Spokane Scholars banquet celebrates outstanding high school seniors with ‘drive for lifelong learning’

The area’s top high school scholars were honored with live music, dinner, speeches and cash awards at a banquet Monday evening with their families and school leaders.

The Spokane Scholars Foundation hosted its 31st annual banquet celebrating the academic achievements of high school seniors from 30 public and private high schools across the greater Spokane region.

This year, there are 160 Spokane Scholars representing six academic disciplines.

“These are young people who are inherently bright but have the drive for lifelong learning,” said Eric Johnson, outgoing president of the foundation.

About 800 people attended the dinner at a ballroom inside the Spokane Convention Center.

Students are selected by their high school teachers and counselors based on their grades, national test scores, letters of recommendation and other honors.

Rob Curley, executive editor of The Spokesman-Review, gave the keynote speech.

He imparted the wisdom of what he calls “the virtuous circle,” which is the exact opposite of the vicious cycle. He said it’s when one good thing leads to another good thing.

“Being happy is contagious,” he said. “What it means is you’re going to help people. Be a force for good.”

Curley also suggested five Ps to live by: Have passion. Be practical. Be personal. Be playful. Take pleasure in the things you love.

“I can’t wait to see what you all are going to do,” Curley said. “I know you’re going to make us all proud. And when you do, I’ll write about it in The Spokesman-Review.”

Each scholar was recognized individually on stage, and each will receive a personalized Spokane Scholars medallion.

The top four scholars in each category received cash awards ranging from $1,000 to $4,000. Fourteen regional universities and colleges have agreed to match the awards with a scholarship for one year.

Mead High School senior Hannah Robbins received the $4,000 award in English. She is the valedictorian of her class and has an SAT reading and writing score in the 99th percentile nationwide.

Robbins is also a talented musician who plays the oboe in concert band, the flute in marching band and the tenor saxophone in jazz band.

Jeslyn Cai, a senior at Lewis and Clark High School, received the top prize in fine arts. An acclaimed pianist and violinist, she has won over 40 international, national and regional competitions. She has performed in world-renowned concert halls across Europe and done solo performances with the Spokane Symphony.

Cai founded a nonprofit, Team Gleam, leading a team of 100 youths to serve the community.

Neha Kommareddy received the top prize in mathematics. She maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking the most challenging curriculum offered at Central Valley High School and scored in the 97th percentile nationally on the SAT, with a 790 in math.

Jessica Palmer of Ferris High School received the top prize in science. She won the first-place prize at the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair for her research of a microbial peptide that can eliminate the bacteria responsible for the destruction of coral reefs. She will be attending the University of Chicago next year.

Abigail Michaelis from Central Valley High School received the top prize in social studies. She received a national merit scholarship letter of commendation, maintained a 4.0 GPA, scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and passed numerous AP exams a year early.

Kaia Olson, who received the top award for world languages, earned the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, has a weighted 4.26 GPA and scored 1500 on the SAT.

“Remarkably, this scholar was born with hearing loss and requires the use of assisted hearing devices,” Olson’s teacher said. “Rather than viewing this as a negative, this scholar embraces this as part of their identity and something that shapes who they are.”

Since 1993, the Spokane Scholars Foundation has recognized more than 3,500 scholars and awarded more than $1.5 million in cash awards and matches.

Johnson said the banquet was started as a way to recognize scholarly students who, unlike athletes, were overlooked.

“You have demonstrated a habit for learning,” Johnson said. “Nurture it. Treasure it. Encourage it in others around you.”

2023 Spokane Scholars Foundation Award Recipients English

$4,000 – Hannah E. Robbins, Mead High School

$3,000 – Jamieson C. McHenry, Central Valley High School

$2,000 – Tina T. Ngo, East Valley High School

$1,000 – Christopher R. Mahn, Ridgeline High School

Fine Arts

$4,000 – Jeslyn Z. Cai, Lewis & Clark High School

$3,000 – William D. Strauch, Mead High School

$2,000 – Alexis Mérane Hart, The Oaks – A Classical Christian Academy

$1,000 – Charlotte N. Pedersen, Mt. Spokane High School

Mathematics

$4,000 – Neha A. Kommareddy, Central Valley High School

$3,000 – Cameron Lee, Ferris High School

$2,000 – Terrence H. Yu, Cheney High School

$1,000 – Andrew F. Parker, Mead High School

Science

$4,000 – Jessica J. Palmer, Ferris High School

$3,000 – Evan R. Chow, Lewis & Clark High School

$2,000 – Hunter D. Whitlock, Innovation High School

$1,000 – Conor S. LaBar, On Track Academy

Social Studies

$4,000 – Abigail G. Michaelis, Central Valley High School

$3,000 – Alexandria J. Woolley, University High School

$2,000 – Christian L. Schueller, Gonzaga Preparatory School

$1,000 – Brock N. Brito, Ridgeline High School

World Languages

$4,000 – Kaia B. Olson, Ferris High School

$3,000 – Maya L. Turnbull, North Central High School

$2,000 – Bianca Massman, Saint George’s School

$1,000 – Nyah S. Ankcorn, Lewis & Clark High School