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FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
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HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION 2014 SPOTLIGHT
RHS seniors excel in computer science, student government political science. “Computer science is the future. There’s always new technology, new apps and new Cameron Akker and Jazmin Diebler reach programs,” said Akker, who will give one out and slap each other a high-five. of the valediction speeches at graduation, One week prior to their Redmond High which will take place at 2 p.m. on Monday at School (RHS) graduation, the seKeyArena. nior standouts are still celebrating Akker is also fascinated with “You’ve got to something that happened three the efficiencies of hydrogen fuel explore everything years ago. As sophomores, they cells, which he studied for seven and have a hunger were part of a group that pulled weeks last summer in a lab at for knowledge. some all-nighters to prepare for Stony Brook University in New a presentation about the history There’s so much out York. Diebler was blown away and literature of the Middle East. there.” when she witnessed Akker’s preThey nailed an A in a class that Cameron Akker sentation on the subject in class. was tough to earn that top grade. While at RHS, Akker broke That was the start of their away from the computer screen high-school career and now the and took an interest in student duo is on the verge of leaving the government and literature by bustling RHS halls and classrooms behind reading “Dante’s Inferno” and “The Canterthem and moving on to the next stages of bury Tales.” Looking even further out of his their academic careers and lives. computer-science box, Akker notes — with The students sat down with the Reporter a spark in his eyes — that he may want to on Monday to discuss their RHS careers for attend law school someday. our graduate-spotlight edition. “You’ve got to explore everything and have a hunger for knowledge. There’s so much out AKKER IS HEADED TO HARVARD there,” said Akker, who’s mentioned Harvard The 17-year-old Harvard Universityprofessor Michael Sandel’s “Justice” online bound student learned to write code when course and may take a poli-sci class in perhe was in seventh grade and “it’s just kind of son with him in the future. gone on from that,” said the son of a former Looking back on his RHS years, Akker Microsoft employee. At Harvard, Akker — said that he’s had the honor of interacting who notched a 4.0 grade-point average all with many friends who have provided “eyethree years of high school and as a freshman opening” inspiration each day. at Redmond Junior High — will major in “I like getting to know all sorts of people computer science and also plans to focus on [ more MUSTANGS page 8 ] ANDY NYSTROM
anystrom@redmond-reporter.com
Redmond High School seniors Cameron Akker and Jazmin Diebler hang out in the school’s quad. The Mustang graduation ceremony is at 2 p.m. Monday at KeyArena. ANDY NYSTROM, Redmond Reporter
Bear Creek students score on the field and in the classroom SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
Bear Creek senior Stan Leszynski will attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter
For Caroline Bridgwater and Stan Leszynski, high school has been about getting involved and making sure their last four years at The Bear Creek School were the best they could be — for themselves as well as their classmates. The two graduating seniors challenged themselves to try new things and as a result, discovered passions and skills they never would have found otherwise and will take
with them as they move forward. At 2 p.m. on Saturday, Bridgwater and Leszynski will take their first steps forward from high school at the Bear Creek commencement ceremony at First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. They will be two of 56 seniors graduating from the school.
SCHOOL PRIDE AND HIDDEN PASSION
When Bridgwater entered her freshman year, she decided to join Bear Creek’s associated student [ more GRIZZLIES page 8 ]
Bear Creek senior Caroline Bridgwater will attend the University of Washington next year. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter