The Tukwila School District has been hailed as the “most diverse in the nation,” and students at the city’s Foster High School are using that as part of an attempt to lure President Obama to speak at their commencement this spring.

Advance placement students produced a video highlighting the 68 diverse different countries where members of the student body were born, and are hoping that the Prez (or his peeps) sees it and decides that “Yes he can” come to Tukwila and speak.

In addition to the video below, students also submitted essays answering the President’s challenge to show him why they should be a model for others and how they’re preparing more students for college and careers.

According to the school’s Youtube channel:

Advanced Video Students from Foster High School created a 2-minute video demonstrating the rich culture that exists in their school and community.

Music was sung by our very own students here at Foster High School. E.P.I.C

Here’s the video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGYUdtqQftQ

Michelle Tuncap is a soft-spoken woman from Tukwila. Soft-spoken is how she stayed when she found out she won $250,000 playing Mega Millions, though it isn’t how she felt.

“I’m freaking out,” she said quietly the day after learning that she’d won.

Michelle doesn’t play the lottery all that often.

“It’s just for fun. I never thought I would win; It’s just a couple of dollars here and there,” she said. She did win though, and she won big. “I didn’t know how to react, I just can’t believe it,” she said. “I couldn’t really sleep…I just kept looking at it.”

Michelle says she’ll use the money to pay some bills and go back to school. She’d like to become an auto mechanic so she’s looking for technical schools in the area.

Michelle purchased her $250,000 Mega Millions ticket from Spanaway Deli on 22nd Avenue East in Tacoma. For selling the winning ticket, the store will receive a retail selling bonus of $7,500.

Congrats Michelle!

For more information on the Washington State Lottery, visit www.walottery.com.

Tukwila Blog Advertiser Three Tree Montessori invites parents and kids to their Open House this Saturday, Jan. 30th from 10am – Noon.

Here’s what they’d like you to know:

Come see the beautiful classrooms, gardens and playgrounds, meet the teachers, and learn about Montessori programs for children ages one through twelve.

All are welcome!

Three Tree Montessori is located in Burien at 220 SW 160th, near Sylvester Middle School. More info at their website here.

[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, Ad and/or Event Listing like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by thousands of interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

On Monday (Aug. 31st) the King County Council authorized that its Executive can proclaim a “proactive emergency” in advance of potential flooding from the Howard Hanson Dam, which has been determined to be at risk.

This means that after Nov. 3rd, either Susan Hutchison or Dow Constantine will be responsible for getting cows, people and important supplies out of the way before Hanson fails and creates some kind of “mini Katrina” in the valley.

Here’s their press release:

Council authorizes proactive emergency declaration in advance of potential flooding from Howard Hanson Dam

Measure gives Executive the authority to declare an emergency before event occurs

In light of the diminished capacity of the federal Howard Hanson Dam to protect the Green River Valley from seasonal flooding, the Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously approved legislation giving the County Executive proactive authority to declare a state of emergency in advance of actual flooding.

“Thousands of homes and businesses may be devastated by potential flooding resulting from the Howard Hanson Dam,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, prime sponsor of the ordinance and chair of the King County Flood Control District. “By authorizing an emergency proclamation before flooding occurs, this legislation moves the County forward in our flood preparation and sends a message to the federal government that we need their support now.”

“This step is necessary in the effort to alert our region for what could be the most significant natural emergency to hit South County in our lifetime,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. “As King County takes steps to prepare public facilities and the community for potential flooding, every family, business, local government, and service organization must do their part to stay informed, be prepared and help one another.”

The adopted ordinance authorizes County Executive Kurt Triplett to waive the County’s procurement and contracting rules in light of the potential for flooding arising out of the diminished capacity of the Howard Hanson Dam to hold back the waters of the Green River.

“Unlike in other natural disasters, we have the opportunity to plan for potential flooding in the Green River Valley for months in advance,” said Council Chair Dow Constantine. “We can and should begin right away to buy the sandbags and tools to strengthen the levees and protect people and property.”

“This is just common sense. It’s not a question of whether there will be severe flooding, but when,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. “It seems to me that while we can’t control the rainfall we can be proactive in preparing how we deal with an emergency.”

“Being proactive in declaring an emergency around the flood potential of the Howard Hanson Dam is critical for conveying to residents and the federal government the seriousness of this threat,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “Giving the Executive the authority to act quickly in response to flooding will be a tool in limiting the damage to people and property.”

At a briefing Wednesday before the Council’s Committee of the Whole, members were told that homes and businesses downstream of the federally owned and operated dam face the threat of flood waters as high as 10 feet, should heavy rainfall require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release water from behind the dam. The committee was briefed on plans to shift the operations of major County facilities that lie in the heart of the historic flood plain, including the potential need to relocate animals from the Animal Shelter, inmates from the Maleng Regional Justice Center, and move the County’s Elections headquarters to prevent any disruption to the November general election.

