Phase II Scholars

Group photo

Sixteen Phase II Scholars began participating in DO‑IT in 2019. Most completed their second Summer Study at the University of Washington in July 2020. During that second session, they continued to develop self‑determination and self-advocacy skills and prepare for college and careers. They worked closely with professionals or university faculty in STEM fields, such as robotics and video production. They use laptops, assistive technology, and the internet to support their academic studies, and they continue to connect with each other, DO-IT participants, and DO-IT Mentors throughout the year. After completing Summer Study 2020, these participants graduated to Phase III and Ambassadors.

Scholar
Aidan, ‘19 Scholar

Hello, I’m Aidan. I enjoy my classes at Sammamish High School, particularly in English and history. I love to read and write. I participated in both the journalism and debate clubs. For higher education, I’d like to focus on science, English, and history at a school like the University of Washington or Whitman. I plan on earning a master’s degree in journalism. I like to travel and have been to Africa twice and visited Russia for the World Cup. My dream job is to own a bookstore or cafe and live upstairs with cats.

Scholar
Alexis, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, my name is Alexis! I enjoy my classes in math and art at Mossyrock High School, but my main passion is drawing. I’d like to attend DigiPen to pursue a bachelor’s degree in digital art and animation. My goal is to be an animator. I hope to have my own cartoon series online. I also play trombone in my school’s pep band, and I will be in the Knowledge Bowl next year. I enjoy video games, Doctor Who, and anime. I love musicals; my favorites are Little Shop of Horrors and Be More Chill. I have autism.

Scholar
Alison, ‘19 Scholar

Hello, my name is Alison, and I am proud to be biracial! I attend Tahoma High School where I enjoy my classes in English and history. I am attending the occupational and life skills program at Bellevue College. I am active in my church. I’m considering a career as a librarian because I enjoy reading, helping others, and doing research. I am also considering a career in human resources, or I may become an elementary school teacher because I love teaching young minds to learn and grow. I have an auditory processing disability.

Scholar
Carlin, ‘19 Scholar

My name is Carlin; I attend the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) where my favorite classes are chemistry and guitar. I live in Tacoma. I am working on my Eagle rank in Boy Scouts of America. I would like to either become a park ranger or learn more about biomechanics in college.

Scholar
David, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, I’m David. I enjoy science and history. I attend West Valley High School and Running Start in Spokane. I have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. I volunteer at my local pet shelter to help animals in need. I am interested in the environment and everything else on our planet.

Scholar
Ellie, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, my name is Ellie. I recently graduated from Skyline High School as a Running Start student and will attend Case Western Reserve University this year pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering. I enjoy learning about all things medical, knitting, and hanging out with my adorable dog, Ollie. I am also a huge Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fan, and I love to play Settlers of Catan. I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, and a sleep disorder.

Scholar
Grant, ‘19 Scholar

Hello! My name is Grant. I have autism and use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate. I enjoy being part of a large community at Bellevue High School, but I feel most at home working alongside other disability advocates, academics, and scientists to help others in the autism community. I am particularly interested in neurology and psychology, as well as meaningful discussions on any topic. I am interested in brain to computer interfaces so that I may talk more freely one day. At this point, I plan to pursue a liberal arts degree with a scientific focus.

Scholar
Jacob, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, I’m Jacob! I want to focus my engineering and design passions on improving the design of transit systems and adaptive products. I attend Cleveland STEM High School in Seattle. I have Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Asperger syndrome. I have served as the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s local Good Will Ambassador, making public appearances, raising funds, and giving media interviews. I am also a professional DJ and like cats.

Scholar
Kayla, ‘19 Scholar

Hello, my name is Kayla! I am most interested in English and life sciences such as biology, earth and space science, anatomy and physiology, and neuroscience. I have a variety of potential career interests from neuroscience to real estate to education. Some of my favorite things are kittens, music, singing, and fuzzy blankets. I have low vision and oculocutaneous albinism. I attend Issaquah High School and Bellevue College, and have completed credit classes at both University of Washington and Eastern Washington University.

Scholar
Kelvin, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, I’m Kelvin. I attend Cascade High School in Leavenworth where I enjoy studying science and digital art. My goal is to study sports management to become a soccer coach. I’m also a huge World Cup fan and have helped as an honorary assistant coach for the high school soccer team for two years. I have Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Scholar
Merritt, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, my name is Merritt. I have autism. I graduated from Friday Harbor High School in the beautiful San Juan Islands. I will be attending Central Washington University this fall and I am very excited about it. I hope to pursue a degree in the natural sciences to educate people about flora, fauna, animals, and history in a national park setting. I am an avid reader, love music, and play both the piano and alto saxophone. I will be taking a trip to Boston and New York with my mom this fall and am looking forward to this trip. I love being outdoors and spending time with my family.

Scholar
Norma, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, my name is Norma! I attend the Lummi Nation School in Bellingham. I enjoy playing video games, history, drawing, and music. I play the clarinet. I have a learning disability. I hope to begin Running Start next year and then pursue a career in the geosciences or biological sciences.

Scholar
Paula, ‘19 Scholar

I’m Paula, and I attend the Lummi Nation School in Bellingham. I have a learning disability. I like music and play the flute. I also enjoy drawing and playing video games. I hope to begin Running Start next year and then pursue a career in science or history.

Scholar
Risa, ‘19 Scholar

Hi! My name is Risa. I attend The Community School in Spokane. I enjoy arts like sewing, mixed media, sculpting, and digital art/animation, as well as sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. I lived in Australia for a year and also have a terrier mix dog named Ernie. I have autism and narcolepsy.

Scholar
Rohan, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, my name is Rohan. I attend Tesla STEM High School in Redmond where my two favorite subjects are science and mathematics. I hope to gain experience in computer science and have a career in the biomedical sciences. For the past two years, I have attended Boy Scout camp. I also spent a month in India this summer.

Scholar
Sam, ‘19 Scholar

Hi, I’m Samuel. I enjoy my classes in math and forensic science. I am from China and can speak Chinese. I play wheelchair basketball and am part of the Seattle Sonic varsity team. This past season we ranked eighth in the nation, and I got to travel to four tournaments. I also like to play video games and enjoyed collaborating this year with DO-IT and Phase II Scholars.