Celebrating Our Graduates

by | Mar 16, 2022 | Ripple Community | 0 comments

Lana, JBA

Alyssa Alvarez, Mt. View High School

For those of you who were with Johnson Bixby in September 2013, you may remember meeting Lana’s daughter, Alyssa, who was just shy of 10 years old and in 4th grade. That young girl, turned young woman, is getting ready to graduate high school. She is currently enrolled in the Running Start program and will receive her associate degree in addition to her high school diploma.

When asked what her biggest accomplishment was, Alyssa said, “proving to my mother procrastination works.”  Although it’s no secret she would test her mom’s patience at times, she is expected to graduate with a high GPA and a great work ethic under her belt. Alyssa was part of the Excel program throughout elementary school, participated in the music program playing the violin, and was a member of the National Honor Society and HOSA (Future Health Professionals). She has focused on Anatomy and Physiology during the last two years at Clark Community College.

While growing up, she developed a love for fashion, travel and culture, and has also become a self-taught bassist who loves to spend hours discussing musical legends of the decades, as well as her appreciation for the arts. She is well-known for her quick wit and sarcastic abilities that can make even the most serious of people break a smile.

Most importantly, Alyssa is graduating with a heart aimed at helping others. She has stated that as she graduates and moves past her “age of rebellion,” her immediate goal is to take some time to do volunteer work helping ones in need as well as travel. Afterward, she is considering pursuing her interest in becoming a veterinarian to compliment her love for animals, stating, “Dr. Alvarez has a ring to it.”

We wish her the best as she embarks on a new chapter in her life.

Jen, JBA

Carson Morris, Washougal High School

Carson has excelled at playing football and basketball at the early age of five. He continued to play in middle school where he was voted team captain and MVP both years. His football season came to an end just two games shy of his eighth-grade year. He was switched from quarter back to wide receiver and caught a pass and got hit and didn’t get up. It required surgery to his collar bone with two plates and several screws. This put 8th grade basketball season in jeopardy. 

High school came and Carson continued to play both sports in which he lettered three years in both sports and also made first team all-league in football his junior year. His senior year was cut short after a few games in football due to a fractured wrist, which took him out the rest of the season and into three weeks of basketball. He will need  surgery in the near future to correct it. 

Carson experienced a tragedy that no child should have to experience. He lost his best friend, Zain, to cancer. He spent as much time as possible with Zain. After his passing, Carson wore Zain’s basketball number for the rest of the season. In honor or Zain’s journey and the life he represented, Carson got a tattoo that Zain and his father had designed before he passed. 

We are very proud of all the obstacles Carson has had to face this year and how he has responded as a young adult. I know he will conquer anything he puts his mind to and I am excited to see what his future will hold. Carson is interested in attending Clark College and taking a few general classes while he decides if he wants to be an underwater welder, electrician or get into stocks and bonds. He loves history and helping others. I am encouraging him to become a teacher and coach. He has maintained a 3.4 GPA and has respect from his peers.

Lynn, JBA

Eleanor Snyder, Saint Mary’s Academy

It is hard to believe (for her parents anyway) that Eleanor is about to finish her pandemic interrupted high school career.  Eleanor has been a competitive swimmer since age 8, swimming on various club teams, doing open-water swimming and swam varsity at SMA all four years. She was team captain her junior and senior years and the team won the Three Rivers League Championship her freshman year and almost won her senior year. “Almost”, you ask? They awarded the trophy to SMA only to take it back due to a scoring miscalculation. Her team was able to get a picture with the trophy and jump in the water with her coach as if they had won, a nice consolation prize!

Eleanor has excelled in the classroom, pushing herself by enrolling in honors and AP courses whenever available. She was not discouraged from this path despite many stressful weeks and late evenings required to maintain solid grades. Eleanor participated in several extracurriculars as well, playing piano in the SMA Piano Ensemble, Model United Nations (voted Best Consensus Builder), Student Equity Team leader and is a National Honor Society member.

All of Eleanor’s hard work has paid off!  She has recently been accepted to both West Point and the United States Naval Academy. While she has additional applications outstanding, her dream of attending USNA was solidified after a campus visit in middle school followed by a formal Campus Visit Weekend this fall. Her dream of swimming for USNA is a possibility but challenging. All midshipmen are required to participate in a sport, so she may be able to try something new. Regardless, she is thrilled with the opportunity and will be dropped off for “Induction Day” June 30in Annapolis, MD!  Eleanor loves to joke around, tease and be teased, and is a kind and caring young person. Her presence will be missed in the Snyder Peters household, but she is more than ready for this next chapter and endeavor.