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Schools

Sumner High Seniors' Successes Showcased

10 members of the Class of 2011 lauded for their academic and extracurricular achievements at annual ceremony.

On this night, they were rewarded for their excellence.

“Excellence is its own reward” was the theme of Sumner High School’s Senior Showcase on Wednesday evening, during which families, friends and educators came out to recognize 10 outstanding students from the Class 0f 2011. The group was selected to represent SHS through their commitment to excellence and demonstration of modesty.

One of the students recognized was Blake Fealy, who was introduced as the guy often behind a video camera or on the intercom for student announcements.

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Fealy helped put together the Showcase video that made up a majority of the presentation. It began with a series of frames shot in and around the high school, depicting the place in which the seniors have spent much of the last four years, with a narrative expounding on the theme of excellence. Each of the 10 students introduced themselves and thanked those who have supported them along the way.

During his portion of the video, Fealy expressed amazement at having been chosen for the Showcase.

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“I wanted to act,” he said in describing himself as a freshman. After taking Beginning Acting, he realized, “I was a terrible actor.”

Fealy still has a passion for film, but he now prefers to be behind the camera, not in front of it. His interest led to him being the ASB Technology Coordinator this year, and he plans to apply to a yearlong intensive program at the Vancouver Film School in Vancouver, B.C. He then plans to travel the world, pursuing his dreams as a filmmaker.

Catheryne Ekse, was also recognized, for her academic prowess, and said that began at home.

 “As a baby, my dad would read the newspaper aloud to me,” she said, adding that her family often watched such educational shows as “Bill Nye the Science Guy” on family movie nights. Her father now sets aside articles from such publications as The Economist that he feels his daughter may find interesting and helpful to her studies.

“I have grown to detest classes that I could breeze through,” Eske said in describing continuous efforts to challenge herself both academically and otherwise.

Next month, Eske will graduate from the rigorous International Baccalaureate program and head off to Pacific Lutheran University, where she will study nursing and French. At Sumner, she has been a member of the National Honor Society and was recognized last year as the Sumner Masonic Lodge’s Outstanding Junior for SHS.

She refused to name a single person who has made her who she is today.

“It is a combination of amazing people who have pushed me to do my best.”

Eske plans to major in Nursing and minor in French at Pacific Lutheran University.

The night was not over after the 10 seniors were presented, though. Future ASB officers and Principal Bill Gaines presented “Things That Sumner High School Has Done Right,” as described by 2011-12 ASB president Meredith Brown.

Among those accomplishments were collecting 25,418 items in conjunction with Bonney Lake High School for the Sumner Food Bank; a community dinner during which 691 people were fed and holiday gifts presented to underprivileged children; a benefit night for Jennifer Nash, a graduate of SHS diagnosed with a neurological condition called Transverse myolitis; and a record number of students graduating with full IB diplomas – 17 in all.

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