The Rotary Club of Sammamish showed their appreciation for two of the city’s hardest working young men at their Student of the Month breakfast in March.
Eastside Catholic High School senior Andrew Villeneuve and his Skyline peer Michael Stead have long impressed teachers with their ability to excel both in the classroom and out of it.
Villeneuve, who is fast shaping a promising business career through his involvement with the school’s DECA program, was also praised for his leadership qualities and empathy for his fellow students.
Reading comments written by Eastside Leadership Advisor Karen Skoog, teacher Ronda Patrick said Villeneuve “has a strong sense of what is right, and is always honest and open with his peers.”
These are fine qualities to find in young students, and have served him well as one of the school’s ASB leaders, as a scholar with a 3.85 GPA, and as a senior captain on the school’s baseball team.
Just a little way up 228th Avenue at Skyline, Stead has made a name for himself as a member of the school’s state champion football team. But as the Rotarians heard, the young man is far more than just a linesman.
Stead’s 3.95 GPA is almost as remarkable as his resume of community service. He is a mentor for two ninth graders through his church, a program which he describes as “one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
Stead is now beginning to fully realize the power of his enormous talents, volunteering with a number of nonprofits, including the Washington Student Math Association, an organization founded by his good buddy Evan Shieh, to make fun and effective math learning accessible to more students.
“His academic study and his religion are every bit as important as anything else he is doing in his life,” said teacher Brendan Hyland. “The way he leads by positive example – there is never anything he’s not willing to try and do, and always be positive. He’s ultra-talented, and just a very cool guy.”
The positive attitude, shared by both Stead and Villeneuve, continues to build the great community resource that is our local students.
