Ann C. Sleight Graduates
"with Highest Praise"

Annie graduated on Sunday, June 13th, at Safeco Field. She graduated doubly with honors, first, as being a member of the University Scholars program (as Nancy was and Nathanael is), and second, with the academic distinction summa cum laude (with highest praise).  Her 3.996 final grade point average may have been the highest of her class since the winner of the President's Citation medal had only a 3.98.

The photo left shows President Phil Eaton cutting the ivy at Ivy Cutting 2010 for her friend Sandra. 

As one allowed to march with the faculty, I was on the end of the fourth row in front of the podium and got lots of great pictures of Annie and her friends as graduation.  As is the tradition, I was allowed to meet her as she descended the steps from the stage and give her a hug.  Grandma ginger in the crowd said, "Oh, isn't that nice.  One of the faculty is giving Annie a hug."  Susan pointed out that it was her dad.  Her boyfriend Tom Disher gave President Eaton a Japanese style bow and was very formal as he crossed the stage.  He graduated, also in English, magna cum laude and also as a member of the University Scholars program.

At Ivy Cutting, I was seated in the front row so I could pop up and take pictures.  When I went to shoot Tom, Annie and Sandra who were standing to my right, they pointed to the man taking pictures in front of me.  It was Tom's dad Bob.  So I handed my camera to Annie and she got the shot.   Tom looks better after Annie gave him a haircut.

Jeannie Beth and Matt Rish Pair up for JSB

Back in their freshman year, Jeannie Beth asked Matt Rish to the Tolo.   So perhaps he had some idea that she'd say "yes" when he asked her to JSB, the junior-senior banquet.  As freshmen they went as Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.

She was still having her long hair coiffed when Matt and his mom arrived.  So Grandma Jean and I waited with them in the driveway.  When Jeannie Beth came down the ramp, she noticed to to-be-expected delight her appearance evoked in Matt. 

Grandma Jean at 90

No doubt, Jean enjoyed her Flag Day birthday at Don and Judy's house.  All her children were present, including Laurie from Maryland.  Six of her grandchildren were there and even one great-grand child. Katherine was in Seattle apartment hunting with Laurie.

Dad was there but didn't interact much with the gang because there was a chance he was still infected with MRSA.

We got mom an electrically powered peddler ― a device that will move her legs ― like on a bicycle.  Time will tell if her diabetic feet will tolerate the exerciser.

Jeannie Beth Scores Big
I can't explain the outstanding SAT scores of all my children.  (Well, I could probably explain Annie's.)  Annie scored 760 (Reading) + 720 (Math) for a 1480 total.  Nathanael followed that with a 740 (Reading) + 740 (Math) = 1480.  And now JB has scored 760 + 710 = 1470.  If she were to go to SPU, she would be in line for a Trustee's Scholar Award of $14,000 per year, since their standards are GPA: 3.92-4.00 and SAT: 1270-1340.  She has a 3.92 after her Junior year at BCS.
 

Sports Awards at SPU

Last spring at the annual SPU Sports Award Banquet (left), Nathanael was presented with his Coaches Award plaque from Cross Country.  This year he was given a similar plaque for being named Most Improved, also from Cross Country.  Both plaques hang prominently together in our entry.

To be expected, senior Jessica Pixler took home most of the top honors this night, as she finished her college career with eleven individual titles in Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track, and another national title with her Distance Medley relay team in Indoor Track. 
 

 
ASCE Hosts Floating Bridge Ceremony  

On June 4th, ASCE proudly recognized the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and Mount Baker Ridge Tunnels as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Randy had asked me to be the "back up" photographer for the event. My shots were universally declared superior, and even if they called me "Mark" instead of Dick, it's nice to get a photo credit.  www.asce.org/Content.aspx?id=9221

Bits and Pieces

  I spent most of the first third of June preparing for the BCS Track & Field banquet.  Click on the magazine cover I created to see all my award creations.  It was a real labor of love (again) to make these awards, as well as prepare the decoration photos of 55 athletes and the 33 minute PowerPoint show.

  Betty Lu and Andy Lu (unrelated) were two of my Lab staff in 2009-10, along with Tom Disher and Nathanael.  Foreign graduate students love to work lots of hours because they are not allowed to work off campus and because our MBA program is an evening program. I'll need to hire a whole new staff for the fall.

  We finished chapter 10 in Revelation on Saturday mornings.  It's a natural point of transition in the book.  The men thanked me heartily for my leadership over another year.

  My annual salary for 2010-11 will be $58,980, but the tuition discount for Nathanael will effectively make it over $74,000.  It's just nice to be employed in a job I love. 

  At the end of June and to begin July, I am running (jogging slowly) every evening.  I'm sore, but I know if I don't quit, it will be worth every mile.  Two miles now each evening on the Chinook Middle School track, but what will it be in August?