LPOSD students earn academic honors

Sandpoint Elks Lodge No. 1376 has announced students of the month for the first three months of the school year 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 awards 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 were September, Elizabeth Couch and Evan Dickson; October, Lance Hendricks and McKinley Jensen; and November, Elliot Lowman and Kimberly Yarnell.

Evan Dickinson

A student-athlete at Sandpoint High School, Evan Dickinson was named an Elks Student of the Month for September.

He is the son of Ann and Derek Dickinson.

He began playing soccer with the Sandpoint Strikers soccer club and basketball with the Sandpoint Future AAU program at a young age. Evan credits his parents, current coaches and coaches during his early sports experiences for not only laying the foundation for his athletic success, but also teaching him leadership skills. Evan has been a captain for the SHS boys soccer team since he was a sophomore and last year was voted Mr. Bulldog by his soccer teammates for showing leadership, dedication and strong play. He has been named to the All-IEL soccer team three years in a row and last year was named to the Idaho All-State Second Team following the Bulldog soccer team’s second place finish at state. In the winter months, Evan plays for the SHS boys basketball team, having been voted by his teammates as Defensive Player of the Year for the past three years.

Although sports dominate much of his free time, Evan acknowledges that he is still a student-athlete; student coming before athlete. Evan takes pride in his school work, which is illustrated by his 4.08 GPA. He is currently ranked 19th in the class of 2023. He is a member of the National Honor Society and, as a junior, was an SHS top scholar. His future plans include playing soccer collegiately and earning a degree in either athletic management or psychology. However, before he starts a new chapter of his life, he wishes to leave a mark on his community.

During his last years of elementary school, he was involved in a Design For Change project that targeted suicide awareness in Sandpoint. Through this, he and his group were named United States Design for Change Ambassadors and earned a trip to Spain to present their project. This impacted him and motivated him to take classes such as Mentors and participate in the Mini-RYLA program through Rotary where he could positively help others. In addition, he strongly believes in giving back to the community that has helped him and has done so by coaching an SSA soccer team, refereeing local soccer games and volunteering at various camps and events for the Strikers program.

Elizabeth Couch

The daughter of Loren and Sara Couch, Elizabeth Couch was named an Elks Student of the Month for September.

She has a weighted GPA of 4.3 and is ranked eighth in the class of 2023.

As an active honors student, Elizabeth has challenged herself with difficult courses and volunteer work as a youth soccer coach.

She has participated in symphonic band, jazz band and multiple clubs all four years of high school.

In addition to her academic schedule, Elizabeth enjoys art, music, skiing, traveling and spending time with her pets and friends.

She plans to study environmental sustainability at a four-year university, and she hopes to enroll in an abroad program as well.

McKinley Sharon Jensen

The daughter of Kim and Josh Pilch, McKinley Jensen was named an Elks Student of the Month for October.

Jensen said she has thoroughly enjoyed the past four years at Sandpoint High School as an honors and Advanced Placement student.

In school, she enjoys her English classes, the Certified Nursing Assistant program and being involved in clubs and sports. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Future Health Professionals (HOSA) clubs. She embraces any opportunity to volunteer and make a difference through her church youth group or the mentor program at the high school.

In 2021 she was an HOSA state champion, then proceeded to place in the top 20 at the International Conference held in Nashville, Tenn. Through HOSA, she has had the opportunity to harness her passion for the practice of medicine, something for which she is grateful.

This year, Jensen is president of the Future Health Professionals club. She has been swimming competitively since the age of 8 and has continued her swim career throughout all four years of high school — placing at the district level, and qualifying and competing at the state meet each year.

Academically she is ranked 36 out of 245 students, with a GPA of 3.8. After high school, Jensen plans to serve an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She then plans to attend a four-year college to get a bachelor's degree in nursing, later progressing to a graduate program where she will earn her nurse practitioner license or nurse anesthetist license.

Lance Hendricks

A senior at Sandpoint High School, Lance Hendricks was named an Elks Student of the Month for October. He is the son of John and Annie Hendricks.

Hendricks is captain of his CyberPatriot team, and has worked as an intern in the Lake Pend Oreille School District's IT Department, served as press release manager of his local NHS chapter and volunteers at his local food bank. Hendricks has developed a deep relationship with his local community.

With a 4.32 GPA, class rank of sixth of 245, College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award and College Board AP Scholar award, he is just as dedicated in the classroom. Hendricks plans to acquire a baccalaureate degree in computer science.

Elliot Lowman

Elliott M. Lowman has been named an Elks Students of the Month for November.

The son of Heather Lowman and Chuck Lowman, he is a senior attending Sandpoint High School.

After his father retired from the military, he and his family moved to Sandpoint, where Elliott started his freshman year. Loving it here, he quickly got involved in many activities both in and out of school. These activities include Boy Scouts of America, theater, CyberPatriots, Math Club, tennis, eSports, Chess Club and French Club.

Elliott Lowman also is active in his church, both volunteering in and out of service and through the youth group. Elliott takes his academic life seriously, and has received multiple honors, including the Rural and Small Town Recognition Award through College Board and has been on the SHS honor roll every semester. He has also received honors through his extracurricular activities, such as qualifying twice for state in both the Idaho State Drama Competition and the Idaho Chess Scholastic Championship and competing in national playoffs in eSports.

He also graduated from National Youth Leadership Training, a Boy Scouts sponsored event. Elliott plans to attend a university majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Linguistics and plans to travel abroad in his studies.

Kimberly Yarnell

Kimberly Yarnell has been named an Elks Students of the Month for November. She is the daughter of Karianne Yarnell and David Yarnell.

She plans on attending a university or college where she wants to play soccer and major in physical therapy. Kimberly has a 4.0 weighted GPA and was captain of the girls varsity soccer team at Sandpoint High School. She is serving as the historian of the Interact club and has a class rank of 34/245.