Murrieta's Top Dec. Students Announced

From Murrieta Valley Unified School District: On December 13, 2017, the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce High School Student of the Month Program was held and the students shown in the attached photo were recognized.

Shown standing from left to right are: Sally Myers, SOM Founder; Linda Lunn, MVUSD Board Member; John Hunneman, Communications Director for Senator Jeff Stone; Jonathan Ingram, Mayor, City of Murrieta; Ken Dickson, MVUSD Board Member, Mary Walters, MVUSD Executive Director of Secondary Education and SOM Emcee and Pat Kelley, MVUSD Superintendent. Shown sitting left to right are: Brendan Stratton, Murrieta Mesa High; Zachary Thomas, Springs Charter School; Kaitlyn Carpenter, Murrieta Canyon Academy; Amber Newman, Calvary Christian High School; Taylor Shimono, Murrieta Valley High School and Parker Ennis, Vista Murrieta High School.

Murrieta Mesa High School Senior Brendon Stratton is an outstanding student who maintains a 4.17 GPA while taking five AP classes this year. Brendan is involved in the Fish and Game Club, Astronomy Club, an environmental conservancy club and the Interact Club where he helped put on the school’s annual Share the Harvest event. He is also a member of California Scholarship Federation. Brendon is humble, polite and courteous. Brendan is a leader who loves helping others learn. Brendan loves learning and he plans to become a teacher. He has applied to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, Yale, Princeton and Columbia University.

Springs Charter School Senior Zachary Thomas is an exemplary student who maintains straight A’s. He started out as a volunteer member of the City of Menifee’s youth advisory board and he now works for the City of Menifee. Zach is known for being kind and caring and he has a great work ethic. Zach said the biggest life lesson he has learned is that hard work pays off. In addition to completing his last year of high school, Zach is also taking classes at Mt. San Jacinto College. By the time he graduates, he will have completed seven college courses. Zach plans to go to Cal Baptist University and major in sports medicine.

Murrieta Canyon Academy Senior Kaitlyn Carpenter has a heart for other people and she is a ray of sunshine in spite of experiencing the loss of a parent. She is mature, conscientious and resilient. Kaitlyn helped start the leadership program and Rise Up Club at her school and she will complete her senior year at the end of the first semester. Kaitlyn said losing a parent is not easy but it made her stronger and it made her the person she is today. Kaitlyn draws on her own loss to comfort others who are facing difficulties in life. She plans to go to Royale Beauty School next semester and she looks forward to working as a cosmetologist.

Calvary Christian High School Senior Amber Newman is a competitor when it comes to grades and athletics. She maintains an outstanding 4.0 GPA and she was a talented softball player who dreamed of playing at the college level. After breaking her elbow three times, Amber realized she had to give up that dream. At that point, she turned to God to help her find a new future. Amber joined the cross country and soccer teams and she is became editor of the yearbook. Amber is genuinely kind and caring and she goes out of her way to encourage and build others up. Amber plans to attend California Baptist University or Cal State Fullerton to study kinesiology. She is interested in becoming a teacher.

Murrieta Valley High School Senior Taylor Shimono has never received less than an A in high school and she maintains a 4.45 GPA. She has taken 11 AP classes and is ranked third in her class of 596 students. She is also a four-year member of the lacrosse and golf teams, a member of National Honor Society and Commissioner of Activities. Taylor is also a runner and she recently completed her second Ragnor team relay race. Taylor is tenacious and fearless but she is also a kind, compassionate, caring, well-rounded and humble person who doesn’t seek the spotlight. Taylor hopes to attend either Stanford, UCLA or UC Davis and she plans to major in biomedical engineering.

Vista Murrieta High School Senior Parker Ennis is an outstanding scholar-athlete who is a leader in JROTC, a member of ASB and a member of the lacrosse team. Parker loves learning and he has taken 9 AP classes. He has served as Vista Murrieta’s student representative to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District Board of Education for three years. Parker is also an Eagle Scout. He hopes to attend the US Air Force Academy and serve his country in the military as an intelligence officer or civilian affairs officer.

If you wish to learn more about the Student of the Month Program, please contact Sally A. Myers, Founder at (951) 506-8024. If you are interested in sponsoring the Student of the Month program, please contact LouEllen Ficke, Chair of the Murrieta Student of the Month Program at (951 719-1213.

Photo courtesy of Murrieta Valley Unified School District