High school seniors receive Elks academic honors
Sandpoint Elks Lodge No. 1376 has announced students of the month for December, January, February and March for the Lake Pend Oreille School District.
To be selected as an Elks student of the month, students must meet guidelines for character, citizenship, service, scholarship and leadership.
The Elks actively seek to reward youth through many different programs including scholarship awards, Hoop Shoot tournaments, dictionary donations to third graders, drug awareness programs and many other activities and programs.
Sandpoint Elks Lodge award thousands of dollars in scholarships and local students also received an additional money in state and national Elk scholarships. The Elks are the third largest awarder of scholarships in the county and several students have received large scholarships from the state and national level of Elks.
Those honored from Sandpoint High School were Brandon Casey and Taylor James, December; J.D. Griffin and Isabel Edwards, January; Emi Lynch and Brody Ponsness, February; and Angelina Peebles and Seth Graham, March.
Those honored from Clark Fork High School include Rebecca Nielsen, December; Aleehia Valliere and Mathis Heisel, January; and Charles Abbott and Abbie Anderson, February.
Those honored from Lake Pend Oreille High School include Shaylyn Prettyman.
Elks students of the month:
• Taylor James
A student at Sandpoint High School, Taylor James was named an Elks student of the month for Decem-ber.
The daughter of Suzy and Jeremy James, Taylor James is currently involved with several activities at Sandpoint High School including Earth Club, for which she is president, Interact Club and girls basketball.
One of her greatest achievements, she said was her participation in a Rotary Youth Exchange during my junior year. “It was easily the hardest, yet most rewarding and special year of my life,” she said.
She has an unweighted GPA of 3.83, and she is ranked 29th in her class.
• Brandon Casey
A student at Sandpoint High School, Brandon Casey was named an Elks student of the month for Decem-ber. He is the son of Bart and Anne Marie Casey.
A three-sport athlete for all four years of high school, Brandon Casey has played football and basketball for four years. He also has participated in baseball, lacrosse, and track. Casey has received the Jerry Kramer offensive lineman award for two years, and is a two-time Inland Empire League first team offensive lineman. In basketball, he was honored as the most improved player and received the Bulldog Award for the best teammate. In track, he received the Coaches Award for throwers.
Casey has a 3.809 and he is ranked 58th in his class.
• Rebecca Nielsen
Rebecca Nielsen, the daughter of Jennifer and Rex Nielsen, has been named an Elk student of the month for Clark Fork High School for December.
Even while maintaining an A average in her three college classes, she is also continuing her full-time high school work load this year. On top of this, Nielsen has also been working a part-time job at Zero Point, located in downtown Sandpoint, as well as running her own photography business.
Because of CFHS’ unique track system, she is one of two students that has been able to be involved with the Independent Track since her freshman year of high school. Through this program, Rebecca has been shadowing several different people in the agriculture and equine community. She plans on majoring in biology and minoring in equine business at UMW.
Nielsen has been involved with horses for almost 11 years, and within that time frame she has participated in the Dust Angels as well as Wild Hearts drill teams, helping train and show horses for Idaho Percherons, volunteered with equine therapy programs, teaching horsemanship lessons, participating in Horse 4-H, and apprenticing to her main mentor, Coe Jensen. Nielsen hopes to obtain a career with Idaho Fish and Game as a game warden, as well as achieving a long-time goal of running a bison ranch in the distant future.
• Shaylyn Prettyman
The daughter of Chantay and Nathan Bowman, Shalyn Pretty-man, was named Lake Pend Oreille High School’s student of the month for December. Prettyman is integrally involved with school-wide activities and is the first to volunteer for fund-raising events such as ticket sales for raffles, decorating for prom, the Christmas Fair, bulletin boards, birthday celebration planning, advisory functions and assisting in preparation for the upcoming haunted house.
Her hobbies include caring for her three ducks, face painting, art, reading, hunting, gem cutting, crystal digging and helping others. Due to her interest and enthusiasm for science, Prettyman attended a summer STEM forestry class, the University of Idaho Youth Water Summit and the Idaho Forestry Contest. In addition, she was chosen for Women in Science at UI/NIC in early October.
Prettyman’s post secondary goal is forensic science. She will graduate in June with a projected GPA of 3.5.
• Isabel Edwards
The daughter of Darcy Sletager and Cash Edwards, Isabel Edwards was named an Elks student of the month for January for Sandpoint High School
Edwards is a team captain on the varsity basketball and softball team and has received all-league as a utility player in softball. She is a member of the school’s National Honor Society Club and is ranked 10th in her class with a weighted GPA of 4.213.
• James Daniel Griffin
Growing up in North Idaho has afforded him numerous opportunities to engage in a wide variety of activities, said James D. Griffin, an Elks student of the month for January at Sandpoint High School.
Griffin plays lacrosse and is passionate about hunting, fishing, riding dirt bikes, welding, and skiing. He is also passionate about flying and is close to obtaining his private pilot’s license.
He gives back to the community through volunteering at community events, by participating in National Honor Society and Student Council, and as a cadet in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol).
Griffin is a captain on his lacrosse team,is a senior master sergeant in Civil Air Patrol, and is the youngest deckhand to work for Islandview Fishing Charters in Sitka, Alaska.
