Kennedy Catholic High School will be holding a ‘Passport to Your Future’ Open House on Tuesday, Nov. 8th, and all 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Students and Families are welcome to attend.

This 90-minute event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a welcome speech by principal Mike Prato in the gym, which is on the northwest side of the campus.

“Pick up your passport as you enter the gym and prepare learn about Kennedy Catholic Lancers’ excellence in Learning, Faith, and Leadership,” reads an email.

Visitors will find out about academics, counseling support, college classes taught on campus, scholarships, retreat and international travel opportunities, service to the broader community, activities, and athletics.

John F. Kennedy Catholic High School is located at 140 South 140th Street in Burien.

Questions regarding the Open House can be answered by calling the school office at 206-246-0500.

More information is available at www.kennedyhs.org/admissions.

The Highline Schools Foundation’s 3rd Annual Project PROMise™ will be held this weekend at the Southcenter Doubletree in Tukwila.

At this event, the Highline Schools Foundation collects beautiful new and gently worn formal dresses and gowns, shoes, and accessories from throughout our community and invites high school students in need to “go shopping” for the perfect dress for their prom. The dresses are offered to the girls to keep, or they may return them to the Foundation to be used the following year.

For many high school girls, going to the prom is an event anticipated for years—but not going to the prom because the family can’t afford a formal dress can be devastating. This year, thanks to the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence, a number of high school students will be going to the prom in beautiful dresses donated by local organizations and members of the community.  They will also have opportunity to select shoes, bags and other accessories contributed by the local community.

WHAT: Highline Schools Foundation’s 3rd annual Project PROMise.

WHEN: Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd.

WHERE:  Southcenter Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel (16500 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila)

INFO: A fashion show, complete with runway, hair and make-up donated by BTB Advertiser Serenza Salon & Spa. Girls from Highline High School, Mount Rainier High School, Evergreen High School, Tyee High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, and Decatur High School will walk the runway modeling a variety of dress styles.

Over 120 girls from the Highline School District will “shop” for the perfect dress for their prom at no cost to them! Each student will be given a personal shopper—alterations are provided by local seamstresses.

The mission of the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence is to provide resources to help students in our district succeed. We support academic achievement, classroom grants, college and career readiness, athletics, and the arts.

For more information go to www.highlineschoolsfoundation.org.

Bikram Subba

Burien student Bikram Subba, nominated by New Futures, was one of 22 students honored last weekend at the Sun Life Rising Star Awards National Summit in Miami.

This is Bikram’s second honor in the last year from Sun Life Financial – as we reported last June, he was surprised with a $5,000 scholarship check during an assembly at Highline High School.

Bikram is a recent immigrant from Nepal, where he lived amid daily violence and extreme poverty. Bikram looked to dancing and singing as a source of joy and strength and started a dance group to share this gift with children and youth in Nepal. He brought his passion and talent with him to the U.S. and has started a Nepali dance group here involving more than 50 Nepali students. The group has performed in numerous shows around South King County.

Other area students honored include Sabas Rousseau of West Seattle, nominated by Treehouse, and Raphael Diallo of Seattle, nominated by Rainier Scholars. They joined 19 other outstanding students from across the country, along with an all-star line-up of professional athletes, front-line nonprofit organizations serving at-risk youth, corporate leaders and nationally recognized educators at Sun Life Stadium to address critically important education issues affecting high school students. The students and community-based organizations who advocate on their behalf were invited to participate as representatives of the inaugural class of Sun Life Rising Stars, having been recognized by the leading financial services organization in 2010 for overcoming the odds by furthering their education.

Pictured from left: Raphael Diallo, Tennis Champion and Miami Dolphins Limited Partner Venus Williams, Sabas Rousseau and Burien's Bikram Subba.

Here’s more from a press release:

Sun Life developed the Summit to provide a forum for education stakeholders to discuss the state of public education in America’s major metropolitan areas, tackle socio-economic issues causing the precipitous decline in graduation rates among urban high school students, and present new ideas and approaches that will ensure at-risk youth receive the requisite resources and information to finish high school and continue their education.

