Scholar Bios

Hi, I'm Samuel Hahn. I enjoy my classes in the history of the Pacific Northwest and math. I am from China and can speak Chinese. I also participate in wheelchair basketball.

Hello! My name is Grant Blasko. I have autism and uses 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. At this point, I plan to pursue a liberal arts degree with a scientific focus.

I'm Paula Sanchez, and I attend the Lummi Nation School in Bellingham. I have a learning disability. I also hope to begin Running Start next year and then pursue a career in science or history.

My name is Carlin Markestad, and I attend the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) and 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. My favorite classes are chemistry and guitar.

Hi! My name is Risa Lockwood. 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.

Hi, my name is Merritt DeShon. I love music and play both the piano and alto saxophone. I have autism. I am very interested in airplanes, birds, and wildlife. 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 use photographic and audio recordings to capture my interest in the natural world. I also like to meditate. My favorite academic areas at Friday Harbor High School are history and environmental sciences. I am an avid reader and have been on honor roll three times this year. I also got my driver's license recently. I have a pure French bulldog named Pippa and enjoy spending time with my family.

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

Hello, my name is Alison Barlow, and I am proud that I am biracial! I attend Tahoma High school where I enjoy my classes in English and history. I'm considering a career as a librarian because I enjoy reading, helping others, and doing research; or I may become an elementary school teacher because I love teaching young minds to learn and grow. I have an auditory processing disability.

Hi, I'm Jacob Marzynski! 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's syndrome. I have served as the Muscular Dystrophy Association's local Goodwill Ambassador, making public appearances, raising funds, and giving media interviews. I am also a professional DJ and like cats.

Hello, I'm Ellie Pelton. I enjoy studying math, biology, and medicine at Skyline High School and Bellevue College. My other interests include fiber and needle work (knitting and spinning), hedgehogs, service dogs, entrepreneurship, web design, cooking, and my fandoms. I also love board games, especially Settlers of Catan. My goal is to possibly earn a Ph.D. in genetic medical research or medical product design. My passion is to make the world easier to navigate for people with disabilities. I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and comorbidities (EDS & CO), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and a sleep disorder.

Hi, I'm Kelvin Ramos. 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 have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). 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.

Hi, my name is Norma Sanchez! I attend the Lummi Nation School in Bellingham. I have a learning disability. I also hope to begin Running Start next year and then pursue a career in the geosciences or biological sciences.

Hi, my name is Alexis Sabin! I enjoy my classes in math and art at Mossyrock High School, and my main passion is drawing. I’d like to attend Digipen to pursue a bachelor's degree in digital art and animation. I love creating digital art and 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, Dr. Who, and anime. I love musicals and my favorites are Little Shop of Horrors and Be More Chill. Before Summer Study, I participated in a two-week drama workshop in Morton. I have autism.

Hi, I'm David Worthington. I enjoy science and history. I attend West Valley High School 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.

Hello, my name is Kayla Ludlow! I am most interested in English and the 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.

Hello, I'm Aidan Leffler. I enjoy my classes at Sammamish High School, particularly in English and history. I love to read and write. I am 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 getting a master's degree in journalism. I also like to travel. I have been to Africa twice and visited Russia for the World Cup. Also, my dream job is to own a bookstore or cafe and live upstairs with cats.