Students receive scholastic honors

Three Sisters High School students, Dane Moorehead, Rachel Sims and Brian Greaney won National Merit Scholar recognition.

The accomplishments of these three students were highlighted at the school board meeting last Tuesday night, October 9.

Nationwide approximately 1.4 million students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program each year. About 50,000 of these young people, less than four percent, qualify for special recognition. Some 34,000 receive letters of commendation and another 16,000 are deemed semifinalists.

Senior Dane Moorehead, one of Sisters' two National Merit Semifinalists, has attended school in the Sisters School District since kindergarten and has participated in advanced or honors classes for most of his school career. In eighth grade Moorehead participated in the pentagames, a five-game math competition, with teams from Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties and placed first in algebra in individual events.

According to superintendent Elaine Drakulich, Moorehead is currently taking Advance Placement (AP) Calculus, AP English and "We the People." He is doing this "all in the same trimester," she said.

In addition to his academic pursuits Moorehead participates in cross country, basketball, track, Ultimate Frisbee and band.

Semifinalist Rachel Sims told The Nugget that she is happy about her award.

"I am hoping it will help with (university) scholarships," she said.

Sims, a senior, is a talented artist who works mostly with ceramics. She is a member of the nordic ski team and participates in the young writers workshop. She also volunteers at the Sisters Library.

Sims aspirations range from being a Supreme Court justice to a pastry chef.

When asked by Drakulich what has contributed most to her academic success, Sims said: "I guess I just like learning. I like reading and writing. I work at it."

Senior Brian Greaney received a National Merit Scholarship letter of commendation. Greaney, one of 10 children, hopes to pursue a career in medical research.

"His goal is not only to fight diseases in the laboratory but also to give poor and disadvantaged people access to health care by donating his time and skills," said Drakulich.

Greaney has maintained a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) throughout high school.

"During his junior year he took three of four AP classes his school offered and earned the maximum (score) of five on each exam. This year he convinced his teachers to arrange independent study (IS) in two more AP classes," said Drakulich.

Greaney is Sisters High School's senior class president. An accomplished swimmer, he also serves as the captain of the Sisters High School Swim Team, and he was tapped Sisters High School's Student of the Month in September.

Greaney sees the smaller school environment that Sisters offers to its students as a huge advantage.

"It's more personal in a lot of ways. There's more trust for the students. I hope we can keep it that way," he said. "I really like the individual attention that we get from the teachers, and the community is more supportive, I think, in a lot of ways," he said.

According to Drakulich, having three students recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program is a great honor.

High school principal Bob Macauley said, "It's pretty unusual to have three. What's really wonderful is that not only are they extremely bright students they're absolutely gems of citizens in our school - leaders. They're very special."