LPOSD students honored for academic achievement
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 Emily Myers and Hank Barnett of Clark Fork High School; and Caleb Norling and Payton Betz of Sandpoint High School.
Hank Barnett
Hank Barnett is a senior at Clark Fork High School and was selected as a student of the month for April at the school.
His parents are Shannon and Tom Barnett. He has participated in football and track all four years of high school and is the salutatorian of his class.
Barnett has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. He has received the Idaho Top Scholar award as well as the Hagadone High Character Award
He also is an avid snowboarder and mountain biker as well as an accomplished mountain bike racer.
After high school, Barnett plans on attending the University of Montana to study forestry.
Emily Myers
The daughter of Edelmira and Stan Myers, Emily Myers was named a student of the month at Clark Fork High School for April.
Emily Myers is a highly accomplished high school student who has excelled both academically and athletically. With a GPA of 4.2, she has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence.
In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, she has taken college-level classes since the ninth grade, showcasing her intellectual curiosity and passion for learning. She is also a distinguished Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholar, and last summer, she was given the opportunity to visit the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
This fall, she is set to attend the University of Idaho, where she plans to major in biological engineering. As an active participant on both the varsity basketball and varsity volleyball teams, Emily has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence both on and off the court.
Throughout her high school career, Myers has been a standout athlete, serving as captain for three years in both volleyball and basketball. Her leadership skills and unwavering dedication have been instrumental in guiding her teams to success, including reaching the state championship for both sports. Outside of school and sports, Myers enjoys skiing and swimming, taking advantage of the beautiful nature that Idaho has to offer.
Caleb Norling
Caleb Norling, the son of Aaron and Anne Marie Norling, is a senior at Sandpoint High School and has been named an Elks Student of the Month for April.
Caleb enjoys playing acoustic and bass guitar and is active in his church playing music on Sunday mornings. Caleb also leads Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings each month, where local high school athletes meet for fellowship and encouragement.
Caleb has been a competitive swimmer since the age of 8, first in Maryland and since moving to North Idaho in 2013. He has qualified for and/or swam in, meets in Boise, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and California and most recently qualified for the high-level Speedo Sectionals meet in Seattle. Caleb has also lettered in varsity swimming all four years of high school and was captain of the swim team his Junior and Senior years.
Caleb is a part of the Men's and Chamber Choir at Sandpoint high school and has enjoyed traveling and singing and competing in choir events in Idaho and Washington. When not singing or swimming, Caleb enjoys spending time with his family and their Golden Retriever, Luna.
Caleb graduates with high honors and has a weighted GPA of 4.17. Caleb has received a National ROTC Army scholarship as well as a partial swim scholarship and will attend Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., in the fall of 2023, where he will swim competitively at the collegiate level and study Psychology, with aspirations of someday, working in clinical psychology.
Payton Betz
The daughter of Gabby and Brian Betz, Payton Betz was selected as a student of the month for April at Sandpoint High School.
A senior at SHS, Payton Betz has participated in track and cross country all four years and is a captain of both teams.
Betz is also involved in the National Honor Society, various volunteer work, environmental activism, and is the president and co-founder of Earth Club. She plans to attend Pacific University, where she will run cross country and track and double major in outdoor leadership along with a degree in either kinesiology, biology or environmental science.
Betz has a 4.3 weighted GPA and is 13th out of 240 students in her class.
