By Heidi Bay
In the monotony of high school, a few choice people rise above the crowds;
they stand out. Each spring, one person is chosen to represent their peers
as valedictorian. Because everyone in high school works diligently, the
selection process is time and energy intensive. It is suggested that the
top ten percent of each senior class participate in the valedictorian endeavor,
but the contest is not exclusive to academic scholars; it is open to any
senior that wishes to participate.
Participants are judged on a myriad criterion including areas of academic
performance, coarse load, overall GPA, portfolio and presentation. Each
year the committee refocuses, but the general standards remain the same;
to select the senior of the highest rank to give the valedictory at graduation.
Miles Crowder was chosen as the KSS 2001 valedictorian.
Through his high school years, Miles has earned well over thirty awards
in academic and sports recognition including: Student of the Year, Varsity
Golf awards, Scholar Athlete, Academic Excellence, Honor Society, Knowledge
Bowl, President’s Education awards, AP scholar, Honor cords, Washington
State Principle’s Scholar, Eagle Scholar, and numerous outstanding
achievement awards in both science and math.
As part of their personal portfolio construction, each valedictorian participant
must include letters of recommendation from teachers, staff, and others
that know them well. “Miles is accomplished in a wide variety of endeavors
and excels at everything he does, especially academics. His insistence on
excellence is apparent in all of his undertakings,” commented Ms. Carvalho,
“In AP U.S. History class he was the catalyst for many discussions,
pushing others to think for themselves.”
Mr. Holloway has also been impressed with Miles’ performance, “More
than the mastery of the material, I have been particularly impressed by
his ability to make connections beyond the class to current events and literature.
Of course, it helps in that he has taken most, if not all, of the AP classes
offered here.” Holloway continued, “In addition to being a fine
student and natural leader, he is a well-rounded, enthusiastic, energetic
individual who has a great sense of humor.”
Ms. Reynolds has known Miles for three years. She comments positively, “What
has impressed me the most about Miles as a student is his curiosity and
passion for learning. Through participating in student government and serving
as a student representative to the KSS Management Team, he has contributed
significantly to the creation of KSS community and culture.” Reynolds
concluded, “Miles thrives on challenge.”
Busy with academics and leadership, Miles has also earned favor in the
eyes of counselor Ms. Keehn, “Miles Crowder can be described as a person
of high achievement and even greater potential. He is motivated more by
the prospect of learning than by the attainment of a high grade point average.”
As valedictorian, Miles will be speaking at the 2001 Graduation commencement
ceremony on June 13 at Kitsap Pavilion.
By Heidi Bay
Some are leaders, some are followers, some are athletes, some like Pepsi,
and some don’t. But senior Scott Longstreet is in a category all his
own. “I remember coming into this school year with NO idea where I
would end up the following year or what kind of crazy dreams I’d have,”
Longstreet reflects. In May he was named 2001 Salutatorian, second in his
graduating class only to Valedictorian Miles Crowder.
Academically motivated and successful, Longstreet has also remained involved
in the social aspect of KSS as well. He is senior class vice-president,
Ping-Pong and Video Club president, and this year’ Homecoming King.
“Scott is a very bright, thoughtful, mature young man with a sophisticated,
yet playful sense of humor. He can work with just about anyone and is willing
to help those around him learn,” praised teacher Ms. Reynolds. “Scott
is a very motivated and self-sufficient student. He interacts very well
with teachers, and he is also very well liked by his peers,” Reynolds
added.
“I feel my work ethic comes my father, who was a very exceptional student
and Valedictorian of his high school class of 1978,” Longstreet explained,
“Most seniors choose to take only what is required to graduate and
make the last year easy for them. I, however, did not choose this path and
opted to enroll in the most difficult classes that could fit my schedule.”
While his five Advanced Placement courses give him a “guaranteed minimum
three hours of homework per night” Longstreet has managed to maintain
steady hours at Round Table Pizza. His manager, Cordelia Jenkins, agreed
with Reynolds, “He has a pleasant way of dealing with customers and
the rest of the employees. He has always done things with the best attitude.”
Jenkins was also impressed that, “He seems to thoroughly enjoy all
he is doing in high school no matter how difficult it may appear at the
moment.”
Heavily involved, “Scott is an intelligent, humble, and committed
student and person,” Mr. Tracewell said, “His commitment to his
studies and to his school is amazing. I admire his ability to balance his
academics along with his school activities.” Tracewell continued, “Scott
has consistently been on our school’s honor roll and is always willing
to volunteer his time with his class.”
In Longstreet’s four years of high school here at KSS he has earned
recognition in a variety of areas including; Academic Excellence Awards,
Western Washington University President’s Scholar Award, Varsity Letter
in Tennis, French Student of the Year, Honor Society, Student of the Month,
Math Team awards, and an Outstanding Achievement awards in Math, Science,
and French.
“You can only get so far by Following in others’ footsteps,”
Longstreet states. He plans to attend Western Washington University this
coming fall and, “take that step and become the first person in my
entire family to attend a four-year university.” Scott will also be
speaking at the graduation ceremony on June 13.
By Kaisa Jensen
To always dream of traveling abroad in France. To dream of seeing the
sights and to be able to speak fluently in the language of love. To dream
of being able to feel the change of pace and rhythm that is over there in
Europe.
Happily Ms. Daniels is finally able to go and fulfill those dreams by the
means of the program Fulbright. Fulbright is going to send her over to France
for a year to teach five periods of different levels of English. To do so
she is going to exchange places with a French teacher.
The French teacher and her two kids will live in Daniels house while Daniels
will live in the French teacher’s house. Daniels said she is quickly
cleaning her house to make sure that the exchange family will be comfortable.
While living in France Ms. Daniels wants see as many sights as possible.
She ‘hopes to have enough weekends to bop off’ and travel. One
of the places she wants to go to is Portugal. Also in Europe Daniels wants
to visit old time friends and family.
Daniels got interested in France from the first time she ‘heard a French
sentence’ from her sister’s record when she was ten years old.
She ‘was absolutely caught’. Since then she has been doing everything
from studying French in high school to studying abroad for a week in France
to look for ways to practice the language. The reason that Daniels started
to teach was to bring the French language back into her life.
Although Daniels is going to thoroughly enjoy her trip to France she will
find it hard to leave KSS. “I’ve been here since before the school
opened. I’ve worked real hard with the team.”
The only other more important thing that she will miss is her two dogs,
a German shepherd and a cocker spaniel. The arrangements for them are not
exactly perfect for, but Daniels is sure that they will be fine in her
absence.
Daniels is studying hard to improve her speaking and reading in French.
All that’s left is to board the plane.
