MARYSVILLE — Soroptimist International of Marysville was able to award $15,500 in scholarships to 12 young ladies from Marysville Getchell and Marysville-Pilchuck high schools.

Career and college readiness counselor Monica Lane introduced the graduating seniors of MG, starting with Emily Ekdahl, valedictorian of the International School of Communications.

Lane praised Ekdahl for her “packed resume” and career-consciousness, while noting that the student’s stint at ISC had actually dissuaded her from going into English writing. Ekdahl plans to head off to the University of Washington and put her interest in medicine to use with a bioengineering degree.

Lane described Angelica Mendoza as another “quiet leader” at ISC, who looks likely to attend UW Bothell to study communications.

Nicole Buell’s time in the Bio-Med Academy has sparked her interest in studying veterinary medicine at Washington State University. The two-year Running Start student was one of the founders of the Key Club on campus, and in unsure whether she’ll work with large or small animals, although she’s fond of dairy cows.

Gianna Hake, of the School for the Entrepreneur, credited a job shadow with her father at Boeing with pointing her toward engineering as a career field. The former ASB president will be majoring in plastics and composites at Western Washington University.

Bio-Med valedictorian Diana Orbeladze was inspired to become a neonatal nurse through a combination of the YMCA’s portfolio program, for researching career fields in greater depth, and her own premature birth. She’ll be studying ultrasound diagnosis at Seattle University.

M-P counselor Jeff Thomas summed up his school’s students as “equally brilliant in the classroom, athletic field and community.”

Jennifer Baxter and Kendall McCoy will both be attending WWU, Baxter for environmental science, McCoy to major in early childhood education and become an elementary school teacher. Kimberly Cross is heading off to UW Bothell to major in business, while Sierra Price will be attending UW Seattle to study biology and medicine, and become a field pathologist.

As for Emily Dunston, she’s planning to study exercise science at Eastern Washington University to become a physical therapist.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Kathy Wilde, naval science instructor for the Marysville Naval Junior ROTC, presented the final scholarship to NJROTC Cadet Cmdr. Tiffany Johnstone.

Wilde credited Johnstone with setting a positive example for 150 cadets by holding herself to a high standard, including a 3.999 grade point that she really wants to turn into a 4.0.

“She sets the bar as high for herself as she does for others,” Wilde said. “Through that, she boosts them up.”

Johnstone plans to attend the Naval Academy, where she hopes to become a marine intelligence officer.