Education

Nearly 50 Students From Across The State Commit To Pursuing STEM Careers

THE SEATTLE MEDIUM — Just like signing days for athletes, the second-annual Washington STEM Signing Day presented in partnership with Boeing today celebrated high school seniors from across the state as they made their commitments to some of the state and country’s top technical schools, colleges, and universities.

Published

6 years ago

May 7, 2019

Oakland Post

By The Seattle Medium

Just like signing days for athletes, the second-annual Washington STEM Signing Day presented in partnership with Boeing today celebrated high school seniors from across the state as they made their commitments to some of the state and country’s top technical schools, colleges, and universities.

Students signed STEM Letters of Intent at the state capitol in Olympia during a ceremony attended by family members, elected officials and leadership from Boeing. Forty-nine students, one from each legislative district across the state, were selected to take part in the event based on their involvement in STEM education in school and community. These students will be bringing their talents in pursuit of careers in STEM fields and putting themselves on the fast track for success.

“Supporting these incredible students, and events like Washington STEM Signing Day that celebrate their success, is part of Boeing’s ongoing commitment to the communities where our employees live and work,” said Bill McSherry, vice president of Government Operations at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “By investing in these future leaders, we are helping to create a promising future that serves us all.”

“Washington STEM knows that from early childhood to post-secondary, there is nothing better that prepares students for success in career and life than STEM.” said Caroline King, CEO of Washington STEM. “The students that we recognize today are an inspiration to their families, communities, and everyone at Washington STEM and Boeing. By committing to STEM, as our newly released research and data shows, these students are putting themselves on a path towards economic opportunity, personal agency, and a bright future in Washington.”

The following are honorees from the Seattle/Tacoma Area:

Auburn

Michael Kopcho is a senior at Auburn-Riverside High School. Michael plans to study computer science at Oregon State University. Michael represents LD 31.

Bellevue

Eshika Saxena is a senior at Interlake High School. Eshika plans to study engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Eshika represents LD 48.

Kent Richard Zeng is a senior at Newport High School. Kent plans to study engineering at University of Washington. Kent represents LD 41.

Bremerton

Precious Jane Stowers is a senior at Bremerton High School. Precious plans to study computer science at the University of Washington. Precious represents LD 23.

Joshua Aguirre is a senior at Bremerton High School. Joshua plans to study health sciences or nursing at Olympic College. Joshua represents LD 26.

Jeremy Sabado Tirador is a senior at Bremerton High School. Jeremy plans to study computer science at University of Washington – Tacoma. Jeremy represents LD 35.

Federal Way

Joeseph Cummings is a senior at Decatur High School. Joeseph plans to study aviation maintenance technology at South Seattle Community College. Joeseph represents LD 30.

Kent

Kevin E. Fabila-Alvarez is a senior at Kentridge High School. Kevin plans to study neuroscience at Washington State University. Kevin represents LD 33.

Maleeha Nizar is a senior at Kent-Meridian High School. Maleeha plans to study medical sciences at University of Washington – Tacoma. Maleeha represents LD 47.

Maple Valley

Hitesh Boinpally is a senior at Tahoma High School. Hitesh plans to study computer science at University of Washington. Hitesh represents LD 5.

Redmond

Markus Hindman is a senior at TESLA STEM High School. Markus plans to study engineering at Western Washington University. Markus represents LD 45.

Seattle

Carlos Cura is a senior at Cleveland STEM High School. Carlos plans to study chemical engineering at University of Washington. Carlos represents LD 11.

Grant Matthews is a senior at Raisbeck Aviation High School. Grant plans to study aerospace engineering at Purdue University or Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Grant represents LD 34.

Michaela Fennell is a senior at Holy Names Academy. Michaela plans to study mechanical engineering at Purdue University. Michaela represents LD 36.

Ethan Brown is a senior at Cleveland STEM High School. Ethan plans to study biology at Western Washington University. Ethan represents LD 37.

Jackson Miller is a senior at Roosevelt High School. Jackson plans to study aeronautics and pilotage at Central Washington University. Jackson represents LD 43.

