Silver Wolf Award

Bobby Aiyer

Bobby served as the Speech and Debate Team Captain this year. The Speech and Debate team consists of 40+ students from EHS and Tesla who compete in weekend events. Bobby's role in insuring the success of EHS's student lead team was to coordinate the student participants and parent volunteers. He developed, redefined and expanded his position within the team and is leaving the team stronger and more robust. He organized carpools to and from competitions, recruited volunteer judges and managed student signups for the many different events that occur at a competition. Bobby communicated thoroughly and efficiently with both parents and his peers and went far beyond the tasks that were required of him. He was always ready to support his team and the volunteers. Bobby worked to recruit new members for the Speech and Debate team and was a mentor to his team. He always had a welcome smile and "we can do that" attitude.

Outstanding Advocate Award

Nancy Colburn

LWSD Council Award Winners 2020-2021- Outstanding Advocate was awarded to Nancy Colburn. She has been a longtime PTSA volunteer and has served on boards at all levels- Elementary, Middle and High Schools. Last year she was the co-presenter and host for the EHS PTSA parent education event on "Building Strong Families: Practical Strategies for Improving Family Ties". Nancy Colburn is one of those ties that bind a school community. She is the founder of Eastside Parents of ADD/ADHD Kids, a support group for parents helping their children navigate the education experience. Currently, Nancy serves as a Lake Washington Schools Foundation trustee and as a board member of Balance in Mind. She also substitutes as a para instructor, instructional aide, and office staff in our district. Additionally, Nancy is the education editor for the Sammamish Independent working with high school reporters on stories that are relevant to education in Sammamish schools.

Golden Acorn Award

Nancy Colburn

Nancy has been an active member of PTSA boards for years. She served in various PTSA roles at Smith Elementary, VP of Ways and Means at Inglewood Middle School, and Grants Chair at Eastlake. Throughout her years in the PTSA she has provided valuable insights and guidance when it comes to creating programs that best serve the students and families in our community. This past year, Nancy not only was a part of the planning team that put together one of the highest attended parent education events at Eastlake, she also volunteered to be a panelist and presenter that night helping parents learn more about how to connect with their teens. Besides her work at the school level, Nancy is the founder of the Eastside Parents of ADD/ADHD Kids, an outreach organization that provides families with research based blog posts and presentations to guide them through raising a child with attention deficit disorders. Her work has also been incorporated into the programs being offered by Balance in Mind, a group dedicated to bringing education and awareness of youth mental health issues. If that wasn't enough, Nancy serves as a a Trustee on the Lake Washington Schools Foundation. Nancy Colburn is a passionate, smart, resourceful, and supportive volunteer who has proven time and time again that she is dedicated to helping the youth and families in our community. She is the essence of the Golden Acorn Award.

Outstanding Educator Award

Valerie Harris

Mrs. Harris is extremely passionate about music and takes every opportunity to instill the same passion in her students. This is shown in the extensive programs for the various orchestras, guitar courses and after school symphony programs she has created at Eastlake. Her music program is not just a place for students to learn a stringed instrument, but also to learn about working together, collaborating in real time, and building a musical community. She has confidence in the student's ability to rise to the occasion and supplies them the autonomy to allow them to reach their potential as they build confidence through each performance and become valuable members of an orchestra. She is known for her ability to create an atmosphere of warmth and camaraderie that students cherish in their school day. She has a strong desire for continued learning and she modeled this to students when she taught herself guitar to provide new string offering to the Eastlake community while earning her M.Ed. in Music Education. Mrs. Harris is an educator who has the unique talent to inspire students to perform at their best while creating a safe place for them to be themselves, whether a beginner or advanced musician. She exemplifies what it truly means to be a teacher who should be recognized as an outstanding educator. 

Continued Connection Award

EHS Wellness Department: Jessica Barlow, Lena Hanson, Molly Hill, Rian Lindell, Danielle Meyer, Katrins Millet, Pat Parnell, Kyle Snell and Jay Tully

The Wellness department at EHS has been exceptional in trying to keep student and family connections at the forefront of the isolation we’ve experienced with the shut down of school due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This staff made an Instagram account and called it Wolves in Action. They would offer challenges - these challenges were health related with in many cases, fun twists and surprises. They acknowledged birthdays, they brought in other staff at Eastlake, they attempted to reach all kids in all grade levels. They have provided significant hope and in many ways connections in this time of social distancing. They shared with us their families, their hobbies and their care, concern and compassion. They allowed many a chance to smile, when some days felt kind of bleak. This group has provided unique support to our students and families in times of virtual learning.  

"Look for the Helpers" Award

Tallee Whitehorn

Tallee has done an amazingly exceptional job of leading the Eastlake Angels chair position. She is an advocate for those with needs in our Eastlake community. When Covid-19 shut down our schools, her work did not end. She worked relentlessly with the counselors to make sure our students in need still had access to our angels support program. She worked with Pantry Packs each week making sure meals were gathered from the district and transported them to the schools so families could receive support. She even delivered meals to homes that needed some extra support with transportation. She is a kind and caring person, her heart is generous and her dedication to serving others does not go unnoticed if you’re looking. She is subtle in how she serves, but her impact on the community around her is loud. She has shown outstanding service while many are in a time of need.