The Rotary Club of Mead recognized two students on October 18th for their service, character, leadership, engagement, extracurricular participation, and scholastic achievements.
Andrew Deba
I’ve been a student at Mead High School for the past four years. My favorite thing about Mead High School is that it has one of the best school communities I have ever seen, with some of the greatest spirit, intensity, and comradery. It has a way of getting students involved, and I honestly think between the activities of my three younger sisters and I, we’ve driven my Mom to the brink of insanity. For one, I have been employed with our district at our Innovation Center’s SVVSD Mobile Innovation Lab for the past three years teaching K-5 kids about technology. I have also worked on two other Innovation Center teams during my time at Mead. My Sophomore year of high school, I worked on The Level Up Team creating worksheets for teachers to utilize in a classroom setting, and I’ve also recently joined our AI Business Solutions Team in which we learn about and create chatbots for real world business clients. However, I must say that by far my largest, most meaningful, and most physically demanding commitment must be the Mead High School Marching Band. While I could spend hours talking about how much I love our band, I will say that it has been one of the best lesson learning, perseverance building, and community bonding experiences I have ever been involved in. I have served for the past three years on our band’s leadership team, two of them as one of our Saxophone Section Leaders and this current season as one of our band’s three Drum Majors, which has been an aspiration of mine since my freshman year.
Over the years, we have also been honored here at Mead with some of the most amazing band directors, Mr. Chad Lemons, from 2018-2022, and Ms. Abigail Koehler, from 2019-the present day, both of whom have been some of the most influential, caring, and driven teachers I have had the pleasure of knowing. Specifically for me, Mr Lemons helped me during my Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years in advancing my skills in music, leadership, and perseverance. Ms. Koehler has also been one of the primary driving forces behind our band’s precision and success these past years, and she has helped me personally grow so much to become an effective leader. I can’t thank either of them enough for their commitment to our band.
Despite how much I love Mead, I am quite excited for the future. I have decided that I will be attending the University of Wyoming this upcoming fall semester to major in Economics with a possible minor in Data Analytics. My hope would be to one day become an All Source Analyst or Data Based Economist, with employment in either the private sector or possibly in national defense.
Arizona Lee
I have been a member of National Honor Society for 2 years, am an AP Capstone graduate, and am the current president of our student book club. But most prominently, I am involved with the Mead High journalism program as the Editor-in-Chief of our online and in-print newspaper, The Mav, as well as our student broadcast, MavTV. As my journalism adviser of 4 years, Ms. Hedlun has influenced me in so many ways. She had encouraged me to find and use my voice and become more confident in my academic and personal abilities. She has taught me leadership skills that I know I will use for the rest of my life. I owe a big thanks to her.
Within my community, I regularly volunteer through my church and with my dog, who’s a certified therapy and crisis support animal. I’ve also worked part time after school and on the weekends for the past 2 years. After graduation, I plan to receive my bachelors degree in political science and eventually attend law school to achieve my goal of becoming a family custody services lawyer.
I genuinely appreciate my last 3 years here at MHS. The thing I’ve noticed about Mead High School is the countless available opportunities students are offered in all areas of interest — our programs are all valued and given recognition. From music to athletics to art to student advocacy and voice, Mead truly recognizes every accomplishment and takes pride in what the student body is doing. I really appreciate my school and continue to enjoy the programs I’m involved in.