BLHS Students Honored for Achievements at Senior Showcase

On May 11, students and school staff gathered together at Bonney Lake High School to celebrate the accomplishments of their outstanding seniors.

Nine students were honored for their achievements, leadership and overall growth in the last four years at Bonney Lake. Teachers gushed about their students from the podium as proud families looked on.

Visit for the full list of BLHS seniors recognized at last night's Senior Showcase, as told through their teachers' nominations.

When it comes to Reed Hawkins, ASB vice president, BLHS student ambassador and member of the National Honor Society, his social studies teacher Joshua Gaydos had one thing to say:

“He serves.”

“Life is about community and service for others,” said Hawkins. This philosophy was reflected in his senior project, when he joined a group of 14 seniors and raised money to purchase a house for an underprivileged family in Mexico. The group also traveled to Mexico to help build the house.

“Reed has grown from a shy, quiet, hardworking student… into a very prominent role model for our student body that other students respect and trust,” wrote chemistry teacher Ellen Berwick, who nominated Hawkins for his award.

Reed credits his involvement in track and field, cross country and swimming, in part, for his growth.

“Being in sports helped me build a community here… helped me to develop my leadership,” he said. 

Next year, Reed will begin his freshman year at Seattle Pacific University. He plans to study biology, but does not know where that will lead. Perhaps research or teaching, he suggested.

Another student honored at the Senior Showcase was Danielle Harris.  Although Harris has only been at Bonney Lake High School for one year, she has stood out to her teachers and peers. She came to BLHS from Yakima after having a child in 2009, her junior year of high school.

“It doesn’t matter what challenges are put in her way,” said English teacher Jennifer Fruehauf.

For her senior project, Harris wrote a children’s book about her 19-month-old daughter, Leah. “A book about her and her perspectives of the world,” Danielle described, including her first Christmas, birthday, words, etc.

In a video put together to honor the seniors at the ceremony, Ms. Fruehauf called Harris a “top quality student.”

“She rarely misses school, she works consistently and diligently on all her school work, and she constantly maintains a gentle, positive attitude,” Fruehauf wrote in her nomination.

 Harris plans to go to community college next year to pursue a degree in Nursing. “If I enjoy that, I will continue my education at a university.”

 Said Fruehauf, “I’m going to miss her spirit.”