Sarah Anderson is Kiwanis Student of the Month

Photo Caption: L to R: Ferndale Kiwanis President Greg Kendall, Scott and Marci Anderson (Sarah's parents), FHS Senior Sarah Anderson and Ferndale Kiwanis Member Roger Quiggle; front row—Abby Anderson (Sarah's sister)

She's an honor student, she's an athlete, she's a positive contributor to her community, and she is Ferndale Kiwanis Student of the Month for May. We are talking about Ferndale High School student Sarah Anderson. At a special Kiwanis recognition luncheon, Sarah was honored for her academic achievements, making a difference in her high school and supporting the community at large.

A senior at Ferndale High and part-time Running Start student at Whatcom Community College, Sarah maintains a 3.8 grade point average, is a member of the Honors Society and has served in leadership roles for the past three years.

Sarah is the vice president of her senior class. As such, she has led many activities at Ferndale High. One activity is the Passion Project. The project involved setting up a Compliment Box in the school. Then students wrote and placed anonymous compliments in the box. The compliments were shared with the person who received the compliment. Overall, the response was very positive which led to an increased culture of kindness at the school. 

Having played soccer since the age of 5, Sarah saw her calling as a coach. For the betterment of her community, Sarah has coached girls' youth soccer for the past four years. In fact, the team roster includes someone very close to Sarah—her sister Abby who is a second grader at Central Elementary School. "I love this volunteer job and the kids. I feel like I can encourage each kid to stay active, involved and positive. It also teaches me patience," said Sarah. 

In support of the global community, Sarah and a friend recently visited Punta de Mita, Mexico where they delivered soccer balls to a local school. Sarah reflected on this experience, "I am proud of this because it made such an impact on their lives. You see, the school had no P.E. equipment for the students to play with. When we brought and gifted the balls to them, they were so full of joy."

An aspect that Sarah believes is most important in our community is that of building a better bond between community members. She would like to see more community events that bring members together and build on Ferndale traditions.

Sarah says the most influential person in her life is her dad. "My dad has been the most influential person in my life because he always is challenging me to be better. My dad always encourages me to do the things I don't think I can, like playing soccer after I tore my ACL," said Sarah.

Sarah's dad, Scott Anderson, said he believes Sarah has good leadership skills and is a good role model for her friends. "In her role as soccer coach, she keeps kids focused and gives those kids the love she has for soccer," he added.

Following graduation from high school, Sara plans to obtain an Associate's Degree from Whatcom Community College and then transfer to a four-year university. She is considering being a school psychologist or elementary counselor.

Congratulations, Sarah.

Thank you to Ferndale Kiwanis for its continued support of our students. In addition to annual scholarships, each month Kiwanis recognizes one of our high school students.