Elks announce region's top students
Sandpoint Elks Lodge No. 1376 has announced students of the month for Sandpoint High School. Selected for January were Sarah Casey and Benjamin Ricks; for February were Erin Eddy and Ryan Graham.
To be selected as an Elks student of the month, students must meet guidelines for character, citizenship, service, scholarship and leadership.
The Elks actively seek to reward youth through many different programs including scholarship awards, Hoop Shoot tournaments, dictionary donations to third graders, drug awareness programs and many other activities and programs.
Sandpoint Elks Lodge award thousands of dollars in scholarships and local students also received an additional money in state and national Elk scholarships. The Elks are the third largest awarder of scholarships in the county and several students have received large scholarships from the state and national level of Elks.
Sarah Casey
The daughter of Anne Marie and Bart Casey, Sarah Casey was selected as an Elks Student of the Month for January.
A senior at Sandpoint High School, Casey is a manager on the girls basketball team and plays on Sandpoint's girl's lacrosse team.
She plans to graduate with a 4.0 and attend University of Idaho to receive a degree in education and possibly minor in mathematics.
Benjamin Ricks
Benjamin Ricks was selected as an Elks Student of the Month for January.
Ricks is currently welding club president, and is a runner on both the varsity cross country and track teams. He has claimed the awards of regional champion in 5K, 800, 4x400, and SMR, along with being a state medalist in the 4x400. This most recent cross country season he was awarded as most valued runner along with the Top Scholar Award for having the highest GPA on the team.
He is ranked third in the class of 203 with a weighted GPA of 4.379. He plans on attending Utah State University in the fall to study engineering.
Erin Dru Eddy
The daughter of Christy and Tom Eddy, Erin Eddy was selected as an Elks Student of the Month for February.
Eddy moved to Sandpoint when she was younger and has grown up here valuing time spent with family and friends and enjoying the outdoors by hiking, backpacking, boating, skiing, and playing with her dogs (who she's obsessed with).
A lot of her time in high school has been spent volunteering at Farmin Elementary School in the ELP and it has been one of her greatest influences, along with Student Council. She served as representative her junior year and is now the senior class president and loves it.
She's played soccer her whole life, lettered, and was captain of the varsity team her senior season. She is ranked 35th in the class of 203 in her class with a 3.98 GPA and plans to attend a four-year college in the fall majoring in business and/or pre-law.
Eddy said she feels beyond blessed to have grown up in such a beautiful place, with the best family, surrounded by so much kindness and hopes that her new adventures are just as special.
Ryan Steven Graham
Ryan Steven Graham was selected as an Elks Student of the Month for February.
The son of Mark and Tina Graham, he is a senior at Sandpoint High School.
Ryan Graham has maintained a 3.9 GPA, and actively participates in Business Professionals of America, the SHS Band, and the CyberPatriot club offered at SHS.
During the last four years, he has achieved first place in both device configuration and troubleshooting as well as computer security at BPA regionals and placed third in the information systems open event. He has also gained six separate certifications within the field of IT and cybersecurity including the CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and CysA+, and plans to gain even more throughout his career in technology and utilize them to seek an internship this coming summer.
After high school, Ryan will pursue a degree in computer science with an emphasis in cybersecurity at Boise State University with career aspirations of becoming a chief information security officer.
