The Rotary Club of Burien/White Center recently awarded local winners of its 2010 Scholarships, which includes students from Evergreen, Highline, Kennedy and the Puget Sound Skills Center.

The club grants a student from each school for extraordinary community service with a “Service Above Self” award. 

The scholarships recipients this year were:

• Evergreen – Fabian Valencia and Mahlet Assefa
• Highline – Giovanni Torres and Dijana Raco
• Kennedy Catholic – Bridget Grotz and Mary Corbett

The Service Above Self Winners were:

• Evergreen – Nicolas Malagon-Lopez
• Highline – Michelle Wunch
• Kennedy Catholic – Cerice Keller

This year a third scholarship was granted to three sisters within the same family – the Corbett sisters are all graduates of Kennedy Catholic High School:

• Katie (2005)
• Mary (2010)
• Meagan (2008)

Congratulations to this year’s 2010 Scholarship Winners:

White Center’s Evergreen High School is at the center of attention again, and this time seems even worse – a Level 3 sex offender named Lashawn Jamar Ferguson, a convicted rapist, has been fired after serving as a volunteer for the football team.

This is the second sexually-related incident to taint the school’s athletics program. As we reported May 18th, another volunteer, Jayson Boehm, was alleged to have provided health care to student athletes without appropriate medical supervision, as well as possibly fondling some male athletes. He was fired and barred from school grounds. Ferguson was escorted off campus, according to the Highline School District.

Ferguson, convicted of rape in 1998, is now being held without bail in the King County Jail for failure to register as a sex offender.

Evergreen High School is located at 830 SW 116th Street.

Our friends at KING-TV produced this video report on this story:

Story by Janet Grella with photos by Michael Brunk

Over 300 supporters of the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence gathered at the DoubleTree Guest Suites in Southcenter on Friday, May 21st to celebrate the Tenth Annual Gold Star Awards for the Highline School District.

The highly supportive audience was also told that the foundation has raised over $1 million in its 10-year history. These donations have funded many opportunities for teachers and students that they may not have had otherwise.

Honored Gold Star recipients were:

Outstanding Administrator – Rick Harwood, Principal at Global Connections High School. Mr. Harwood was honored as he “embodies all the traits of a knowledgeable, dedicated, caring and hard-working principal. All his actions and energies are centered around creating kind, intelligent, thoughtful and action-oriented young adults.”

Outstanding Classified Employee – Jacqueline Faundez, Cedarhurst Elementary. The Gold Star committee found Ms. Faundez “an especially effective advocate for our students most in need, regardless of home language or background. As an ELL tutor, Jacqueline is a professional in every sense – good at what she does and continually striving to improve.”

Outstanding Teacher – Carlyn Roedell, Bow Lake Elementary. Ms Roedell was chosen as she is “the paragon of an effective teacher. She loves to learn and she loves to teach. Her students are inspired by her enthusiasm, joy, and hard work. The test results back up her success.”

Outstanding Volunteers – Klara & Braxton Dunn, Gregory Heights Elementary were selected due to “their dedication, belief in children, and high standards, which led them to introduce themselves and ask to help out ten years ago. They have a passion for inspiring youngsters.”

The last award in this annual fund raising event was for Lifetime Achievement and was awarded to Reba Gilman, CEO/Principal of Aviation High School. Ms. Gilman spent 16 years at Seatac’s Occupational Skills Center prior to becoming the first Principal of Highline’s Aviation High School. The award was presented by Tom Russell, Emeritus Trustee for the Foundation.

Musical entertainment included harpist Clara McMichael from Pacific Middle School and Mt. Rainier High School’s “Music Company” directed by Sara Stricherz. The guests enjoyed a wide variety of song and dance from this award winning choir during lunch.

The Master of Ceremonies was Peter Fewing. Besides being a proud Pirate and Highline High School graduate. Mr. Fewing is known around the Northwest for Peter Fewing Soccer Camps and his broadcast on 710 ESPN radio, talking about what else, but Soccer. He is also coach of the Kitsap Pumas.

