Centralia College has named four students to the 2022 All-Washington Academic Team. Each student will receive $500 in scholarships and is eligible for additional transfer scholarships from in-state universities, according to the college.
All of the All-Washington Academic Team members will be recognized formally at a virtual ceremony at noon May 12, accessible online at https://spscc.edu/allwa. In addition, Centralia College’s representatives will be recognized at the May meeting of the Centralia College Board of Trustees.
The All-Washington Academic team “has become the showcase for Washington's community and technical colleges because it honors the academic high achievers, the individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to success in the classroom and in the communities in which they live,” according to a statement on the program’s website.
“This recognition demonstrates the state's commitment to scholarship and community service on the part of those attending the state's public community and technical colleges,” according to the statement.
Below are brief profiles of each student that were provided by Centralia College:
Isaac Pope, 18, of Onalaska, has been doing his own research for years and is already widely published and recognized in professional circles. At age 16, he presented his research on Cascadian volcanic hazards at the annual meeting of the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists. He now serves as co-chair of the association’s Communications Committee and is a book review editor for Environmental and Engineering Geoscience. On campus, he is the Phi Theta Kappa president and a STEM tutor.
In addition to his inclusion on the All-Washington Academic Team, Isaac was one of 20 students in the country chosen for the All-USA Academic Team. He will receive an additional $5,000 scholarship and will be honored in the national ceremony May 2 in New York City.
Jordan Neal, 29, of Centralia, dropped out of high school in his senior year due to failing grades. He never imagined he’d be nearing his college graduation with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Jordan credits his wife for encouraging him to go back to school and pursue his associate degree. Jordan will be the first in his family to graduate from college. He hopes to get a job in the information technology field in Olympia.
Kevin Thompson, 52, of Chehalis, was a longtime insurance agent before his job was eliminated by the pandemic. He knew he wanted a fresh start in a new field, one that had potential for stability and growth. He is now working on his associate degree in electronics, robotics and automation. He is pursuing a career as a computer chip manufacturing technician. In his spare time, he is a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
Lauren Burnett, 17, of Morton, believes boundless energy is part of her superpower: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) She’s learned to manage her condition with medication and coping strategies, and now she wants to help others. She hopes that being open about her disability helps inspire others to see their challenges as superpowers, too. When she’s not attending Centralia College through the Running Start program, she is a Younglife youth leader and an assistant Sunday school teacher. She also helps with a summer cheer camp for elementary school children.
