Julia Skwarczynski and Abby Walker, two Hood River Valley High School seniors, have been selected as this school year’s first Elks Students of the Month. Both were presented checks for $100 in recognition of their volunteer efforts and achievements at school during last week’s lodge meeting.
Skwarczynski is a member of the HRVHS National Honor Society and has a definite love of languages. She is proficient in Polish and English, and is learning Spanish, French, German, Russian and, most recently, Mandarin Chinese. This past spring, she did an Extended Application project where she taught three languages — French, German and Spanish — to three local preschools. She gathered materials, created a lesson plan and taught each class. She then created a manual describing how to best teach preschoolers a second language, and hopes to teach again this spring. She said it was a great learning experience and taught her that teaching 5-year-olds isn’t as easy as it looks.
Skwarczynski has taken honors classes in physical science, English, medical biology and calculus. She has taken AP classes in geography, physics, Spanish, U.S. history, government/economics and English.
Skwarczynski enjoys traveling. During her freshman year, she traveled to France over spring break, and her family hosted two French exchange students her sophomore year. Junior year took her to Cuba, and she travels to Poland every other year.
Skwarczynski has danced ballet at Columbia Gorge Dance Academy since 2004 and has performed in the annual Nutcracker and spring performances. She has also danced hip hop, modern and jazz, and performed in spring recitals. As a freshman, she was a cheerleader on the fall JV team.
Her volunteer work includes the FISH Food Bank, where she helps customers shop for food, helps unload groceries, fill carts with bags and stocks shelves. She has done work with the National Honor Society, trick or treating for canned food, cleaned up after the induction ceremony, and set up refreshments and cleaned up after Scholarship Night.
Skwarczynski works at two local restaurants, Egg River and Mesquitery, to pay for language lessons. She has also worked at Egg River for Community Work Day to raise money for charity. She works as a Youth Heart of Hospice volunteer and visits patients in Hood River; they perform holiday-themed activities such as singing, decorating cookies and reading poems to patients.
Skwarczynski is the daughter of Kate and Greg Skwarczynski. She has a younger brother, Greg Jr., a freshman at HRVHS. Next fall, she would like to attend Stanford or Harvard and pursue a career where she can utilize her love of languages. When not in school, she enjoys skiing in the winter and spending summers on the river.
Walker is also a National Honor Society member. She is involved in Student Government, and this past May was elected as this year’s student body president. She was also junior class president in 2015-2016, and helped with assemblies and other school activities, such as planning the junior-senior prom. She has been a student ambassador since her sophomore year, helping students who come in during the school year get acclimated to their new school, promoting school spirit and the “Dude, Be Nice” project. Walker has taken honors classes in physical science, English, pre-calculus and medical biology. She has also taken AP classes in chemistry, U.S. history, Spanish and Writing 121/122. She is a three-time Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest winner, as well as a two-time Northwest Region DAR essay contest winner. She was the Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year in 2014, along with her mom and dad.
She is Miss Pioneer Oregon for 2016-2017 and serves as a representative for the heritage group “The Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers.” She gives speeches at organization events and is an active participant in the group.
She is a Link Crew leader at school, assisting incoming freshman, transfer students and exchange students. During the winter months, November through February, she plays basketball and has been a team member since 2013. She has also attended basketball camps and played in summer league.
Walker has done volunteer work for the Hood River Chamber of Commerce, handling admissions at Harvest Fest, Cider Fest and the Cross Channel Swim. She volunteers at the Hood River News typesetting fair results, and at Mid Valley Elementary — painting faces during the annual carnival, as a teacher’s aide on Community Work Day, and inventorying and checking out books during the summer reading program. She helps with many projects at St. Mary’s, including serving at the ham dinner and working at the bake sale booth, and organizing donations for the annual rummage sale for the past four years.
She has helped sell raffle tickets, and set up and run the live auction at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet, helped decorate for prom, and sorted food into boxes and delivered them to several families in need during the Christmas season. Walker has also refereed boys and girls youth basketball games for Community Education and taught fundamentals at the annual high school youth basketball program.
Walker is the daughter of Eric and Trisha Walker. She has a younger sister, Johanna, a sixth grader at Wy’east Middle School. After graduation, she hopes to attend the University of Portland’s nursing program, and plans to minor in Spanish. She would love to study abroad. When not in school, she enjoys reading, drawing and creative writing.
“Congratulations to these two outstanding young students,” said George Johnson, program director.
“It’s our honor to recognize them for their contributions to the community.”
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