1999 Scholarship Recipients

Laramie will graduate from North Thurston High School in Lacey this June. A strong student who is proud to be lesbian and biracial, she has overcome personal difficulties and a chronic medical condition to excel as a student and activist. Dedicated to the importance of diversity in human behavior, Laramie plans to major in anthropology and biology at Western Washington University.

Aaron broke gender roles by transitioning from a female to male identity. An honors student at the UW, he plans to major in chemical engineering. In addition, Aaron has worked full time as a resident advisor and director of the UW Gay Bisexual Lesbian Transgender Commission. He has helped organize sessions addressing transgender issues and a program for "safe floors" within student housing for GBLTIQ students.

Morgan overcame life on the streets to become a community activist, volunteering for Q-Patrol, the Freedom Day Committee, Pride Festival, NW AIDS Walk and Care to Dance, while building a career in insurance. He is attending North Seattle Community College in Network technology and plans to transfer to the UW to study Computer Science. He wants to provide computer services and web sites to nonprofit organizations.

Elizabeth became an active ally of her lesbian mother in the Hands Off Washington campaign. She worked with the Tacoma Lesbian Community and helped form a club that addresses HIV and AIDS issues in Pierce County schools. She is studying psychology at Western Washington University, where she has been doing volunteer pre and post test HIV counseling. She plans to pursue her interests in health and community service.

Sherrie is studying music at New Mexico State University, where she has been named a Distinguished Black Scholar. She has been a diversity presenter and a volunteer interpreter for the deaf and deaf-blind communities. A graduate of Roosevelt High School and Seattle Central Community College, she plans to return to Seattle as a music teacher and a positive role model for LGBT youth.

William has "artfully confronted his challenges to grow into an empowered individual." He worked at Friendship House in San Francisco, a drug and alcohol treatment program for American Indians, and volunteered for the Seattle Aids Support group. Currently, Bill is a 4.0 student at Seattle Central Community College. He plans to get a masters degree in social work at the UW and work with abused gay youth or people living with AIDS.

Mary grew up in Vancouver, Washington. An exemplary student with many diverse interests and skills, she sings, interprets American Sign Language, and is active in GLBT youth organizations in Vancouver. She is completing her studies in environmental biology at Clark Community College and transferring to the University of Montana to study forestry and continue her efforts to "celebrate diversity on all levels."

Charles got a second chance at life with the discovery of new AIDS treatments. Charles plans to earn an Associate of Arts Degree at Green River Community College and then study psychology at UW to become a researcher and therapist dedicated to reversing the trend of gay teenage suicide. He volunteers at Lambert House and is active at Camp Edgewood, which is affiliated with the National Spiritualist Association of Churches.

Sarah is graduating from Lake Stevens High School, where she has received the Athletic Medicine Scholar Award. She plans to study medicine at the UW. An outstanding student and athlete, she also volunteers as a conflict team manager, mentor, and peer counselor for other lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in her school. Sarah is active in Ebenezer Lutheran Church and has been nominated to the International Society of Poets.

Miles, a quality assurance inspector at Virginia Mason Hospital, is studying non-profit administration at Antioch. He has overcome addiction to follow his own path as a visible transsexual. Miles has facilitated groups at Ingersoll Gender Center and has worked with youth at Lambert House. He was active in ACT UP in Los Angeles and Seattle, and has performed peer HIV prevention and education outreach with King County Public Health.

Rani plans to study three majors at the UW—zoology, South Asian studies, and drama. She would like to become a doctor, specializing in virology. Rani also wants to help create films and plays that address issues concerning South Asian gays and lesbians. She is an active member of ASHA, a grass roots Indian activist group that promotes education, literacy and development.

Sara is studying to become a community health advocate at Seattle Central Community College. She wrote a monologue about HIV/AIDS that was performed at the Velvet Elvis Theater, has been a panelist and participant for regional gay, lesbian and bisexual youth conferences, and cofounded the first student-led gay/lesbian support group in the Seattle School District at Franklin High School.

D. H. Cass Magnuski came out at age 15 without family or school support. For many years she dedicated herself to the sexual minority community, building and becoming president of Arkansas Gay Rights. She was named to The Advocate 400, which honors outstanding lesbian and gay activists. Cass plans to complete a degree in journalism at Thomas Edison College, gaining the credentials to "challenge the glass ceiling and bring our people with me."

Rigo, the first Chicano student to receive the Washington State High School Graduate of the Year award, is studying premed and criminal justice at WSU. He grew up in Central Washington, the youngest of eight children of a single mother. He worked as a nursing assistant at a nursing home and was President of his Catholic Church youth group. At WSU he is active in Chicano and GLBTA activities.

Roy achieved the highest verbal score in the Seattle School District on the Scholastic Aptitude Test—a perfect 800! Fluent in Chinese, Russian and French, Roy is preparing for a career in teaching and writing at the UW Honors College. He has been the editor of The Cleveland High Journal and staff writer for Mirror Magazine, where he has written about gay issues and his coming out experiences.

Scotti-Lynn wants to help high risk kids recover from addiction. She plans to earn her alcohol and drug abuse certificate at Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, and then transfer to a university to complete her training. An outstanding student and athlete, Scotti has coached, umpired and refereed many youth sports activities in her home town of Sequim.

Elizabeth came out at age 13 and became an advocate for queer youth in the American Friends Service Committee's GBLTQ youth program. A member of the Seattle School District Schools Are For Everyone Advisory Council, she has spoken on numerous high school panels. Elizabeth works at KNHC, the Nathan Hale High School radio program, and plans to study broadcasting at San Francisco State University to blend her two passions—radio and activism.