We are honored to announce the winners of EHS PTSA Scholarships for this year:

Katherine Siddoway Scholarship

Katherine Siddoway was the founding principal of Eastlake High School.  As the principal, she focused on creating a “student-centered community of learners in which each person had dignity and intrinsic worth.”  She built on student strengths to prepare them to make responsible choices and to be contributing members of our community. 

Katherine Siddoway Scholarship 2025 Winners are Hongning Wang and Christopher Dickman.

Hongning Wang

“The broad worldview and leadership skills I learned have made me uniquely capable of drawing together diverse perspectives and shareholders in my community for productive dialogue... I know that a well-lived life exceeds a vocation. Being able to make a tangible impact and live an enriching life necessitates a broad worldview for making informed decisions and the support of a fantastic team. “

– Hongning Wang

Christopher Dickman                       

“Experiences in mentoring, collaboration, and leadership have taught me a great deal.  Collaborative leadership can transform a group.  Helping people help each other empowers communities.  When people feel valued and supported, they thrive.  I’ve learned to measure success not just by personal achievements, but also by the progress of the people around me.  These experiences have prepared me to make thoughtful, responsible choices that strengthen communities in college and in the rest of my life.”

– Christopher Dickman

Perseverance – in honor of Lori Rowe Scholarship Winners

Lori Rowe was Eastlake’s beloved Office Manager for many years. She lent her ear and opened her heart to students that were experiencing struggles and hardship. She was always rooting for them and in their corner as they faced challenges that might have disrupted their educational journey. She took great comfort in seeing the success and perseverance of her students throughout their academic and personal lives. The Rowe Family would like to honor her memory through the Perseverance Scholarship and champion her cause.

Lori Rowe Perseverance Scholarship 2025 Winners are Harloe and Aryan Prakash

 Harloe

“Today I’m even more inspired to create community through events such as dances and fan meetups to foster relationships based on shared passions and happiness, where nobody feels like they must become someone else to be worthy of friendship…

Librarians and archivists make sure even smallest works of art are preserved and accessible to generations, ensuring art, culture, and history does not become "lost media.” My goal is to recover as many pieces of art as possible to ensure artistic works remain known and available to future generations.”

– Harloe

Aryan Prakash

“I gained the mindset that falling and getting hurt does not mean to stop but simply is an obstacle in my path of progressing. Falling allows me to gain knowledge on how to regroup myself and return stronger. These same painful obstacles I faced in football but again taught me from painful injuries to mistakes that success comes with effort and self-recognition. These lessons prepared me for the academic and social hurdles of college by reinforcing the mindset that setbacks are inevitable, but success comes from consistent effort and self-belief. Whether it’s mastering a difficult class through failure or adjusting to new environments, I’m ready to embrace the process, think positive, and assure I can always come back stronger.”

– Aryan Prakash

Community Service Award Scholarship Winners

Our PTSA strongly advocates volunteerism which is a testament to the character of the students at any grade level.  The community service award is in recognition of outstanding contributions made to the Eastlake and/or Sammamish community.

Community Service Award Scholarship 2025 Winners Sophia Lisboa and Gayathri Arvindh.   

Sophia Lisboa

“As a Co-Director (of Hope Festival), I partnered with organizations like the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Brazilian Community Services to showcase the scholarship opportunities they offer for their respective communities. Additionally, I created and distributed over 500 brochures with QR codes linking guests to 30+ free mentorship, scholarship, and study resources, along with running drives for standardized test prep books. These provisions supported the organization’s 600+ student guests and marked the start of a new Education Department. My work for the Hope Festival was gratifying, and the guests’ positive feedback reinforced my appreciation of community.

Though it took time, my experience working with The Hope Festival has made community my strongest value, which I will continue to foster in college and beyond.” – Sophia Lisboa

Gayathri Arvindh

“One of the most impactful community service activities I have participated in is mentoring First Lego League (FLL) teams. I mentored FLL teams on their innovation projects, guiding them as they soldered haptic motors onto suits and built underwater vehicles. Through this experience, I gained valuable knowledge about patenting and trademarking ideas, which I shared with the students to help them understand the importance of protecting their inventions. This experience profoundly impacted my life, as it solidified my passion for giving back to the STEM community and inspiring future generations. Seeing the students' excitement as they worked on their projects and competed in FLL competitions reminded me of how crucial it is to nurture curiosity and creativity at a young age. Through this program, I not only contributed to their growth but also developed a deeper appreciation for mentorship and the role it plays in shaping the next wave of innovators.”  – Gayathri Arvindh

Certificates of Appreciation - It’s never too early to help and have impact!

Eric Kewei Huang – Grade 9

” A year ago, I reached out to the HHWC Coding Club, where I had first learned coding and later volunteered for in the years prior, only to find it inactive after its core members graduated. Determined to revive it, I took over, designed a curriculum, and invited two friends to join me as TAs. Together, we successfully organized spring and summer coding camps in 2024. However, when our supporting nonprofit withdrew, I had to find a new home for HHWC—leading to the founding of AYLUS Lake Washington. Expanding beyond coding, we introduced programs in drawing, 3D design, autism support, environmental restoration, and remote education for Ukrainian children. In six months, our team grew to 15 members, launched seven projects, and won two national awards. This journey affected my life by teaching me that challenges bring new opportunities for growth…”

– Eric Kewei Huang

Jerry Liu – Grade 10

“One of the non-profit organizations I volunteer for is AMPowering. I contribute by taking part in the community service activity of making sandwiches every week for people in need in the King County area. I have been a part of this organization for 4 years and was awarded the Youth Leadership Award by the organization. This commitment has helped instill a sense of responsibility and empathy within me that I wouldn’t have been able to discover otherwise. Being more exposed to the struggles of many less fortunate people through my community service has helped expand my worldview and allowed me to be more aware of societal inequalities. My volunteer work has also helped me realize the importance of taking time to help others, and that even small contributions can make a big difference.” – Jerry Liu

Brooke Lin – Grade 11

“In 2022, I joined the Sammamish Independent, our local newspaper, as a reporter. Over time, I wrote 32 articles—setting the record for the most by any reporter—and advanced to editor-in-chief. A notable example of my contribution is the 2023 Sammamish City Council elections. In 2019, the city experienced limited local news coverage during the elections, leading to a lack of readily available information for residents. Determined to prevent a recurrence, I led our 2023 election coverage, producing in-depth candidate profiles and organizing a widely attended candidate forum. Our comprehensive reporting reached over 9,000 readers, significantly enhancing public awareness and informed voting… Overall, my time with the Sammamish Independent has strengthened my voice as a journalist and leader while contributing to a more informed community.” – Brooke Lin