Three Scholars Get Free Tickets To College Of Their Choice In State

Three Spokane Valley high school seniors won full rides at any public college or university in Washington.

They were named Washington Scholars - along with 143 other students across the state - by the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Board last month.

“We’re talking about the top 1 percent,” said Stephen Smith, executive policy assistant to Gov. Mike Lowry. But, he added, when community service and leadership are factored in with academic achievement, “it’s really a fraction of the top 1 percent.”

West Valley’s Heather Beese, East Valley’s Heather Carlson, and Central Valley’s Brett Schmauch all are eligible to receive full or partial tuition at any state college or university.

“I was really excited,” said Carlson when she learned she had received the award. Carlson, who turns 18 on Monday, plans to take pre-med courses at the University of Washington starting this fall.

The Washington Scholars program annually recognizes three graduating seniors from each legislative district on the basis of academic achievement, leadership and community service.

About 60 percent of the students recognized remain in-state for college, said Ann McLendon, Washington Scholars program manager.

At EVHS, counselor Shirley Olson said it’s Heather Carlson’s community service that sets her apart from other students. “She’s going to be a doctor,” Olson said of Carlson. “She’s super involved in her youth group.”

In addition to participating in German, Spanish and science clubs and being in the National Honor Society, Carlson is active in a youth group at St. Joseph’s Church and belongs to an AIDS awareness team called Youth Awareness Korps.

The Korps has done AIDS awareness presentations for Girl Scout troops, high school classes and others. Carlson also has spent two summers working at her uncle’s day care center in Alaska.

“She’s somebody you’d want your own daughter to grow up to be just like,” Olson said.

CV’s Brett Schmauch, 17, plans to attend Washington State University. He’s interested in animal science but says he doesn’t know what he’ll study.

As president of his junior and senior classes, Schmauch helped organize food and blood drives. He played on CV’s soccer and golf teams and is a volunteer coach for youth soccer teams.

In addition to being a Washington Scholar, Schmauch has received three other scholarships totaling about $7,000.

“I was just happy to get money for school,” he said. “My dad’s pitching in some money to buy me a car.”

West Valley’s Heather Beese is the only one of the three headed out of state - to pursue an engineering degree at Boston University.

BU tempted her by waiving half her tuition for all four years. Despite the full-tuition waiver offered in-state, Beese said her parents encouraged her to go to Boston. The West Valley senior received an additional scholarship for $2,000 per year for four years.

Beese was active in cheerleading, dance team, DECA and yearbook at WVHS. She’s treasurer of the senior class and has helped with the Honor Society’s babyfood drive.

Beese, who turns 18 next Saturday, said the Washington scholarship provides her with a comforting safety net. She can begin using the scholarship up to three years after she graduates from high school.

“If I don’t like it (in Boston), I can come back,” Beese said.