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Cloudy with occasional rain during the afternoon. High near 50F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..
Cloudy. Low 39F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: October 30, 2024 @ 10:22 am
Lynden Christian seniors Hunter Hahn, left, and Larson Rische recently received letters of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. (Photos courtesy Lynden Christian Schools)
Lynden Christian seniors Hunter Hahn, left, and Larson Rische recently received letters of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. (Photos courtesy Lynden Christian Schools)
Hunter Hahn, Larson Rische receive letters of commendation
LYNDEN — Two Lynden Christian High School seniors recently received letters of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The students, Hunter Hahn and Larson Rische, are both “diligent, capable and conscientious students whose efforts have led to high academic achievement,” said Craig Johnson, their principal at Lynden Christian.
“We know they will continue to use their God-given abilities well beyond these high school years,” Johnson said. “We are grateful that Hunter and Larson have been honored by the NMSC in this way.”
To be recognized with this letter of commendation means Hahn and Rische placed among the top 50,000 11th graders across the nation who completed the PSAT test in fall 2023.
Johnson explained recently that Rische “makes it a point to see his classmates and ensure they feel included.”
“He is musically gifted and is involved in leading worship at his church and school with the music worship teams,” Johnson said.
A captain on the school’s cross-country team, Rische is “always willing to step in and help anytime it is needed.”
With an eye on either Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho and George Fox University in Oregon, Rische said last week he is “still trying to decide” between physical therapy or flight for his collegiate studies. If he chose to study physical therapy, Rische could still earn his pilot’s license, he said. If he becomes a physical therapist, Rische said he’d like to work with high school and college athletes on injury prevention and injury recovery. Although there’s no assurance he’d be able to stay in Whatcom County, Rische said he’d like to.
“I love this area,” he said. “But if it’s not where I am meant to be, that’s fine, too.”
Hahn is also choosing between two different study programs in college: music and environmental marine biology, “probably (at) Western Washington University.”
“I ultimately want to write and produce my own music,” she said.
Hahn plays the tuba, baritone saxophone and piano. She’s also a singer.
“I also want to try to learn guitar and try to be competent on drums,” Hahn said. Her role model is Brian May, longtime guitarist of the rock band Queen. May is also an astrophysicist.
“If music doesn’t work out, there’s always science,” Hahn said. “I’m passionate about helping with environmental things. My part would be the actual science of it. Plus, I like sharks. That’s pretty open. Not something I get a lot of exposure to.”
Johnson described Hahn as bold, yet compassionate.
“She has a truly academic mind in that she loves to learn for learning’s sake not just to earn a grade,” Johnson said. “She is an unusually gifted musician who has played in the school band all four years of high school. She has a beautiful voice and has been involved in choir and musical theater.”
Since 1955, the National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition among high school students for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. The program is conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. More at nationalmerit.org.
— Contact Bill Helm at bill@lyndentribune.com.
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