Tennis Champion and Miami Dolphins Limited Partner Venus Williams; Dolphins Wide Receiver Davone Bess; Quarterback Chad Pennington; and Vice President Nat Moore; Sun Life US President Wes Thompson and Vice President and Head of US Marketing Priscilla Brown represented the Miami Dolphins Foundation and Sun Life Financial respectively.

Highlights included the students’ grand entrance into Sun Life Stadium via the Dolphin’s famed ‘Orange Carpet’ as they were applauded by Bess, Pennington, the Dolphins front office and cheerleaders; a special welcome reception in the Dolphins locker room where they received personalized Dolphins team jerseys; and inspirational speeches by Thompson, Moore and the Dolphins players. Williams shared her personal story of overcoming the odds as an at-risk student in her keynote address.

In 2010, Sun Life Financial provided more than $1 million in grants and scholarships through the Sun Life Rising Star Awards program, rewarding students and their supporting nonprofits in Boston, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, and South Florida. Each nonprofit organization received a $50,000 grant, along with training, materials and curriculum infrastructure to develop and provide financial education for youth in its program. Each student received a $5,000 scholarship to help finance their post-secondary education.

Priscilla Elizalde, a San Diego, California graduate of Kearny High School’s Construction Tech Academy, and HANDY, Inc., a Fort Lauderdale, Florida nonprofit organization, won the inaugural national award for the Sun Life Rising Star Awards program, collecting an additional $50,000 toward college tuition and HANDY, Inc., an additional $50,000 in grants.

The Sun Life Rising Star Awards is the educational cornerstone program of the Miami Dolphins Foundation, devoted to providing and supporting signature Education, Health, Youth Athletic Programs and Volunteer Activities that inspire and engage communities throughout Florida.

As we reported last week, the John F. Kennedy Catholic High School Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team played in the State Tournament Finals on Friday (Nov. 12th), and here’s a recap of their progress:

The JFK girls volleyball team had a good tournament. They finished 7th in state for 2010. They beat Holy Names 3-0 then lost 3-1 to the #1 ranked West Valley of Yakima.

In the consolation bracket they beat #8 ranked Auburn Mt. View 3-1, but lost in the final 3-1 to #2 ranked Mt Spokane.

They ended the season with a sparkling 32-3 record and their coach Joanne Uhl was induced into the WA state volleyball Hall of Fame.

The team awards banquet is tonight (Tuesday, Nov. 16th) at 7pm at JFK.

Three cheers for these great girls!

UPDATE: The John F. Kennedy Catholic High School Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team won their Friday night match against Prairie 3-0, then played on Saturday and beat Capital 3-2 (#7 in state), but lost to Camus (#4 in state) 1-3.

They are off to State tournament finals in Tri-cities as a #2 seed, with the first game scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12th (time TBA).

The loss to Camus was first loss this season, and their record is now 28-1.

They are considered one of the favorites to take it all (Go Lancers!).

PREVIOUSLY:

Yesterday we reported how the Burien Bearcats Junior Football team is slated to play in a championship game at Husky Stadium this Sunday; now comes word that another local team, the John F. Kennedy Catholic High School Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team, is also scheduled to play Friday in state district finals.

JFK’s team is undefeated with a 26-0 record, and is the number #2 ranked team in the 3A League.

Their playoff game in the West Central District Tournament is set for Friday, Nov. 5th at 6pm at Auburn-Mountainview High School, which is located at 28900 124th Ave. SE in Auburn (phone: 253-804-5197).

According to an email we received:

They have a deep senior dominated team and a marvelous new head coach named name is Joanne Uhl. She won state championships at Blanchet in the past.  She knows her volleyball.

The games are open to the public and there is usually a nominal entrance fee.

