Two Monroe college students receive service honors

Fifty-five college students from across Washington were recognized during the Students Serving Washington Awards (SSWA) 2016 awards ceremony, two being from Monroe.

The ceremony was held Tuesday, April 26, at the Museum of Flight in Tukwila. Monroe High School class of 2012 graduate Hayley Hanford was honored, along with 2013 Sky Valley Education Center graduate Erin McQuin. The two Monroe School District alumni received SSWA Presidents Awards, which are given to two students every year for exceptional leadership and commitment to serving the community.

Presidents' Awards nominations are filtered through the Washington Campus Compact, a coalition consisting of about 40 two- and four-year colleges from all over the state. Students must be nominated for the honor by their school's president or chancellor, and are then asked to submit an Outstanding Service Award application to the SSWA.

The mission of the SSWA is to "recognize and encourage higher education students to become engaged in solving critical issues in their communities, nation and world, through service projects and entrepreneurship.GÇ¥

McQuin

A student at Western Washington University in Bellingham, McQuin was recognized for a statistics project she completed last fall, examining the impact healthy food choices at school had on the dietary intake of elementary children. The project placed a salad bar in the school of study, giving kids access to fresh, healthy foods. McQuin's research demonstrated that for many students school lunch provides the majority of their daily caloric intake, and the addition of the salad bar helped to remedy nutritional deficiencies.-á -á

The project was meant to address social justice, doing so by promoting equal access to healthy foods regardless of economic status. The study identified that children from impoverished homes had very limited access to healthy foods and used the school lunch system at the highest rates. The research showed that by enhancing school cafeterias with nutritionally-rich salad bars, the health of communities could be positively impacted.-á

"This research has allowed for more salad bars to be put into schools within Bellingham,GÇ¥ McQuin said.

Hanford

Hayley Hanford was selected for the award by Northwest University President Joseph Castleberry and Dean of Student Development Rick Engstrom for her exemplary leadership. Northwest University is an accredited Christian school in Kirkland that offers undergraduate courses in more than 70 majors.

"Simply put, Hayley is just a wonderful person and the model citizen at Northwest U. She is compassionate and caring and beloved by everyone on campus,GÇ¥ Engstrom said. "She has been a phenomenal leader on campus and epitomizes our University's mission ' embodying academic excellence, spiritual vitality and empowered engagement with human need.GÇ¥

The daughter of Monroe City Councilmember Kevin Hanford will graduate on Saturday, May 7. During her time on campus, Hanford served as a student activities board member, student activities chair, was a resident assistant and apartment representative. She was selected to give the invocation GÇô an opening prayer to inspire students by blessing their future paths GÇô during the school's baccalaureate service on Friday, April 29.

Castleberry said the SSWA nomination process included consultation with the student development department to ensure all students were given consideration.-á -á

"When I saw that our Director of Student Development, Rick Engstrom, had nominated Hayley, I was delighted,GÇ¥ Castleberry said. "She came to my notice right away when she arrived at Northwest, and she has distinguished herself on our campus as a person everyone loves. She is a one-woman community building crew. She is tireless in serving and working with others to make the world around her better.GÇ¥