Boeing was the Executive Event Sponsor. Event Sponsors included Rogers and Norman, Saint-Gobain Containers and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

Photographer Michael Brunk assembled this slideshow with additional scenes from the awards luncheon.

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

We just received word from Highline Public Schools that they are investigating allegations that Jayson Boehm, a one-time volunteer for Evergreen High School athletic teams, provided health care to student athletes without appropriate medical supervision, as well as possibly fondling some male athletes.

Upon learning of the allegations, the district fired Boehm and barred him from school property.

According to the district, the allegations against Boehm came to light through two sources:

1. A school nurse alerted her supervisor when she noticed that Boehm had written a medical excuse for a student.
2. At the same time, a King County Sheriff’s detective alerted the district of their investigation into allegations that Boehm inappropriately examined an athlete in a Police Athletic League boxing competition in White Center (read our coverage of that event here). The athlete is an adult and not a student.

The district says that the King County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Health have been investigating Boehm’s conduct. The district is cooperating with these agencies and has launched its own investigation, taking the following actions:

• Identifying an outside investigator to continue the investigation.
• Contracted with WIAA to conduct a full audit of the management of high school and middle school athletic programs and pledged to fully comply with the recommendations of WIAA.
• Placed the district athletic director and a high school athletic director on administrative leave until the conclusion of the investigation.
• Informing parents of all students who received physicals from Boehm. Parents of students participating in spring sports were immediately informed by personal phone call.
• Arranged for all affected athletes to receive physicals from the Highline Youth Health Center at district expense.

“Student safety is our highest priority,” said Superintendent John Welch. “We are committed to making any changes necessary to ensure the protection and well-being of all students participating in our programs.”

As a substitute stadium manager, Boehm was to provide logistical support for activities at Highline’s Memorial Field in Burien. He had also been contracted to provide first aid at athletic events and to give first aid training to coaches and PE teachers, which he was qualified to do as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician.

Boehm had also served as a substitute stadium manager at Highline Stadium in Burien.

The Highline Public Schools recently held a district-wide food drive for the first time this year, bringing in 6,365 pounds of food and over $2,400 in cash, with all proceeds going to three area food banks: White Center, Des Moines, and Highline Food Banks.

“It’s a great start,” said White Center Food Bank’s Resource Coordinator Audrey Zemke. “Now that we have the basics in place, I’m excited to see what we can do next year!”

And, according to the Highline School District, they definitely will do it again next year.

Here is a breakdown of the results, by area:

The White Center Food Bank received a total of 2,297 pounds of food and $39.00.

• 561 pounds of food from Cedarhurst Elementary
• 320 pounds of food from the Honor Society at Evergreen High School
• 1,237 pounds of food & $15.00 from Hazel Valley Elementary
• 100 pounds of food & $24.00 from ERAC
• 79 pounds of food from Shorewood Elementary

The Highline Area Food Bank received a total of 2,684 pounds of food and $365.00.

• 943 pounds of food from Gregory Heights Elementary
• 461 pounds of food from CHOICE
• 239 pounds of food from Highline High School
• 511 pounds of food and $160.00 from Transportation
• 530 pounds of food from Facilities
• $205.00 from ERAC

The Des Moines Area Food Bank received a total of 1,384 pounds of food and $2,003.93.

• 1,384 pounds of food from Parkside Elementary.
• $1,805.00 from Des Moines Elementary’s penny drive
• $140.00 from ERAC

The Highline School District will be holding a food drive the week of April 26 – 30, with donations going to both the White Center and Des Moines Food Banks.

According to a release, each school will set a goal, in pounds, for their individual food drive.

With the Feinstein Foundation Challenge still active, donations could effectively be doubled through April 30th.

“This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact on the needs of our community members,” said Audrey Zemke of the White Center Food Bank. “The Alan Feinstein Foundation splits one million dollars in matching funds for all monetary and food donations through April 30.”

So parents, start scouring your cupboards for some extra food for your kids to bring to school.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline School District food drive.

WHEN: The week of April 26 – 30 (Mon-Fri).