Claire Kramer

Here’s the team roster:

• Alina Aleaga
• Brita Brongil
• Agnes Eneliko
• Riley Fawcett
• Erin Gooseen
• Katie Key
• Claire Kramer
• Vivienne McClean
• Jennica McPherson
• Jordan Nakatani
• Jenny Neudorfer
• Colie Post
• Lauren Zilke

DIRECTIONS TO AUBURN-MOUNTAINVIEW HIGH SCHOOL (Link to Map):

From the South, North, or West of Auburn:

Take Highway 167 to Auburn, then take Highway 18 Eastbound. Exit at the 304th Street exit, (Pacific Raceways exit) turn right on 304th and proceed to the light at 132nd Ave SE. Turn right on 132nd Ave SE. and proceed 1 mile. The east entrance to Auburn Mountainview High School will be on your left. The entrance to all gymnasium events is through the west courtyard at the west end of the building. Parking for gym events will also be at the west end of the building. Proceed past the front entrance to the school to get to the west parking lots and west entrance.

Westbound on Highway #18 use the 304th Street exit and follow the same directions as above.

Everyone here at The B-Town Blog wishes these gals much, spiking sports success – Go Lancers!

Highline High School’s Class of 1970 is holding its 40th reunion on Saturday, Sept. 18th beginning at 5:30pm at Azteca Restaurant in Burien, and they want all former Pirates of that era to know about it.

1970 was a different era for sure – the Vietnam War, President Nixon, “hippies,” sex, drugs & rock n’roll, and of course, newfangled color TV sets where you had to actually get up out of your chair to change the channels, most likely to one of five or so stations that came in (anyone out there remember “Laugh-In”?).

There will be a $20 buffet dinner and “catch up” with friends from the past, and attendees can send a check for said amount made out to “HHS40″ to:

Robin McGehee
11401 24th Ave SW
Burien, WA 98166

For more info, email hhs40reunion@hotmail.com.

by Ralph Nichols

[NOTE: Interviews for this and a companion story that follows were conducted just before the 2010 youth lacrosse season ended in May. With the growing popularity of this sport locally, many players – returning and new – already look forward to a new season next spring. – RN]

Not long ago, a Burien junior high school student, who already plays baseball, basketball and soccer, told me he plans to play lacrosse next spring.

That he is not alone in this new sporting interest is one of many promising signs for the future of a game that remains largely unheralded in the Highline area.

Every spring, the “traditional” high school sports – baseball, soccer, track and field, tennis – grab all the headlines.

Yet lacrosse – first played by Native Americans in the Northeast – is the fastest-growing sport among young athletes throughout western Washington.

Increasing numbers of Highline-area boys from 5th grade through high school are marking their calendars, like the Burien teen, for the second week in March when a new lacrosse season begins.

And it will build on what, looking back, was the best year yet for teams of the Highline Lacrosse Club.

Highline Medical Center CEO Mark Benedum also coaches lacrosse.

“Just this year we turned the corner” in developing players, said Mark Benedum, who coaches the 5th-6th grade team. He was also the founder of the local club, which is now an ascending youth sports program.

Benedum fielded in the 2010 season an increasing – and increasingly skilled – number of players, who will move from the 5th-6th grade team up to the 7th-8th grade roster, and then to high school-level teams.

The Highline Lacrosse Club even had enough players this year to field a high school junior varsity team for the first time.

Lacrosse isn’t a sport sanctioned by the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association, so competition at both the high school and youth levels is sponsored by leagues with organized clubs that are, for the most part, coached and managed by parent volunteers.

Loy Kalapo coaches both the high school varsity and junior varsity teams of the Highline Lacrosse Club. Charlie Simpson coaches the 7th-8th grade team.

They are assisted by fathers of some players, many of whom are good athletes who participated in other high school or college sports.

“A big difference here is getting dads involved who have never played lacrosse but are teaching [the kids] the game,” Benedum said. “It’s important to have the parents involved.”

All local teams play under the umbrella of the Washington State High School Boys Lacrosse Association, which is working to win sanctioned by the WIAA.

Anthony Gardner, president of the Highline Lacrosse Club board of directors, predicts that “it’s just a matter of time before lacrosse becomes a sanctioned high school sport in this state.”

Highline lacrosse program
Many residents of Burien and neighboring communities already know Benedum as the CEO of Highline Medical Center. But beyond the campus of this growing medical facility, he shares with the young athletes an enthusiasm for lacrosse.

“Lacrosse is one of my passions,” said Benedum, who played collegiate lacrosse at Cornell University. “I’ve been playing it since I was nine.”

