Erica Griffiths: I am writing to highly recommend Erica Griffiths for recognition of the Beaverton Youth Achievement Award. In my role as a school counselor at Southridge High School, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Erica well over the last couple of school years, and I can confidently say that she is an exceptional student and an outstanding, kind individual. Academically, Erica has consistently demonstrated remarkable dedication and achieved an impressive 4.24 GPA. Her commitment to her studies is evident through her consistently high performance across various subjects and she has challenged herself by taking many rigorous IB courses over the years. Erica's intellectual curiosity and academic performance set her apart from her peers. She will graduate on the Honor Roll and be recognized as a Southridge Scholar - an award designed to honor academically well-rounded students who have pushed themselves to excel in a strong and challenging four-year educational program. Beyond her academic prowess, Erica possesses a genuine empathy for others that is noteworthy. She consistently displays kindness, compassion, and understanding towards her peers, teachers, and the community at large. Her ability to connect with people on a deeper level and understand their perspectives allows her to foster a positive and inclusive environment wherever she goes. Students and staff are better for knowing her. Erica's dedication to her studies is paralleled by her involvement in extracurricular activities. Despite her demanding academic schedule, she actively participates in various clubs and organizations, where she has made significant contributions. She is particularly proud of her involvement with the DECA Business Club where she quickly worked her way up to managing the school’s Hawk Hut Cafe. Erica credits her involvement with DECA for her increased confidence and discovering her innate ability to lead and manage people. Her leadership skills shine through as she takes on responsibilities and works collaboratively with her peers to serve the school community. Erica also volunteers at one of our feeder middle schools, is manager for the varsity tennis team and actively participates in a number of afterschool clubs. Over the years, I have witnessed Erica's growth as a communicator and advocate. She articulates her thoughts and ideas with clarity and confidence. Erica is an active listener who values the opinions and perspectives of others. Her ability to effectively communicate and advocate for herself and others will make her an invaluable asset to any team or organization she becomes a part of. In conclusion, I could not give a higher recommendation for Erica Griffiths to be considered for this award. Her exceptional academic achievements, coupled with her kindness, unwavering work ethic, and strong leadership skills make her a standout candidate. I have no doubt that Erica will continue to excel and make meaningful contributions to her community, consistently making a positive impact on everyone around her.
Kyle Hanson: This is the letter his high school counselor wrote for college admission: To Whom It May Concern: Kyle Hanson’s academic talents, leadership skills and his desire to positively move Beaverton High School and our larger community forward are unprecedented within my career. Kyle was our school’s youngest ASB President and, more than likely, will be our Valedictorian this year. In addition, Kyle has taken advantage of and thrived in all of the academic challenges that BHS could offer him. However, what makes Kyle truly remarkable, is his thoughtfulness and dedication to lift up the world around him. When BHS’s long standing principal retired a couple of years ago, another counselor (only half jokingly) said that Kyle should be our next principal. Kyle's ability to find ways to utilize his maturity, as well as his organizational and analytical skills to make every room he enters better is unparalleled. He’s dedicated over 800 hours to BHS through student leadership activities that include coordinating our holiday giving program while also extensively involved at the highest student leadership levels within Key Club International. One of my favorite aspects of Kyle is how much he wants to learn about the systems and the people in the world around him. When Kyle first found out that BIPOC students were far less likely to be exposed to STEM fields, he decided to start the first BHS chapter of MESA as well as championed the district wide work of Create Invest Inspire (CIA) program. Additionally, when Kyle was ASB president last year, he coordinated with our MECHA club to increase the diversity of BHS student leadership. Kyle has demonstrated his drive as well as his ability to find intellectual challenges and excel academically both within and outside of our school. Outside of BHS, Kyle’s intellectual curiosity and the limitations of our master schedule have led him to take classes like Linear Algebra and, currently, a second year college level Spanish course at a local Community College. Last year, when his AP Physics class at BHS didn’t get through all of the curriculum, Kyle taught himself a large chunk of the class that ultimately allowed him to get a 5 on that AP test. Kyle’s humility and kindness really astounds me and the other staff at BHS. When Kyle took AP Statistics as an 11th grader (as we didn’t offer Calculus BC last year), he not only excelled in that class but he also tutored many of his 12th grade classmates. Kyle’s teachers say that he “uplifts” others by helping others as well as leading by example. One of his teachers commented that Kyle is “legit the best kid (in every way) that I’ve ever had in my classroom.” In the future, Kyle plans to further his knowledge and talents for social entrepreneurship and STEM related fields by contributing to business/entrepreneurship aspects of bioengineering. I truly can’t wait to see how the world will be changed by Kyle Hanson.
Leilani Palafox: Leilani has been ASB of Spirit and Events and a dedicated member of Mecha, and Key club and tennis. MECHA stands for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán. Some topics they talk about in their meetings are overall issues they find themselves in throughout the year and how they can make events and school events more inclusive. They all make a sense of family at school. They all get to be themselves among each other and build a connection that expresses love throughout the school. Key Club is an international organization that is dedicated to serving the community. Leilani has provided opportunities for service, community building, and leadership. She works hard to ensure that voices are heard and that people are represented. She is one of the strongest leaders in the class of 2024. She is well respected by her peers and always looking for ways to improve the community and stay involved. Working with Leilani makes other people better.