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APPEAL TRIBUNE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016
Life in the
Valley y
sanews@salem.gannett.com
ANNA REED/STATESMAN JOURNAL
Student honorees listen to the presentation during the Statesman Journal's Academic All-Stars celebration reception at Corban University in Salem.
Students honored for adacemics
ore than 60 students and their
families attended the 23rd annu-
al Statesman Journal Academic
All-Stars event Sunday at Corban Uni-
versity. The event honors Mid-Valley
high school students who excel in and
out of the classroom.
Statesman Journal Executive Editor
Michael Davis, who emceed, said see-
ing all the bright pupils made him
“very optimistic about the future of our
nation.”
Awards are presented at the event to
the top junior and senior at each Mid-
Valley high school — 66 stars in total.
Students were nominated by their
school as exemplary students. Each
submitted a response to the essay
prompt: What is going on in your life,
your community or the world today
that your high school classes don’t real-
ly address?
Four area colleges — Willamette
University, Western Oregon University,
Corban University and Chemeketa
Community College — pledged $2,000
annual scholarships to each student
that qualifies for admission. Repre-
sentatives from those four institutions
were there to give the all-stars advice
about succeeding in college.
“Your achievements show you've
worked hard for an exciting education
journey,” said Jim Eustrom, vice presi-
dent at Chemeketa Community College.
“You're worthy and that's why you're
here.”
Michael Beseda, vice president of
enrollment at Willamette University,
said that college students should get
involved on campus, whether that's
through a club, the arts or an intern-
ship.
Dr. Rex Fuller, president of Western
Oregon University, had one piece of
advice for the students: “Go to college
and graduate.” Fuller said students
thinking about college should realize
the experience is about learning and
exploring. Having a vision of success is
key, he said, along with adapting to
changing circumstances.
Dr. Matt Lucas, provost and exec-
utive vice president at Corban
University, said students should consid-
er a college’s mission when making
their decision about where to attend.
A short bio of each student was read
aloud as they came up to the stage to
accept their award. Some want to be
scientists or medical practitioners who
help change the world with their ex-
periments or healing treatments. Oth-
ers plan to make the world better
through art, music or literature. Others
seek to master the art of the deal and
become the next leaders in business.
“It's an honor,” said Emily Vela, 18, a
senior at St. Paul High School. “It was
cool to be up there” with so many other
impressive students, she said.
Vela, who has a 4.0 grade-point-aver-
SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL
SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL
SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL
GORDON FRIEDMAN
STATESMAN JOURNAL
M
age, is the president of her school’s
Future Business Leaders of America
chapter, a member of the National Hon-
or Society, and a three-sport athlete
who wants to earn a degree in account-
ing.
“It's cool to be recognized for all the
hard work we did,” said Crosshill Chris-
tian School senior Matthew Gille, 18. “It
takes a lot of work to do well like this,”
added Crosshill junior Hannah Schanz,
17. Gille said he plans to attend Liberty
University after graduating from high
school, in the hopes of eventually be-
coming a pediatrician.
The event closed with a speech from
Davis, who reminded the all-stars that
with the help of others, they can change
the world for the better. He reminded
them of the words from Star Wars char-
acter and Jedi master Yoda: “There is
no try — only do.”
gfriedman2@states-manjournal.com ,
503-399-6653. Follow Gordon on Twitter
@gordonrfriedman.
LESLEY-ANN RUSSELL/
SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL
John F. Kennedy High School
Junior: Rheannon Hernandez
Essay excerpt: Since I am going into the
medical field I would like to add a hands-on
patient care class.
Parents: Nikki Ellison and Daniel Hernandez
GPA: 3.67
Class Rank: 14 out of 48
Activities: Softball, volleyball, peer educa-
tion, blood drive coordinator, Habitat for
Humanity
College: I am interested in Linfield, George
Fox, Arizona State, Chemeketa or Southern
Oregon University.
Career goal: Nurse practitioner
John F. Kennedy High School
Senior: John Inoue
Essay excerpt: There is a great need for
people to get along with each other and with
our planet; to increase empathy and un-
derstanding in order to decrease issues like
violence, world hunger, and racial discrimi-
nation.
Parents: Margaret and Hidetaka Inoue
GPA: 4.0
Class Rank: 1 out of 49
Activities: Library volunteer, future health
professionals, baseball
College: I have applied to Amherst College,
Lewis & Clark College, Oberlin
Silverton High School Junior:
Megan Mannion
Silverton High School Senior:
Kirk Martinson
Essay excerpt: A class devoted strictly to
ethics would benefit students, as it would
challenge them to look beyond the surface of
actions. They would learn to not simply accept
the status quo, but to analyze whether or not
an action is just. Ethics provoke meaningful,
in-depth conversations which are crucial for
high school students as they develop and
defend their own points-of-view. Such a
course would require research, writing, speak-
ing, and listening.
Essay excerpt: At Silverton High School,
current world events tend to be left out of the
curriculum. I believe a class should be created
at Silverton High School, and high schools
nationwide, to constantly increase awareness
in the student body of the challenges our
world faces today.
Parents: Inga and John Mannion
Parents: Valerie and Jamie Martinson
GPA: 4.0
Class Rank: 1 out of 263
GPA: 4.0
Activities: Soccer, basketball, baseball, Link
Crew, National Honor Society, youth group
Class Rank: 1 out of 325
Activities: Leadership, Interact Club, National
Honor Society, volleyball, softball
College: Applied to Stanford University,
Vanderbilt University and Princeton Univer-
sity. Accepted at Oregon State University.
College: I am going to apply to Oregon State
University, University of California Santa
Barbara, University of Notre Dame and Uni-
versity of Colorado, Boulder.
Career goal: Biomedical engineering or
mechanical engineering
Career goal: Energy or Environmental Engi-
neering