Heather Odell, an Auburn Mountainview graduate bound for Pepperdine University, has received a $2,500 BECU Foundation Scholarship.

The scholarship rewards graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students for exceptional community service.

Odell was among 45 recipients to win a scholarship from BECU. Recipients were selected by a volunteer selection committee of local business, educational and non-profit leaders, based on a combination of strong dedication to community service, leadership and academics.

Odell led a diabetes awareness campaign in the Auburn community, explaining the significance of the disease and what others can do in their lives to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

She worked on the campaign with her friend, Scott Ohashi, who has Type 1 Diabetes.

Apart from giving her invaluable skills, the experience taught her the importance of service.

Elsewhere

The Auburn School District passed the Washington State Patrol (WSP) annual school bus inspection with exceptional results, according to Patrol Chief John Batiste and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn. It marks Auburn’s 29th year in a row to pass the WSP inspection. WSP inspected the entire district fleet, including 131 buses and 10 motor pool vehicles. Out of all 141 inspections, only two did not pass inspection. The statewide average of “out of service” buses that do not meet WSP standards is typically eight percent of a fleet. …

The Washington State Legislature and Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has awarded Auburn School District a $25,000 aerospace training competitive grant. The grant will fund the implementation of a high school training program to prepare students for employment as entry-level aerospace assemblers. The Aerospace Training Program will provide specialized skills related to the aerospace industry and future career opportunities upon graduation. …

Sherehan Aljebori of Auburn has been awarded the $12,000 dean’s scholarship to attend Trinity Western University (Langley, British Columbia, Canada) this fall. The prestigious scholarship is awarded annually to the top academic students of the incoming first-year class. Harkema is a recent graduate of Auburn High, where she was involved in soccer, water polo, track and field, basketball, and Young Life. She plans to pursue a psychology degree. Trinity Western is a Christian university of the arts, sciences and professions. …

Auburn’s Matthew Gomes (senior, civil engineering), Brok Pendleton (senior, business administration) and Hannah Scholter (senior, biology) made the Saint Martin’s University spring semester dean’s list. To earn academic honors, students must receive a 3.5 grade point average or higher (based on a 4.0 scale), carry at least a 12-semester-hour course load and complete all coursework.