Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, May 11, 2012
www.issaquahreporter.com
Dog breeder charged with cruelty
Monisha Gulabani will go to Washington D.C., June 16, where she will be honored along with 141 other Presidential Scholars from around the country. KEVIN
BY CELESTE GRACEY CGRACEY@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
ENDEJAN, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
PRESIDENTIAL PRIDE
Eastlake’s Monisha Gulabani becomes second Presidential Scholar in family BY KEVIN ENDEJAN KENDEJAN@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
B
eing named one of 141 Presidential Scholars in the nation is remarkable in itself. Consider that Sammamish resident Monisha Gulabani is the second member of her family to achieve the rare distinction and, well, it’s virtually unheard of. “The main common thread between both of us doing this is that we’ve both been fortunate enough to go to Eastlake and have the opportunity to learn from the teachers here and be inspired by them,” said a modest Gulabani. Last Wednesday, May 2, the 18-year-old was notified by the United States Department of Education that she was the female selection from Washington state. Her sister, Anisha, who is preparing to graduate from Harvard this spring, won the award in 2008 while attending Eastlake. “We are very grateful for the good educa-
tion both the girls have had in the Lake Washington School District,” said mother, Kavita, noting that a good home environment and a focus on maintaining a hard work ethic were also crucial. In all, one male and one female scholar are chosen per state, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and from U.S. families living abroad. Winners were picked based on outstanding academic achievements, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service and contributions to school and community. “I just feel very privileged to be able to have the opportunity to be a Presidential Scholar and meet the other students who received this award,” Monisha said. “I’m inspired by the determination of others, so I’m honored.” It wasn’t hard for the Commission on Presidential Scholars to pick Eastlake’s academic star out of a crowd. The 4.0 student, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School of Business next fall, stays plenty active inside and outside of school. She’s a committee chair for Eastlake’s Science Honor Society, co-president of East-
“She’s been so positive and so humble and so thankful. We see that so rarely as teachers that it really does stand out.” - Rachelle Horner, teacher lake’s Junior Orthopedic Guild for Seattle Children’s Hospital and a committee chair for the Eastlake Relay for Life. Her involvement with the latter two organizations are personal. At 12, Monisha was diagnosed with Synovial Cell Sarcoma — one of the most common pediatric soft tissue cancers. The SEE SCHOLAR, 12
A show dog breeder accused of housing one hundred dogs in feces and starving them has been charged with animal cruelty. Margaret Ann Hamilton, 70, of Issaquah was the only suspect charged, after her husband, James, died a few weeks after the October 2011 discovery. Fourteen of the dogs were so ill when King County Animal Control discovered them, veterinarians euthanized them. Many of the pups had dental problems, some so severe their jaws rotted off. In one case, a pregnant dog named “beauty” had such an advanced case of periodontal disease, that in an attempted cleaning, the dog lost three teeth, according to the charging papers. Police first learned about the ill and emaciated dogs after members of Pasado’s Safe Haven broke into a home in Burien. They turned in a video of the basement, where roughly half the couple’s dogs were kenneled, according to the papers. Police questioned the Burien homeowner until his arrest, SEE CRUELTY, 8
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