After moving to the Seattle area he discovered there were only a handful of lacrosse clubs here. He started playing at the adult club level where most of the players, like him, were transplants from the east coast.

About seven years ago, he got a call from the president of what, at the time, was the local high school lacrosse league. The team at Mt. Rainier High School, which included some players from other Highline high schools, had lost its coach.

Since the team couldn’t finish the season without a coach, Benedum was asked if he would consider taking over, and he volunteered to fill the void.

“The high school kids were good athletes, but they had no experience” playing lacrosse before they got to high school,” Benendum recalled. This impressed on him the need for local junior lacrosse teams to feed players to the high school team, just as youth teams do in other sports.

Three years ago, the team at Mt. Rainier was renamed the Highline Lacrosse Club to eliminate identity with just one local high schools “to make all players feel welcome,” Gardner said. “Any kid in the Highline area can be on the club,” no matter what high school they attend.

The Highline Lacrosse Club also expanded, adding youth teams for younger players to increase participation and skill development.

An estimated 5,000 boys and girls played on lacrosse teams in western and central Washington this spring. The only girls’ team in the Highline area is at Kennedy High School.

There are some 40 lacrosse teams at the high school level from Port Angeles to the Tri-Cities, with about 25 of them in the Seattle metro area, Gardner said. There are around 60 teams at the 5th-6th grade level.

“I see a time when every high school will have a team,” Benedum said. For now, “the kids [from different schools] try to set aside their high school rivalries” as they play at the top level for the Highline club.

As he gazed across the Manhattan playfield in Burien during the final practice of the 2010 season, Benendum observed, “It’s good to see this group out here, to give more kids a chance to play.”

Lacrosse is “a physical game that includes a lot of running,” he added. “It offers opportunities for kids who are not necessarily big. Kids that really do well in soccer and basketball tend to have a lot of fun.

“There is a lot of team strategy. They can use the stick. And, Benedum said with a grin, “you get to hit people.”

Goal: increase players
Gardner said the Washington Stealth professional indoor lacrosse team, which won the league’s national championship at the end of its first year in Everett earlier this year, has “helped a lot in increasing interest in lacrosse” in western Washington.

Looking closer to home, he said “We’re the fastest growing lacrosse club in the country. We’re definitely the fastest growing sport in the Highline area.”

It takes 18 players to field a lacrosse team. And, Gardner noted, the 5th-6th grade team fielded 24 kids this year, the 7th-8th grade team had about the same number, and the high school team, including junior varsity, had 36 players.

“We doubled this year the number of kids playing. Once the kids turn out and get involved, their interest seems very strong. Next year we’ll be more aggressive – reaching out to the elementary schools with a grass-roots marketing campaign.”

The Highline Lacrosse Club is “looking to add a second 5th-6th grade team and a second 7th-8th grade team,” Gardner added. “Our goal is to increase interest and to build a feeder pipeline” for the high school team.

Players from Mt. Rainier in Des Moines, Tyee in SeaTac, Highline, Evergreen and Kennedy in Burien, Foster in Tukwila, and Aviation High support the high school team.

Beyond the playing field, interest has grown to the point where “we’re looking to having an official mascot next year,” he said.

Not only is the number of players improving, so is the level of play, Gardner said. While the 5th-6th grade team “struggled,” they were “building for the future.” And the 7th-8th grade team, which went 11-2, “had an awesome season.

“The high school team had an improved year, and this was the first year that we actually had 9th graders with experience.” In addition, the junior varsity “had a lot of new kids.

“A lot of new kids only means good things for the future of this program,” Gardner concluded. “I’m very excited.”

Rogers Hornsby, the great second baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1920s and 30s, once was asked what he did during the off-season. “I look out the window all winter waiting for spring,” he replied.

In the Highline area, there’s a growing group of boys who are counting the days until next spring for a different reason – it will be time to start playing lacrosse again.

Highline High School senior Heidi Buck planned the fashion show as her culminating project.

This past weekend, the Highline Schools Foundation held their 2nd Annual Project PROMise event. As we previously reported, this effort collects dresses and accessories in order to help high school girls who might not otherwise be able to attend their proms.