“At 3 years of age I knew I wanted to serve and fly in the United States military,” Griffin said. “I have taken a variety of advanced courses throughout my high school career to ensure I will be a successful officer in our nation’s military and excel in flight school.”
He is ranked 26th in his class and has a 4.02 GPA
• Aleehia Valliere
Aleehia Valliere the daughter of Casey and Michelle Valliere was named Elks student of the month for January at Clark Fork High School.
Aleeh-ia has participated in team sports since third grade and has continued throughout high school where she played varsity volleyball and golf. Volleyball has always been a big part of Aleehia’s life, besides the regular three month season she has participated in club volleyball for the past six years, and attended and helped lead summer volleyball camps. Aleehia was co-captain of her varsity volleyball team this year and helped get her to team to the state tournament. Aleehia has also participated in high school golf for the past three years and has been golfing with her Great Grandma since the age of 12 when they would typically golf at least once a week during the summer. Aleehia has been very active in the Clark Fork Booster club for the past six years and has helped by doing things like working the concession stand on game nights or helping at the Fourth of July barbecue. Aleehia was chosen by the staff at Clark Fork to participate in a Sources of Strength meeting which teaches skills on how to support fellow students.
During Aleehia’s junior year she was named Idaho Top Scholar and has maintained a 3.8 GPA. Aleehia is currently taking dual credit courses through North Idaho College. Aleehia has been in the independent track since her freshman year and was selected this year to speak at the board meeting about the importance and value of the track. After spending time in the independent track at a local real estate office Aleehia has decided that her passion is real estate and before she starts her real estate career Aleehia wants to attend NIC and get her associate’s degree in business. After completing all of her schooling Aleehia hopes to become a very successful real estate agent in the Sandpoint area. Aleehia wants to stay in the area and help people find their forever home in the area she loves. She feels very lucky to be surrounded by such a supportive family who is always there when she needs them.
• Mathis Heisel
Mathis Heisel is a senior at Clark Fork High School, and has since the eighth grade. He was named an Elks student of the month for January for the school.
He is the son of Joe and Lora Heisel and has an older brother, Jensen. During his time at Clark Fork, Mathis Heisel has participated in the football, basketball, track, and tennis programs.
He enjoys working construction in the summers, hunting in the fall, and staying busy with school the rest of the year. He started taking dual credit classes in the second half of his junior year, and is now attending classes at the NIC satellite campus full-time.
After high school, Mathis plans to attend the University of North Dakota and enter their aviation program. He hopes to obtain his private pilot’s certificate, and fly jump planes for the Forest Service in his early career as a pilot. His overall goal is to become a pilot for the British Antarctic Survey once he has logged enough flight hours.
• Charles Abbott
Charles Abbott is the son of Caryl Abbott and moved to Clark Fork in the sixth grade. He was named an Elks student of the month at Clark Fork High School for Febru-ary.
Abbott is on the varsity football team and basketball team and has enjoyed playing at Clark Fork for the past four years. He has enjoyed playing football more than anything but also enjoys all sports, working, and hanging out with friends.
While doesn’t know what he wants to do after high school, Abbott said he plans to attend North Idaho College and maybe participate in the career technical program.
• Abbie Anderson
The daughter of Manda Anderson, Abbie Anderson was named an Elks student of the month for February at Clark Fork High School.
She has participated in sports such as volleyball and basketball for a total of four years in her high school career. She was a captain for both volleyball and basketball for several years. She also played golf her freshman year, but it was too slow to hold her attention. She also has been part of the Clark Fork Juniors Volleyball off-season team for seven years and was a captain for most of that time.
When she was in 6th grade she has always wanted to be able to help babies and single moms or teen moms so they can be prepared for what is going to happen. The thing that she is set on is becoming a neonatal nurse and now is pursuing that career. She hasn’t decided whether to stay in state or go out of state for college. She is going to be taking certified nursing assistant classes in April.
Anderson has a 3.169 GPA and is currently enrolled in dual credit classes.
• Brody Ponsness
Brody Ponsness is an Elks student of the month for February at Sand-point High School.
Pons-ness is a young pilot striving to continue his love for aviation and learning through college this fall. He plans to attend Flathead Valley Com-munity College in Kalispell, Mont.
Ponsness also is a member of SHS XC team and his has been the Montana state champion for freestyle archery the last two consecutive years. Brody earned his private pilot’s license in 2019 and is working on instrument rating.
Ponsness has a 3.44 GPA and is currently taking three Advanced Placement classes at SHS.
• Emilia Lynch
The daughter of Patrick and Meredith Lynch, Emilia Lynch was named an Elks student of the month for February at Sandpoint High School.
Emilia Lynch has played on the SHS girls varsity soccer team for all four years of high school, and this year helped lead her team to a state title as team captain. She is the editor-in-chief of the Cedar Post, the student-run news and media publication at SHS.
She is ranked 22nd in her class, and has a 4.0 weighted GPA.
• Angelina Peebles
Angelina Peebles has been named an Elks student of the month for Sandpoint High School for March.
When it comes to activities, she said she is an artist first and foremost. “I utilize this as a volunteer on the senior mural team with three other AP art students at SHS, so that I can help make the class of 2020’s senior year memorable,” she said.
Peeb-les has a 4.1 GPA, and is ranked 14th in her class of 226, which she has been working at since she started high school classes in seventh grade.
“Overall, I would say my main personality trait is determined, as I never give up on a challenge,” she added.