WHERE: All Highline Public Schools.

INFO: From a release:

Help fight hunger! Did you know one in five families with children in our region does not have enough money to buy food?

During the week of April 26 – 30, you have a chance to help change that! Highline Public Schools will partner with the Des Moines and White Center Food Banks to raise food and funds for the hungry.

Each school will set a goal, in pounds, for their individual food drive.

We can do this! Stamp out hunger in our community!

Bring non-perishable items…

OR

CASH! ($1 = $4 buying power!)

You can also donate online:

• www.myfoodbank.org (Des Moines)
• www.whitecenterfoodbank.org

Or send donations to:

Highline Food Bank
P.O. Box 66427
Burien, WA 98166

Manoush Genet Casteñada, a sophomore at Highline’s Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3) performed a live reading and signed copies of “The Way of the Owls,” her first novel last Thursday, April 1st on the Evergreen campus in White Center.

As we reported last week when we first posted the event listing, Casteñada wrote the book when she was just 14, and recently self-published it. Set in her parents’ native Mexico, Manoush was inspired to write it after living in Mexico for a year when she was ten years old. Friends of her grandparents, who had grown up in the area, frequently visited and told Manoush stories of the people and past events of the region. Manoush began recording these in her diary.

At age 12, after returning to the U.S., Manoush was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological disorder that affects muscle control. Manoush immersed herself in writing to distract her from painful muscle spasms. She melded the stories she had recorded in her diary with the character Maximiana, based on her great-great-grandmother.

Here’s Michael Brunks Sound Slideshow of the event; be sure to turn your speakers up:

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s SoundSlideshow

A sophomore at Highline’s Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3) will read from her first novel and sign copies of her book at an event Thursday, April 1st on the Evergreen campus. Manoush Casteñada-Vizcarra wrote “The Way of the Owls” when she was 14. She recently self-published the book and is currently working on a new novel.

Set in her parents’ native Mexico, “The Way of the Owls” tells the story of a young woman determined to overcome oppression.

“The Ways of the Owls deals with profound issues of gender oppression and personal freedom that draws the reader into the lives of the young Mexican girl Maximiana and those around her,” says John Griffith, University of Washington Associate Professor of English.

Manoush was inspired to write “The Ways of the Owls” while living in Mexico for a year when she was ten years old. Her parents had purchased a 17th century hacienda and were renovating it into a rural public library. Friends of her grandparents, who had grown up in the area, frequently visited and told Manoush stories of the people and past events of the region. Manoush began recording these in her diary.

At age 12, after returning to the U.S., Manoush was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological disorder that affects muscle control. Manoush immersed herself in writing to distract her from painful muscle spasms. She melded the stories she had recorded in her diary with the character Maximiana, based on her great-great-grandmother.

“I grew up learning about her as a very strong and intelligent woman who fought for women’s rights in her own way,” says Manoush.

The book signing will be held Thursday, April 1, from 2:30-3:30pm at the Evergreen Campus library. The free event is hosted by Community Schools Collaboration and Evergreen Campus library. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

On Wednesday, March 24th, White Water Aquatics Management announced that it will be re-opening White Center’s Evergreen Pool “by May 1st” in a unique private/public partnership with the Highline School District.

As we’ve previously reported, Evergreen Pool shuttered its doors on Sept. 1, 2009, and has remained closed since. This new agreement appears to have been finalized at Wednesday night’s Highline School District board meeting, and repairs are already underway, including planning for a spring break scrub-and-paint marathon.

“Swimming and water recreation offer lifelong health and safety benefits, and we are so pleased to be able to offer this programming to White Center and our community”, said Ed Marrs, president of Whitewater Aquatics, and a professional firefighter in The North Highline Fire District. “We would like to thank The Highline School District, King County, Dow Constantine and dozens of Whitewater Swim Team Families who all worked tirelessly to ensure that we could open this pool. Our unique public-private partnership is an example of how citizens can mobilize and assist government in challenging times”, he continued.