New this year was a Friday night fashion show to display some of the dresses that were part of the collection. The fashion show was a culminating project put on by Highline High School senior Heidi Buck.

Nearly 500 dresses were made available at Saturday’s event at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Tukwila. Eighty-three students attended the event where they received individual attention from a personal shopper to assist them with their dress and accessory selection. Seamstresses were also on hand to tailor dresses to fit their intended wearers.

Dresses that weren’t chosen will be reviewed to see if they still meet certain style guidelines by students from the Puget Sound Skills Center’s Fashion Design program and then stored for next year.

The Foundation hopes to include the fashion show in next year’s Project PROMise, and is also investigating ways they might be able to assist young men with their prom expenses in the future.

Here are additional photos taken by B-Town Blog photographer Michael Brunk.

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Story & Photos by Gina Bourdage

Every year a special event comes around that is supposed to be one of the most memorable times in a young person’s life…The Prom.

But the cost of this event has risen astronomically over time and made this rite of passage something that only those who can afford it can attend.

That is where the Highline Schools Foundation has stepped in to help with their Project PROMise Event.

A select group of high school girls are invited to this exclusive event where they will be treated to a boutique shopping experience to get them outfitted for the prom. Along with their personal shopper they will choose a dress, accessories, shoes and the works. Local businesses are encouraged to donate anything that will make these students’ night as special as possible, from dinners from local restaurants to local chauffeurs and florists.

According to the Highline Schools Foundation website:

For many high school girls, going to the prom is an event anticipated for years and not going because the family can’t afford a formal dress can be devastating. However, we as a Foundation are determined to make a difference.

Through the efforts of Project Promise, these girls will be able to attend the prom in beautiful dresses donated by local organizations and community members.

On Saturday, May 8, 2010, high school girls from the Highline School District will be greeted by a volunteer “Personal Shopper” at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Tukwila, who will help them select the perfect dress for their prom.  Dress recipients have the option of keeping the dresses or returning them to the Foundation for use next year.

We are excited to see this program grow in the coming years, making it possible for many more students enjoy this special high school tradition.

We need your help!

Please consider collecting formal dresses for Project Promise at your workplace, community group or church. You can make a dream come true in the life of a student.  We are currently accepting donations of new/like new formal dresses of all sizes and colors for Project Promise. These dresses may be brought to the HSFFE office or delivered to any of these additional “drop off” points: Highline High School, Mt. Rainier High School, Tyee High School (500 Building), Evergreen High School.

Also, the first-ever PROMise Fashion Show will take place this Friday, May 7th beginning at 7pm at the Doubletree Suites in Tukwila. This event is a culminating project by Heidi Buck, a senior at Highline High School, and it is designed to thank the community and donors that have helped make Project PROMise successful.

There are only 50 seats left, and you must be 21 years old to attend. If you are interested in attending, please send Highline Schools Foundation an email at info@highlineschoolsfoundation.org or call 206-248-5196, and they will send you an eVITE with all the event’s details.

I cannot think of a better way to get use out of a bridesmaid or formal dress you may never wear. Guys what about that tux which is now too small? We all have shoes that we have been asking ourselves what we would ever wear something that fancy to. When it comes to jewelry everything goes now! The fashion trends today are from every ear so if you have items that you think aren’t in you can ask yourself how nice it would be to sparkle up a young ladies night with a few cute bobbles.

Highline High School’s All-Class Reunion will be held at the Highline High School Cafeteria on Saturday, May 22, from 11am – 3pm.

This is open to all alumni.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Highline High School’s All-School Reunion

WHEN: Saturday, May 22nd from 11am – 3pm

WHERE: Highline High School’s Cafetorium (if you’re an alumni you probably remember where that is, right?).

INFO: From an email:

Admission is $25.00 and includes lunch, rental of the cafeteria, and a chance to meet old friends and make new ones.

Please bring a new item for the silent auction.  All money raised will be used to fund HHS Student Scholarships.

For information contact Joanne Pease at 206-244-2248 or e-mail Peezpod@aol.com.

Further information about the HHS Alumni Foundation can be found at the website:  www.highline-highschool-alumni-foundation.org.

Info on other HHS reunions is available at their website here.