Volleyball Award $4,000, South Puget Sound Educational Grant $12,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; South Puget Sound Community College
Linda Rogers — Reed College Educational Grants $216,000; Reed College
Elizabeth Rosales — Sequim Elks Lodge $1,000, Sequim Boys & Girls Club Maytag Scholarship $1,000; Western Washington University
Luke Silliman — SEF Film Festival Scholarship $1,600, Sequim Boys & Girls Club Maytag Scholarship $1,000, Columbia College-Chicago Grant $24,000, Columbia College-Chicago Scholar Award $28,000; Columbia College-Chicago
Emily Straling — Shipley Center $1,000, SEF June Robinson Journalism Scholarship $10,000, WSU University Achievement Award $8,000; Washington State University
Breyanne Taylor — U.S. Marine Corps Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Marine Corps
Kaylee Taylor — U.S. Marine Corps Post 911 Educational Benefit $110,000; U.S. Marine Corps
Jared Thomas — SEF Halloran Scholarship $2,000, Washington State Opportunity STEM Scholarship $5,000, University of Washington Bothell Scholarship $12,000, UW Husky Promise Educational Grants $65,000; University of Washington-Bothell
Jaycee Thompson-Porrazzo — GTE Pioneers Scholarship $1,000, PEO Chapter JC $500; Olympic College
Amy Tucker — Clallam County 4-H Leaders Council Scholarship $400, Sequim Alumni Association $1,500, Clallam County Junior Livestock Auction $750; Peninsula College
Terrance Tveit — Gardiner Garden Club $500, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000, Central Washington University Educational Grant $50,000; Central Washington University
Anika Van Dyken — Women of St. Joseph’s & Knights of Columbus $2,800, SEA Future Teacher Scholarship $500, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $6,000, Gonzaga University Regents Scholarship $74,000; Gonzaga University
Calvin Wade — Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church Scholarship $2,000, DVLC Endowment/John Behrens Scholarship $2,000; Luther College
Katelyn Wake — William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Western Washington University
Dusty Wessel — Sequim Elks Lodge $1,500, WA State Elks Vocational Scholarship $2,500.
Sven Wiker — Eastern Washington University Educational Grants $48,000, Gardiner Salmon Derby Association $500, Bob Duncan Memorial Scholarship $1,000, William and Esther Littlejohn Foundation $1,000; Eastern Washington University
Carmen Wilwert — PEO Chapter FY STAR Scholarship $2,500, Sunland Owners Association $3,000, SSD Rowland Memorial Scholarship $500, Iowa State University Generations Scholarship $6,000, Iowa State University Competitive Excellence $32,000; Iowa State University
Mercedes Woods — Albert Haller Foundation $8,000, Sequim Masonic Lodge $1,500, Virginia Nitterhouse Foundation $2,000, AmeriCorps Segal Educational Scholarship $6,000, AmeriCorps Service Stipend Award $13,000; AmeriCorps/Northern Arizona University.
Sequim High School senior Stephanie Grow, right, accepts her U.S. Navy Post 911 Educational Benefit scholarship (worth $110,000) from Petty Officer Wendy Schwandt. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
