“One of the coolest parts of my job is to see students rise above the expectations that have been set for them,” Tiger Mountain Community School teacher Hilary Oliver said on Tuesday.

She was talking about one of her students, Andrew Stratton, who Oliver nominated for one of the Issaquah Rotary Club’s Student of the Month awards this month.

“Andrew definitely has. He is hard working and his is determined. And this year he demonstrated a strong character, and a sense of integrity.”

Stratton himself said he recognized recently he was in danger of letting his future slip away. Though shy and uncomfortable talking in front of the assembled Rotarians, the significance of his determination to turn his life around was not lost.

“A few years ago, I wasn’t really a star student,” he said. “But one day I just said to myself, I am going to turn this around, and I’m going to get my high school diploma. I started working harder, and putting the effort in.”

Stratton’s Student of the Month honor was just reward for the Tiger Mountain senior, who is now planning on taking an apprenticeship in masonry.

His inspiring tale was followed by four more uplifting stories of young students pushing themselves and their fellow students, exploring everything that is possible in a school career.

Liberty High School’s Candice Cunningham was recognized for her outstanding performance in languages. The senior also tutors and mentors younger students, has been involved in neighborhood improvement projects with the City of Renton, and plans to attend Seattle University next year on her way to becoming a neo-natal nurse.

Fellow Liberty senior Amelia George was honored for her dedication to her art studies this year.

“Amelia has been putting in a lot of work in the art room. She’s really been pushing herself, and the results are clear to see,” said teacher Anne Cooper.

Just as George’s commitment to her studies has paid off, so too is Issaquah High School senior Emma Kelly benefitting from her hard work in this final year. In addition to her Spanish and Japanese classes, Kelly also took French in her own time over summer. Now, language classes take up a huge part of her school day.

“It’s been my favorite year of school so far,” she said. “Only half of my school day is in English, which is great.”

Kelly isn’t finished with languages yet — she plans to study Arabic, Russian and Chinese in coming years, on her way to a career in international relations.

Fellow senior Tasha Feng, an outstanding artists, was recognized not just for her own work but for her role in using art as a way to build to school community.

Feng, inspired by artEast’s project “Collective Memory,” where local artists create works to depict the story and character of leaders in the community, got the idea to emulate the project at Issaquah High School.

Art students will honor departing seniors with works of their own, telling the many stories of a school career and creating a bond between the art students at school and the rest of the campus.

“Anytime a student is excited enough to do things like this on their own, their own energy, it warms a teacher’s heart,” said teacher Jaclynn Claudon.

Last month the Rotary Club of Issaquah announced its Students of the Month for November, honoring Issaquah High School seniors Michael McManus and Anja Speckhardt, Ahren Stroming and Allison Bolgiano from Liberty High School, and Tiger Mountain High School’s Jayden Long.

Sammamish Rotary

The Rotary Club of Sammamish also regularly pays tribute to hardworking students on the Plateau.

Last month they met with Skyline High School seniors Emily Baer and David Pedroni, who were named Students of the Month for November.

Baer was recognized for her outstanding work in Social Studies, and Pedroni for excelling in his language studies.