Auburn Mountainview High School senior Dhavan Vengadasalam and Auburn High School senior Bret Renschler were named 2009 Washington Scholars.
Auburn High School senior Erin Williams has been named alternate.
Vengadasalam is planning to attend Whitman College in the fall and focus on international relations and law. He holds a 3.82 GPA and is an AP scholar. Dhavan is senior captain of the varsity soccer and tennis teams, and he is a section leader for Auburn Mountainview’s jazz and wind ensemble. Dhavan also won the 2009 Washington Masonic Lodge Scholarship and Governor Gregoire’s 2009 Volunteer Service Award for his work the past three years as a Spanish interpreter and greeter for the United Way of King County Free Tax Preparation services at the Auburn Valley YMCA.
Renschler will be attending the University of Washington in the fall and will major in aeronautical engineering. Bret is a 4.0 student at Auburn High and hopes to be the 2009 valedictorian. He is the Associated Student Body (ASB) senior class treasurer, National Honors Society and Troy Crew member, volunteer at Valley Cities, baseball player, and Camp Auburn counselor and rover. Bret was also selected as a 2008 Washington Aerospace Scholar.
Williams is planning to attend the University of San Diego next fall and major in biology, chemistry or both. She would like to find a career in genetic research. Erin is a 4.0 student. She is president of Honors Society, co-president of the Random Acts of Kindness Etc. (RAKE) club, vice president of the senior class, AP scholar, captain of the cross country and track team, and a basketball player. Erin was selected to participate in the 2008 American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program and was a Masonic nominee for outstanding junior. This year Erin won $2,700 as fifth runner-up in the Miss Auburn pageant.
The Washington Scholars program recognizes the accomplishments of three high school students from each of the state’s 49 legislative districts. Students can use the scholarships at any public or independent college or university in Washington, and the scholarships are equal up to four years of full-time resident undergraduate tuition and fees.
High school principals nominate the top one percent of their graduating class on the basis of academic achievement, leadership and community service. A committee, composed of high school principals and college admissions staff, makes the final selection.