“It’s a hectic time at The Evergreen Community Aquatic Center, but we are truly excited to embark on this new venture,” said newly appointed pool manager, current WWA Head Coach Joel Schweiger. “We hope to release our calendar and start promoting spring swim lessons by April 5th.”

Schweiger, an accomplished competitive swimmer, has managed several pools in California and has over 14 years coaching experience up to the highest levels of the sport.

Here’s the full press release:

Evergreen Community Aquatics Center set to re-open by May 1st in unique private/public Partnership

A non-profit swim team, and its volunteer parent directors, work with Highline School District, King County and Dow Constantine to open pool in White Center.

Officials of White Water Aquatics Management, LLC, a not-for-profit subsidiary of an area swim team, today announce that they have reached an agreement to re-open Evergreen Community Aquatic Center (formerly Evergreen Pool) in White Center on or before May 1, 2010. From the time King County closed the pool last summer, the parents of children who compete on the Whitewater Aquatics Swim Team have worked with The Highline School District and King County to develop an operating agreement. White Water Aquatics Management has developed a business plan to operate the pool with a full range of programming for diverse community needs, and has raised over $50,000 in private donations to get started.

“Swimming and water recreation offer lifelong health and safety benefits, and we are so pleased to be able to offer this programming to White Center and our community”, said Ed Marrs, president of Whitewater Aquatics, and a professional firefighter in The North Highline Fire District. “We would like to thank The Highline School District, King County, Dow Constantine and dozens of Whitewater Swim Team Families who all worked tirelessly to ensure that we could open this pool. Our unique public-private partnership is an example of how citizens can mobilize and assist government in challenging times”, he continued.

With repairs underway, planning for a spring break scrub-and-paint marathon, lesson calendars and schedule planning in the works – as well an operating swim team preparing for several swim meets – it’s a “hectic time at The Evergreen Community Aquatic Center, but we are truly excited to embark on this new venture”, said newly appointed pool manager, current WWA Head Coach Joel Schweiger. “We hope to release our calendar and start promoting spring swim lessons by April 5th.” Schweiger, an accomplished competitive swimmer, has managed several pools in California and has over fourteen years coaching experience up to the highest levels of the sport.

About Evergreen Community Aquatic Center
The Evergreen Community Aquatic Center, formerly Evergreen Pool, is located at 606 SW 116th Street in Unincorporated King County. Built as one of the forward thrust bond issue pools in the 1960’s, until last year it was operated by King County. In January, ownership of the pool reverted to The Highline School District, which did not have the funding to re-open the pool. The pool is adjacent to the Burien annexation area but will remain in Unincorporated King County.

About Whitewater Swim Club
Whitewater Swim Team Club is a not-for-profit swim club which is governed by a parent board of directors, and coached by professionals. Sanctioned by USA Swimming, which governs the sport all up to the Olympic level, the club has over 80 youths age 7-21 on our team. Several of the swimmers at Whitewater also compete on Highline High and Mt. Rainier High Swim Teams, as well five area summer league teams. The swim club is open to all who would like to compete, and it will pay for its pool time at Evergreen Community Aquatics Center.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• School Board Meeting On Evergreen Pool Is March 24
• Burien City Council Reacts To County’s Desire To Sell Puget Sound Park
• Update On Status Of Evergreen Pool From Whitewater Aquatics
• PHOTOS & SOUNDS: Scenes From Monday Night’s Rally To Save Evergreen Pool
• Want To Save Evergreen Pool? Rally Tonight From 5-7pm
• King County “Mothballing” 39 Parks, More Than A Third Of Which Are In The Area

This Wednesday, March 24th, there will be an important Highline School District board meeting, with a vote on turning over operations of White Center’s Evergreen Pool to Whitewater Aquatics on the agenda.

The meeting is at 6pm at New Start Alternative High School (formerly known as Salmon Creek Elementary), located at 614 SW 120th Street.

According to an email we received:

At this meeting we expect the board to vote on the contract to turn over the operations of the Evergreen pool to us.

We are asking that WhiteWater members attend this meeting to show support for this transfer.

Please wear as much WhiteWater attire as you have to identify us to the school board. Information on the meeting is below.

