Eastside Catholic starts its second year in the city
September 1, 2009
Eastside Catholic chaplain and director of campus ministry Father Bill Heric greets senior Jeff Derus as he arrives for the first day of school. Photos by Christopher Huber
The first day of school at Eastside Catholic went much more smoothly this year than in 2008, school administrators said Aug. 26 as students poured through the doors en-masse. The 2008 opening day was somewhat chaotic as teachers, administrators and students all scrambled to familiarize with the brand-new building. Read more
Brooke Bachesta hopes to be a ‘servant leader’ at Eastside Catholic
September 1, 2009
Eastside Catholic senior and ASB president Brooke Bachesta pauses in the hallway after the morning prayer the first day of school Aug. 26. Photo by Christopher Huber
When Eastside Catholic ASB advisor Karen Skoog gathered with the incoming officers at a leadership retreat earlier this month, she asked Sammamish resident Brooke Bachesta how long she had aspired to lead the associated student body.
Since ‘my freshman year’ was Bachesta’s answer.
The 17-year-old Bachesta, now a senior at Eastside Catholic, is the incoming ASB president. She ran unopposed in the spring, and has earned the favor and respect from her peers at the school because of her inclusiveness and teamwork approach to leadership, Skoog said. Bachesta is also the first female president in principal Greg Marsh’s eight years there.
“She’s probably one of the more positive people I’ve ever met,” Skoog said. “She’s up beat and just sees the world in what can be done, and not what can’t be done. She’s so approachable.”
Bachesta said she has been in student leadership throughout high school. It came easy for her and she thrived on it, but when election time came around, she said she took time to reflect on her motivations for the office of president.
“At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to continue,” she said. “It gave me lot of self-reflection time.”
The fact that a high school junior (at the time) would question her personal motives for wanting to be president shows her character, Skoog said. Read more
Skyline students make plans to serve community
April 6, 2009
The Skyline Interhigh representatives spent the afternoon discussing community service with their peers at Liberty High School. Photo by Christopher Huber
About 115 student leaders from 10 KingCo conference high schools made stone soup March 25 at Liberty High School.
They didn’t literally eat a soup full of rocks, but the potatoes in the veggie soup resembled the magic stone from the legendary story about a man who brings together a starving community to make a scrumptious meal in a time of need.
Presenters told the story at the third Interhigh student leadership conference of the school year. It was meant to inspire the students, mostly ASB officers, to promote philanthropy and teamwork among their respective student bodies and in their home communities, said Skyline ASB advisor Allison Maners. Read more
Girls gone scientific
April 6, 2009
Girl power was in the air at the 27th annual Expanding Your Horizons Event for middle school girls at Bellevue Community College March 22. Read more
Mead gets artsy
April 6, 2009
Third-grader Ben Ramsdell shows off the mask he made with his class at Margaret Mead Elementary’s Art Night.
Families at Mead held Art Night March 26. Students displayed works and participated in hands-on activities. All proceeds from the event went to purchase art supplies for the school. Contributed
McAuliffe Elementary students rally around their principal
March 30, 2009
When Principal Tracey Miller was diagnosed with MS, the school used it as a chance to learn about, and fight, the disease. Photo by Christopher Huber
Christa McAuliffe Elementary principal Tracey Miller was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than two years ago. She had just started her new job at the school and, suddenly, was forced to challenge her approach to balancing work and personal life.
“When something big happens to you, you try to be proactive and lead a healthy lifestyle,” Miller said. “You try to be as positive as you can and use this to inspire others.”
Her diagnosis has motivated her to try to inspire others by being a voice for disability awareness in the Sammamish school’s community. Read more
Discovery Elementary students imagine successes
March 30, 2009
Christopher Heitkamp, Ruby Outwater and Courtney Crocker (from left) performed a skit about a grave robber for their part of Destination Imagination. Photo by Christopher Huber
Six months of hard work after school has finally paid off for five Discovery Elementary School fifth graders. The students spent hours each week rehearsing roles and tweaking mechanical problems to ready themselves for the state Destination Imagination competition in Wenatchee. They had qualified for the statewide event after winning the regional contest earlier this month.
The “Phive Phantastic Pharoahs,” consisting of Christopher Heitkamp, Vikram Ghangurde, Courtney Crocker, Ruby Outwater and Andrew Blessington, placed third in state after executing a strong skit performance and machine-task challenge March 28, said team manager Robert Heitkamp. Read more
Birth – Life – Death –
March 23, 2009
By Claudia Ma
November 14, 2008
Without a flash or spark of light,
Eyes open in the glow of Night.
He sheds the heavy blanket dim
To stretch small arms prepared to swim.
Forbidden thus to flounder slight,
Sun must succeed with all his might,
For higher, higher he must rise
To stay above the ocean, Skies. Read more
Skyline DECA wins 8 championships
March 23, 2009
Elizabeth Rizkalla (double state champion), Dana Wilson and Heather Nunan show off their medals from the DECA state championships. Contributed
Skyline senior Elizabeth Rizkalla hopes to come out as one of the top three technical presenters in the nation during the April 28-May 3 DECA competition in Anaheim, Calif.
She went to nationals last year and received top-10 status in “fashion technical sales”, but she said she wants to place in the top three.
“I’m a pretty competitive person,” Rizkalla said. “I’m just hoping to do well again this year.” Read more
Skyline students’ art goes to national competition
March 23, 2009
The color version of this photo, “A Closer Look,” will go to the national Reflections competition. Photo by Brian Burgess
When Skyline senior Brian Burgess took his camera outside one rainy day last fall, he hadn’t planned on making an award-winning photograph.
The rain had just subsided, so he walked out into the street in front of his house and noticed beads of water gathered on a leaf.
“I took a picture and it just turned out looking pretty cool,” Burgess said. Read more
