Junaper Swanson Soroptimist student for November

It was a pleasure to talk with the November Honored Student of the Month, Junaper Swanson.

Juna is a senior at La Conner High School and working toward her AA degree at Skagit Valley College. She is staying closely connected to school – participating in sports, activities and volunteer opportunities.

She has been starting point guard for the varsity basketball team all four years – calling plays, bringing the ball down the court and helping her teammates get in position to score. She volunteers at local basketball tournaments and helps to run basketball clinics for younger kids. She has also helped her dad coach a youth basketball team.

One of her favorite activities in high school has been participating on the knowledge bowl team. The team practices year round. Formal Knowledge Bowl competitions challenge players to demonstrate quick recall, teamwork and wide breadth of knowledge.

She also ran varsity cross country her first three years of high school and she has volunteered at local running events.

Juna has found it very rewarding to volunteer with the Teen Feed Organization. They help feed homeless teens in the Seattle area.

Juna has begun applying to colleges for next fall. She will study kinesiology and exercise science to prepare for graduate school in physical therapy.

Juna has lived on her family farm in La Conner her whole life, along with her proud parents, Dustin and Jen Swanson, her younger sister Teagan and her grandparents. The farm has been in her family since the early 1900s.

Juna will receive a gift certificate to Vintage Thrift, the thrift and consignment shop run by volunteers to support women and girls in the community, and enabled by the generous donations from the community.