Nick Tran is a senior at Raisbeck Aviation High School. Nick plans to study aerospace engineering at University of Michigan. Nick represents LD 46.

Spanaway

Alex Birkeland is a senior at Bethel High School. Alex plans to study civil, mechanical, or industrial engineering at Central Washington University. Alex represents LD 29.

Tacoma

Khai Nguyen is a senior at Pierce County Skill Center. Khai plans to study information technology at Clover Park Technical College. Khai represents LD 25.

Sam Yost is a senior at Stadium High School. Sam plans to study computer engineering at Boise State University. Sam represents LD 27.

Aylish Turner is a senior at Steilacoom High School who attends the Pierce County Skills Center. Aylish plans to study Interactive Media at University of Southern California. Aylish represents LD 28.

This article originally appeared in The Seattle Medium.

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Actor, Philanthropist Blair Underwood Visits Bay Area, Kicks Off Literacy Program in ‘New Oakland’ Initiative

These community activations were coordinated with the San Francisco-based non-profit program “Room to Read.” Ray said he is also donating his time to read and take pictures with students to encourage their engagement and to inspire them to read more. The inspirational book “Clifford Ray Saves the Day” highlights Clifford Ray’s true story of saving a dolphin.

Published

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February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Blair Underwood (left) and Barbara Lee (right). Courtesy photo.

By Paul Cobb
New Oakland Series
Opinion Part 3

The Post mentioned three weeks ago that a number of our local luminaries were coming together to support the “New Oakland” movement. As this current national administration continues to eliminate our “legacy” institutional policies and programs left and right, most communities find themselves beyond “frozen” in fear.

Well, esteemed actor, long-time Bay Area supporter, and philanthropist Blair Underwood returned to Oakland this week to speak with city leaders, community trust agents, students, the Oakland Post, and local celebrities alike to continue his “New Oakland” initiative.

This week, he kicked off his “Guess Who’s Coming to Read” literacy program in some of Oakland’s middle schools. Clifford Ray, who played the center position of the 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors, donated close to 1,000 books. Ray’s fellow teammate Charles “The Hopper” Dudley also gave Converse sneakers to students.

Underwood also spent quality time with the Oakland Ballers ownership group and visited the amazing Raimondi Park West Oakland community revitalization site. In the 1996 TV film Soul of the Game, Underwood played the role of the legendary first Black Major League Baseball player Jackie Robinson and commended the Ballers owners.

“This group of sports enthusiasts/ philanthropists needs to be applauded for their human capital investment and their financial capital investment,” Underwood said. “Truly putting their money and passion to work,” Underwood said.

Underwood was also inspired by mayoral candidate Barbara Lee’s open-minded invitation to bring public-private partnership opportunities to Oakland.

Underwood said he wants to “reinforce the importance of ‘collaborative activism’ among those most marginalized by non-empathic leadership. We must ‘act out’ our discomfort with passionate intentions to create healthy change.”

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McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

1 month ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

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Tony Thurmond Urges Educators to Stay Focused Amid Federal Funding Battle

In a statement and a letter to California’s local educational agencies (LEAs), Thurmond praised efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and close achievement gaps, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. “Now is not the time to be distracted by external efforts to demean and divide,” Thurmond wrote. “Please continue to stay the course with local programs that are producing results. Our students need consistency, support, and community more than ever.”

Published

1 month ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Tony Thurmond. Courtesy of Tony Thurmond’s Facebook page.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has urged educators to remain focused on student achievement following a court ruling that temporarily blocks the Trump administration from freezing federal funding for schools, health care, law enforcement, and disaster relief.

A U.S. District Court judge in Rhode Island issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on Jan. 31, halting federal efforts to pause funding while a lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general moves forward. Thurmond, a declarant in the case, welcomed the decision and reassured educators that funding for critical school programs remains in place.

“Now is not the time to be distracted by external efforts to demean and divide,” Thurmond wrote. “Please continue to stay the course with local programs that are producing results. Our students need consistency, support, and community more than ever.”

Thurmond emphasized that state officials will continue advocating for stable funding to ensure schools can maintain and expand programs that help students succeed.