Elks announce region's top students
Sandpoint Elks Lodge No. 1376 has announced students of the month 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 seeks 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 are Savana Young and Tallulah Stafford, students at Lake Pend Oreille High School; and Kelsey Cessna and Nic Peacock, both of Sandpoint High School.
The daughter of Shauna and Tuck Tarbert, Savana Young was named a student of the month at Lake Pend Oreille High School.
She is college bound with a GPA of 3.6 seeking a major in a medical field at the University of Idaho.
Young was chosen as a participant in Women in Science and Mini RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Association) and was selected by staff members for student of the month several times. School officials described her as tenacious, loves a challenge, motivated, industrious and dependable.
"Staying after school to work on assignments and submitting 12 scholarship applications is indicative of her fortitude and persistence," Sandra Lange of LPOHS said. "Savana has been a delightful student and will be missed at LPOHS."
Tallulah Stafford also was named an Elks student of the month for Lake Pend Oreille High School.
The daughter of Megan and Ezra Stafford, Tallulah Stafford has a GPA of 3.6.
Her ambition is to pursue college at the University of Idaho in a science field: either biochemistry, biology or engineering. She has a keen interest in lab work researching genetic mutation.
Stafford was chosen as a participant in Women in Science, and the 2022 Youth Water Summit at which she received first place for her project entitled “Stinky” — a cigarette butt receptacle. She was also a participant in RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Association). Lake Pend Oreille High School staff members chose her as student of the month several times.
Currently, Stafford is studying forestry and will participate in the Forestry Contest in May.
"LPOHS is proud of Tallulah for her love of learning, motivation, reliability, creativity, persistence, artistry and curiosity," Lange said. "She will be missed at LPOHS!"
Named a student of the month at Sandpoint High School, Kelsey Cessna is the daughter of Gary and Lisa Cessna.
Kelsey Cessna has participated in varsity soccer and basketball for all four years of high school. During her senior year, she was captain for both teams. As a soccer player, she earned All Inland Empire League Player as a freshman, sophomore and senior. During her freshman year, she earned the title of Miss Bulldog, defensive player of the year, and contributed to a state championship Title for the Sandpoint Bulldogs.
After taking her junior year off due to a knee injury, she returned to help her team reach state once again as a senior. Also as a senior, she earned the Scholar Athlete award, Golden Boot and made the All State second team. She was also nominated for the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame for girls soccer.
Cessna was also an All Inland Empire League Player for freshman, junior and senior year of basketball. Her senior year, she helped her team win Sandpoint's first state basketball championship. She earned the most inspirational award as well as scholar athlete, and Miss Bulldog. Cessna made the North Idaho All Star Team and The All State Regional Team played at North Idaho College with all star seniors from around the state. She was nominated for The North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame for girls basketball. She was also nominated for the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame Female Athlete of the Year.
Outside school, Cessna enjoys spending time with family and friends at the lake, hiking, camping and fishing. She has a weighted GPA of 4.054 and is ranked 33rd in her class. Kelsey plans to attend college to study business and marketing.
Nicholas Peacock, the son of Scott and Kristan Peacock, was named a student of the month for Sandpoint High School.
Nicholas Peacock is actively involved in the Bonner County 4-H program entering his 11th year and has represented the Bonner County Fair as fair king for two years. He has served as president of Sagle Yodeling Coyotes 4-H Club for the past three years.
Peacock is a five-time Idaho State Archery Champion, with memberships in the Idaho Field Archery Association and the National Field Archery Association. He is an IFAA Board representative for the Archers of the Inland Northwest. Peacock is a classified para archer with USA Archery and will begin competing in USA Team Trails beginning this month.
Peacock is currently a sponsored archer and shoots for Carnage Ridge Archery, Truball/Axcel, Feather Vision, Easton Archery and 60X Custom Strings. Peacock has a GPA of 3.5 and is ranked 94th in his class. He is a member of National Honor Society and Welding Club.
Peacock plans on attending North Idaho College or another career technical institution to pursue a career in diesel mechanics. Peacock is training and competing to represent the United States at the 2024 or 2028 Paralympic Games as a para archer.