“Repeated flooding in the Snoqualmie Valley has been a preview of what we might expect in the Green River Valley in the event of a serious storm event this winter,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who represents the Snoqualmie Valley. “It is my hope that we never have to use this authority to declare an emergency based on the threat of flooding, but this action is a proactive way to help save lives. It also is a good time to remind everyone of the need to be prepared for emergencies with 72-hour survival kits for your home, office, school and vehicle.”

In an effort to avoid having to close any more schools, Public Health Seattle and King County is asking parents to be on the front line of stopping flu infections, and are offering this informational checklist for parents:

Please talk to your children about how they are feeling.

If your child is sick, keep your child home. Staying home when sick helps reduce exposure to others and helps the sick person get well faster.

Answer these questions every morning before sending your child to school or child care:

1. Does your child have a fever (100º F or 37. 7ºC)?
2. Does your child have a sore throat, cough, body aches, vomiting, or diarrhea?

If you answered “yes” to both questions, your child might have the flu. Keep your child home from school for seven days or until symptoms are gone for 24 hours, whichever is longer.

If you answered “yes” to only one of the questions, keep your child home from school until symptoms are gone for 24 hours.

In addition to health and safety information about H1N1/Swine Flu, starting tomorrow, Wednesday May 6th, the Flu Hotline will offer callers an opportunity to speak with registered nurses.

(The hotline starts with a recorded message, follow the prompts for the best language option and when asked if you want “health and safety information about the H1N1 flu” or “if you have the flu,” follow the prompt to “if you have the flu.” This will take you to the menu that allows you to select “talk to a nurse.”)

Hotline nurses will tell callers how to manage their symptoms at home, tell them if they need to see a doctor or health care provider and answer other medical questions about H1N1 flu.

The Flu Hotline number is 1-877-903 KING (5464)

For more information, go to Public Health’s web site: www.kingcounty.gov/health/H1N1 or call the Flu Hotline at 1-877-903-5464

Reba Gilman, Principal and CEO of Highline School District’s Aviation High School, will receive the Museum of Flight’s 2008 Pathfinder Award recognizing pioneering achievements in flying, engineering, education, operations, and manufacturing.

The award will be presented at the Museum’s William M. Allen Theater this Saturday, Oct. 25th. The evening’s program will start off with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Great Gallery and a procession of past Pathfinder awardees at 6:15 p.m. followed by dinner and presentation of the 2008 Pathfinder Awards in the Side Gallery. Seating is limited and by reservation only. Individual tickets start at $100 per person, and table reservations start at $1,500 per table of 10. To purchase tickets or request an invitation, please call (206) 764-5709 or email sewing@museumofflight.org.

The Pathfinder Awards honor individuals or teams from the Pacific Northwest for significant contributions to aeronautics and astronautics. Previous recipients include William Boeing, Sr. and former astronaut (and current Museum of Flight CEO and President) Bonnie Dunbar.

Awardees are selected by representatives of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Air Force Association, Civil Air Patrol, Federal Aviation Administration, The Museum of Flight, Ninety-Nines, Navy League, OX-5 Aviation Pioneers, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Society of Experimental Test Engineers, University of Washington, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Gilman is the founding principal of Aviation High School, a small college-prep high school where teaching and learning is framed in the context of aviation and aerospace. The curriculum emphasizes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and aims to develop the talents of young people to take leadership roles in a technology-based society.

Aviation High was named a Model School this past year by the International Center for Excellence in Education, one of only 23 schools in the U.S. to be chosen. The school is administered by Highline Public Schools but is open to students from across the Puget Sound Region.

The award lauds Gilman as a “quintessential and entrepreneurial education leader” for conceiving the concept for Aviation High School and developing it into a school that is a national model for innovative education.

More info on Aviation High School can be found here; on the Museum of Flight here.

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Burke has served as interim superintendent of the 2,640-student Tukwila district since November. The district’s Board of Directors named her to the permanent post in a special meeting Tuesday.

Burke served more than 30 years in the Tacoma School District, beginning as a teacher, moving on through the administrative ranks to eventually become deputy superintendent. She became the interim superintendent in Tukwila in November, when James Q. Hammond resigned.

Burke got her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Puget Sound, her principal certification from Harvard University, and her superintendent’s credentials from Seattle Pacific University.

SOURCE:

• The Seattle Times

A teacher found a piece of paper with a threatening message in a classroom at 11:15 a.m. Thursday.

School officials called police, who then evacuated the building and sent students home, district spokeswoman Jan Landes said.

Police found some graffiti in the building, but no bomb, she said. The school, at 4242 S 144th St., is expected to reopen Friday.

SOURCE:

• Seattle P-I