We will be having Head Coach Joel talk, as well as a senior swimmer. Come show your support!

- Ed Marrs

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 – beginning at 6 p.m.
New Start Alternative High School (also known as Salmon Creek Elementary)
614 SW 120th St, Seattle 98146

White Center’s Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3), located at the old Evergreen campus, is one of four Highline Public Schools to be recognized with the 2009 Washington Achievement Award, which celebrates the state’s top-performing schools and recognizes achievement in language arts, math, science, gifted education, graduation rate, and overall excellence.

The four Highline schools to receive the award include:

• Aviation High School – Science, Overall Excellence (Des Moines)
• Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment (ACE) – Language Arts (SeaTac)
• Health Sciences and Human Services High School (HS3) – Language Arts (White Center)
• Marvista Elementary – Science (Normandy Park)

The Washington Achievement Award was created by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. This highly selective award is based on schools’ performance according to the newly created School Accountability Index, a comprehensive measurement of how schools in Washington are performing over time. Schools are selected for the award based on their state assessment data for the previous three years.

“The selection process for the Washington Achievement Award is very rigorous, and your staff, students, parents, and community can take real pride in being part of this elite group,” said State Superintendent Randy Dorn.

“These awards show the progress we are making in student achievement,” said Highline Superintendent John Welch. “We have seen that when we raise the bar and hold students to high expectations, they meet and even exceed them.”

The award-winning schools will be recognized at a state awards ceremony in Renton on May 5th.

The Highline Schools Foundation is now accepting nominations for this year’s Gold Star Awards, which will honor outstanding teachers, staff, administrators and volunteers in the Highline Public Schools.

All members of the school community are invited to nominate their peers, and the deadline for nominations is April 1st.

Winners will receive a cash award and will be honored at the Foundation’s Gold Star Luncheon on May 21st.

Nomination forms will be available through school administrators and on the Foundation’s website: www.highlineschoolsfoundation.org, or you can download the form directly here.

The Gold Star Teacher of the Year will also be eligible to represent the District in the region’s Teacher of the Year contest.

Here’s more info on the May 21st awards luncheon:

Simply titled “ten”, this year’s luncheon is May 21, 2010 at the Double Tree Guest Suites Hotel and will feature programs of HSFFE over the past ten years and the impact we’ve had on the district. The emcee this year is none other than Highline High Schools famous alumnus Peter Fewing.

Each year, four Gold Star Awards are presented to an outstanding teacher, administrator, classified employee or support staff and volunteer of Highline Public Schools. All members of the district and community are invited to nominate an outstanding individual. Winners receive a cash award and will be honored at the luncheon. The Gold Star Outstanding Teacher will also be eligible to represent the District in the region’s Teacher of the Year contest. The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2010.

The proceeds from this luncheon support one of our major programs, classroom grants, which enrich the education experience for our students. We look forward to partnering with you this year and hope to see you at the 10th Annual Gold Star Luncheon!

Please see the links below for more information on becoming a sponsor at this years Gold Star or to download the Nomination form. For tickets, contact the Foundation Office at (206) 248-5196 or holly@highlineschoolsfoundation.org.

The Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence was established in 1999 with the purpose of providing community resources to help Highline Public Schools succeed. We believe that by helping to enrich the classroom and school experience, we can engage students to reach a higher level of learning, and the entire community will benefit. The Foundation is governed by a dedicated group of volunteer Trustees and is the only 501(c)(3) organization supporting all Highline Public Schools. The Foundation strives to be the single point of contact for community members, local and national business, service organizations and other foundations to connect their philanthropic efforts with a single school or the entire district.

If you’re not familiar with the Highline Schools Foundation, here’s a video:

The Highline School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night (Mar. 3rd) to move ahead with a federal grant application that would require major changes at White Center’s Cascade Middle School, as well as SeaTac’s Chinook Middle School.

Cascade Middle School is located at 11212 10th Avenue SW in White Center.

Here are more details from a press release sent to us:

The grant opportunity is part of new federal regulations that identify high-poverty schools with large numbers of struggling students. In order to get the funds, districts must agree to restructure the schools by next fall.

