Good News September 8, 2015

Red Canoe Credit Union Supply Drive a Success

The Red Canoe Credit Union supply drive was one of the most successful in recent history. It raised 3,340 pounds of supplies with 928 of them coming from the district’s headquarters, the ESC. The district’s Maintenance Department donated the proceeds of a golf tournament towards school supplies.

Many thanks to Red Canoe Credit Union for organizing the drive and donating the supplies to our students, and supporting Communities in Schools of Federal Way with a matching donation. Last year, 12,183 students – or 58.8% of our total student population — qualified for free/reduced lunch. The need is great, and the response was fantastic.  We want to thank the community for helping ensure many of these students start this year off right.

Technology Access Foundation to partner with Martinez Foundation

The Technology Access Foundation, our partner in the TAF Academy, has announced it will join forces with the Martinez Foundation this October, 2015.

Created by former Mariner Edgar Martinez and his wife Holli, the Martinez Foundation Fellowship program works to attract and support people of color who are committed to equity in education and giving back to their communities. Martinez Fellows attend workshops and seminars and are eligible for scholarships to continue their formal education. Gus Montgomery, teacher at Wildwood Elementary, is a “veteran” Martinez Fellow.

Other Fellows include:  TAF Academy teachers Angelica Sauceda, Carlito Umali, Cassandra Rodriguez, Ashleigh Shoecraft. And from Mark Twain Elementary, second grade teacher, Vanessa Pham.

Federal Way Public Academy Alum Designing Smarter, Intuitive Cars

Scott Johnston, an FWPS alum who attended Adelaide, Lakota, FWPA and Highline Community College Running Start, is now a senior mechanical engineering student at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. As a second-year member of the school’s Valeo Innovation Challenge team, Johnston is working to design smarter, more intuitive cars.

Just two U.S. colleges are among the twenty teams from 12 countries selected to build prototypes vehicles in the competition. Six teams will advance to present their designs in Paris, France, which will be judged by automotive industry experts.

His parents, Lisa and David are current and former FWPS teachers.

Gillespie Family Organized Golf Charity Event Raises Funds

After 39 years, FWPS educator Julie Gillespie retired this past June.  During her career, she was a special education teacher, reading specialist, and librarian and worked at Olympic View, Rainier View, and Sherwood Forest elementary schools. Her son, Charlie Gillespie, organized and held a golf charity event this summer at the North Shore Golf Course to honor his mother’s teaching career in FWPS.

Principals Marla Newton, Kent Cross and Alisa DeSart attended the event and accepted the $1200 donation, earmarked to purchase books for their schools. Thank you to the Gillespie family for this generous donation that will benefit our students!

Todd Beamer Grad and IT Intern Majors in Computer Science at WWU

Todd Beamer grad, Marco Basilio, is currently attending WWU, majoring in computer science. During his junior year in high school, he joined the FWPS IT Department’s Student Tech program and became a highly skilled member of the team.

This summer, Marco was hired by the Bellingham School District as a Student-Tech intern – a pilot year for this program, modeled on the FWPS program. As part of the hiring process, Marco completed a technology exam with top results scoring 100% and completing the hour-long test in just 10 minutes.

The pilot program proved so successful, because of  interns like Marco, the Bellingham School District is planning to fully implement a student intern program in their IT Department.