Port Townsend High School students Emmett Erickson and Ingrid Schultz have been recognized as the Sunrise Rotary Club of Port Townsend’s January students of the month.

Erickson, son of Dr. Steve and Kathy Erickson, and Schultz, daughter of Steve and Winkie Schultz, were chosen for their academic achievements.

They were selected for demonstrating a love of learning by pursuing knowledge beyond that of a grade. They also display intellectual honesty and intellectual risk-taking by exploring challenging ideas and taking on projects that stretch their thinking, according to a press release.

Both seniors have plans to attend college. Erickson plans to major in computer service, and Schultz in teaching.

The two students were accompanied by their parents at an award ceremony at the Jan. 17 Rotary meeting.

Sunrise Rotary Club of Port Townsend recognizes two students as Rotary Students of the Month each month January-June. These students are selected from Port Townsend High School by teachers, coaches and club advisers.

PTHS graduates receive scholarships

Eleven Port Townsend High School graduates have received scholarships from the Port Townsend High School Scholarship Foundation for their second, third or fourth year of study. A total of $30,000 was awarded in December to Ben Rolland, Macalester College; Madison Braden, Western Washington University; Camille Ottaway, Western Washington University; Addison Richert, University of Nevada, Reno; Ryan Clarke, University of Portland; Clarice Forbes, University of Washington; Sara Fullerton, Willamette University; Megan Walsh, Endicott College; Riley Fukano, Cornell University; Stevie Riepe, Clark College; and Miguel Salguero, California Polytechnic State University.

The PTHS Scholarship Foundation has been granting scholarships since its inception in 1974, awarding more than $600,000 to more than 700 recipients, both for graduating seniors and for students continuing their undergraduate study or vocational training.

The application process is announced each September. The foundation continues to thrive, thanks to Port Townsend alumni and citizens. A named scholarship to honor a loved one is possible for the period of one year or on a continuing basis.

For more information, contact Lois Sherwood at lolo.sherwood@gmail.com, or Jeanie Glaspell at 360-643-1077.

Funds help Jefferson County teachers

Fifteen teachers from Port Townsend, Chimacum and Brinnon received assistance for special classroom projects through the Jefferson County School Retirees Association’s mini-grant program.

These grants provide as much as $150 each for special classroom projects not funded by regular school district budget funds. According to a press release, the total of $2,160 in funds was awarded for the 2017-2018 school year.

Among the items for which teachers requested cash support were teaching kits, audio equipment, construction materials and special art supplies.

Recipients of the grants for 2017-2018 school year include Brinnon schoolteachers Heidi Budneck and Lisa Johnson; Chimacum School District teachers Jim Betteley, Al Gonzalez, Heidi Johnson and Kate Miller; and Port Townsend School District teachers Tim Behrenfeld, Paula Collet, Amos Freeman, Karmen Meier, Don Oliviera, Lisa Olsen, Kaleen Steinke, Dorothy Stengel and Mark Tallarico.

Elementary schools seek volunteers

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the University Women’s Foundation (UWF) of Port Townsend are recruiting substitute volunteers to work with elementary students at Grant Street and Chimacum Elementary schools in the areas of literacy and mathematics.

Early reading skills are developed through one-on-one tutoring with students in kindergarten and first grade. In mathematics, volunteers help third-grade students concentrate on math concepts, such as place value, rounding numbers, adding to 1,000 and equal fractions.

To help students meet the Common Core State Standards, volunteers encourage students to explain and defend their math strategies.

Recruitment and training is ongoing as substitute volunteers are always needed.

Those interested in volunteering can contact one of the following: Chimacum literacy – Debra Ayres at chimacumlit@aauwpt.org or 531-1099; Grant Street literacy – Anita Snell at grantstlit@aauwpt.org or 379-2807; Chimacum math – Gay Eisenberger at chimacummath@aauwpt.org or 379-4678; Grant Street math – Lisa Cartwright at grantsmath@aauwpt.org or 379-4535.

County students make dean’s lists, honor rolls

Nicola Pieper of Port Hadlock has been named to the dean’s list at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, for the fall 2017 semester. Pieper is a junior majoring in theater and cinema, and media communication. Undergraduate students must earn a 3.5 grade point average or above for 12 or more hours of graded work to earn a spot on the dean’s list.

Spencer Aston of Port Townsend has earned a place on the dean’s list for the fall 2017 semester at Montana State University. Students earning a grade point average of 3.5 or above are named to the dean’s list and must complete a minimum of 12 degree-eligible credit hours to be on the list.

Jacob W. Vande Griend of Port Townsend has been named to the scholastic honor roll at Oregon State University with a 3.5 or better grade point average. Vande Griend is a sophomore studying physics.

Ewan Thomas Shortess of Port Townsend was named to Iowa State University’s fall 2017 dean’s list. Shortess is in his fourth year, studying supply chain management. Students named to the ISU dean’s list must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Sharon Small of Brinnon has earned a place on the dean’s list at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Small is a freshman majoring in elementary education.

The university’s dean’s list recognizes students who earn a 3-3.74 grade point average during the semester.

Four Jefferson County students were named to Central Washington University’s fall quarter 2017 honor roll. Those students are freshman Jessica Leigh Dygert of Port Ludlow, junior Baili Jordan Shaw and senior Jessica Ruth Reid of Port Townsend, and sophomore Megan MacKenzie Weller of Quilcene. Central undergraduate students who earn a 3.5 or higher grade point average while carrying at least 12 graded credit hours of study are eligible for the honor roll.

Compiled by Leader staff writer Katie Kowalski.