Last week, a team of 45 people, including teachers, central office staff, parents, and community partners, gathered for a two-day summit to begin formulating a restructuring plan. Sarah Weir of the White Center Community Development Association, one of the community partners to participate on the planning team, said she left the summit “feeling really optimistic about the passion and commitment of the people who serve our kids.”

“We recognize the need for school reform. We believe all students are capable of reaching their dreams, and we’re excited about the possibilities these changes will mean for our students,” said Chinook teacher Amber Larson. She emphasized that “school staff, central office leaders, the school board, and parents all hold responsibility and need to work together to make changes.”

Theresa Carlson, Cascade teacher and vice-president of the Highline Education Association, agreed, “We need to start climbing this mountain and taking some risks. We are all in this together.”

The school board endorsed the planning team’s outline and directed the district to submit the federal grant application on Friday. Elements of the plan include:

• Increasing accountability of the school board, central office administrators, and parents, as well as teachers; and giving a senior administrator authority to make bold decisions to support the schools.
• Increasing involvement of parents and community organizations in the schools through two-way communication, bi-lingual staff, parent advisory teams, and other means.
• Developing new ways of evaluating staff and providing meaningful incentives for staff and administrators.
• Rethinking the way school is delivered, such as trying innovative ways of structuring the school day.
• Use strategies that have been successful in other high-poverty, highly diverse schools, such as adjusting schools schedules to provide more learning time.
• Setting ambitious goals for student improvement and expecting all students to become prepared for post-high school education and the workplace.

The planning team also calls for the school district to support the restructuring plans through policy, technical assistance, commitment from the school board, and creation of a plan to sustain the changes beyond the life of the three-year grant.

Superintendent John Welch told the school board the plan “builds on the great work that is already happening at Chinook and Cascade.”

The federal accountability program requires school districts to choose one of four restructuring models:

• Closure: Close the school and send students to other schools in the district. The school board ruled out this option for Chinook and Cascade because other middle schools do not have room to accommodate all students.
• Restart: Open the school under a third party education management organization. This option was also rejected since charter schools are not allowed in Washington and the state has not issued a list of approved third parties.
• Turnaround: replace principal and at least 50% of staff. This option was also eliminated.
• Transformation: Replace the principal, reform the instructional model, develop teacher evaluations with student growth as a factor, increase community engagement, and extend learning time.

The school board decided last week to use the “transformation” model at both schools.

Highline Superintendent Welch acknowledges that the four federal models take a narrow approach to improving student achievement.

“The models imply that sole responsibility for getting middle school students to grade level is with the middle school teachers and principals,” said Welch. “We know there are other issues that need to be addressed—in elementary schools, in our system as a whole, and in the community. Still, this is an opportunity to gain some resources we haven’t had before to tackle issues at the middle school level.”

The school district expects to know by March 26 if the funds will be granted. The money could start flowing to the schools by April. If that happens, teachers would start professional development this summer. There could also be summer programs for incoming 7th graders. The schools would open in September with the changes in place.

Story & Photos by Janet Grella

Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence celebrated their major donors and board participants at a special awards luncheon at The House Restaurant in Burien on Wednesday, Feb. 10th.

According to Holly Moore, Foundation Executive, the luncheon was made possible by an Anonymous Donor’s $2,000 gift.

Chef Will and hostess Stephanie prepared and served a four-course meal to 39 guests, while Board President Maya Mendoza-Exstrom, Highline Superintendent John Welch and the Foundation’s Holly Moore awarded five couples for their personal and financial support to the Foundation over the 10-years since the Foundation was started.

In the first of what will be an annual event plaques of appreciation were give to:

• Eric and Suzanne Aasness
• Sandra and Denny Eliason
• Tom and Leann Russell
• Nanci Tangeman and Chris Blumenthal
• Sharon and David Wilson (who were acknowledged posthumosly for their long-term support Highline Schools Foundation)

Ms. Moore also shared a “traveling plaque” with the audience that included the recipient’s names. It will be displayed at various schools throughout the Highline School system.

