Public Information Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: January 9, 2005
CONTACT: Donna Myers, 206.546.4717

SCC students named to All-USA Academic Team

Kelly Apling

Tahoma Khalsa

           Shoreline, WA —Shoreline Community College (SCC) honor students Kelly Apling and Tahoma Khalsa have been named to the 2006 All-Washington Academic Team.  Both students are residents of Shoreline.  The team is sponsored each year by Phi Theta Kappa, USA Today and the American Association of Community Colleges to recognize community college students who excel academically and possess leadership qualities. 
            Apling, in her 40s, did not have a college degree, and while on campus helping her daughter enroll, picked up several pamphlets that piqued her interest.  She decided to return to school to earn an Associate of Arts and Applied Science degree in the Speech Language Pathology Assistant program.  Apling was a director of a before-and-after-school program at a private school for nine years, and this degree would provide opportunities for her to further her career working with children.  “I felt ready for a change in my career and being able to do it within two years seemed ideal,” says Apling.  She is the vice president of leadership and the vice president of service for Phi Theta Kappa – Pi Iota Chapter for the college.  The mother of three, she takes great pride that she has been able to continue taking care of her family while completing her education.  She is considering going on to earn a bachelor’s degree. 
            Khalsa, 21, has made education his priority; improving his GPA quarterly, earning a 3.2 his first quarter and earning a 4.0 Spring Quarter of 2005, with perfect attendance.  He is completing an Associate of Arts and Applied Science degree in the Dietetic Technology program and enjoys performing nutritional assessments for residents who live where he is completing an internship.  He is very active in several clubs at SCC and has volunteered at the Shoreline Recreational Center as an activity coordinator since he was in high school.  Tahoma selflessly tutored a classmate who was injured and could not attend classes (she had planned to withdraw from the program) and they both earned 4.0 in every class that quarter. 
            All-Washington Academic Team members will be honored at a special ceremony at South Puget Sound Community College March 2, 2006, where they will be recognized by the governor and will have the opportunity to meet with key legislators and higher education leaders. Team members will receive a $750 scholarship funded by KeyBank and the Northwest Education Loan Association.

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