Superientendent Welch noted the good efforts and commitments of the Highline Schools Foundation, and their funding of programs during these “challenging financial times.” He particularly called attention to the arts and athletics support given by the foundation.

If you are interested in donating to or learning more about Highline Schools Foundation for excellence, click here.

Here’s Janet Grella’s Photo Slideshow of the event:

Click to View Janet Grella’s Photo Slideshow

Highline School District students can earn money for their schools by participating in the 2010 Cove to Clover 5K race, which is coming to the Burien area Sunday, March 14th (read our previous coverage here).

The Grand Prize will be $1,500, donated to the winning school. The winning school will be determined by which one has the highest percentage of registrants compared to the school’s total enrollment – $5 will be donated to each school whose name is entered into the “Registration Code” for online registrants (and every registrant must enter a code).

Entries must be received by 11:59pm Monday, March 1st (two weeks before race day, which is March 14th) to be counted toward a school’s total.

Here are the details of how kids can help their schools:

School Registration Contest: $1,500 Grand Prize (donated to winning school)

Here are the current standings:

Current School Registration Status (updated nightly)

Beverly Park Elementary School (located at 1201 South 104th Street), is one of 11 schools honored for completing the first level of King County’s Green Schools Program.

It is one of four Highline School District schools recognized; the others include Gregory Heights Elementary in Burien, Madrona Elementary School in SeaTac, and North Hill Elementary School in Des Moines.

Each school received a “We are a King County Green School” banner, a certificate of recognition, a success story on the program Web site and mention in a press release issued by King County.

Participating schools receive assistance on how to conserve resources such as paper, electricity and water, and they are often rewarded with reduced utility and garbage disposal costs.

“Each of these 11 schools has involved its whole school community – students, teachers and administrators – in reducing garbage and increasing recycling,” said Dale Alekel, King County Green Schools Program manager.

Highline Schools honored include:

• Beverly Park Elementary School (unincorporated King County)
• Gregory Heights Elementary School (Burien)
  
• Madrona Elementary School (SeaTac)
• North Hill Elementary School (Des Moines)

These schools completed level one of the program by initiating or improving recycling practices and engaging in waste-reduction strategies, such as decreasing paper use. Success stories for each school are at this website.

According to the King County website, some of Beverly Parks’ achievements include:

Waste Reduction and Recycling:

• Beverly Park Elementary School increased its recycling rate from 33 percent to 38 percent.
• To compost food and yard waste, paraeducator Karen Eng spearheaded the creation of two outdoor worm bins. With help from the Green Schools Program, sixth grade students from teacher Rosanne Esposito’s class participated in a King County Green Team workshop on how to compost using a worm bin. Each lunch period, selected students collect food scraps and tend the worm bin.
• The school started recycling breakfast milk cartons and currently recycles approximately 150 milk cartons and 120 juice cartons per day. Custodian Archie Champion has led this effort.
• Recycling containers provided by the Green Schools Program were added to the lunchroom for milk cartons, juice boxes, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and food scraps.
• School staff placed recycling stickers on all recycling containers. Provided by the Green Schools Program, the stickers list what can and cannot be recycled.
• Beverly Park has adopted and promoted a double-sided copy policy which has helped decrease paper waste.

Participation in the King County Green Schools Program has grown each year. To date, 10 of King County’s 18 school districts have received assistance or are now participating, and in doing so they have increased recycling, reduced energy and resource consumption, and engaged students in benefiting the environment.

The program has helped more than 300 schools cut waste and save resources since its inception in 2003. By providing hands-on assistance, including school visits, tailored recommendations, help with outreach to students and staff, and recycling containers and stickers, the Green Schools Program provides schools and school districts with the support they need to set up and maintain effective conservation practices.

In addition to providing schools with the hands-on help they need, the program offers a website, www.kingcounty.gov/GreenSchools, with useful tools and resources.

Schools interested in receiving assistance to improve conservation practices can contact Dale Alekel at dale.alekel@kingcounty.gov.