Summer is always a season of growth, discovery, and celebration at Rainier Scholars. We welcomed a new cohort of students in Seattle and Tacoma, celebrated high school and college graduates, and watched scholars expand their horizons through internships, study abroad opportunities, career exploration, and our largest Career Expo yet.
The result? A summer filled with unforgettable moments, personal growth, and inspiring achievements. Here are just a few of the video and photo highlights:
Celebrating Graduates and New Beginnings
There is nothing more inspiring than watching scholars reach major milestones on their educational journeys. This summer, we celebrated our high school and college graduates as they closed one chapter and prepared to begin another.
See the smiles and milestone moments in our Graduation Photo Gallery.
Was the Hike Worth It? Scholars Weigh In
We joined Cohort 26 as they ended the summer by hiking Rattlesnake Ledge. Scholars were interviewed at the start of a 4-mile hike (1,160-foot ascent) and again at the top, with a view of Rattlesnake Lake. Scholars were asked what they were excited about, and if it was worth the time and effort it took to get to the top – their reactions are worth a watch!
- Think they’ll make it? Hear their predictions before the climb
- At the summit: Their honest reactions after reaching the top
Career Connections That Could Shape the Future
For many scholars, Career Expo is more than an event. It’s an opportunity to build confidence, explore possibilities, and make connections that can influence future career paths.
Meet Karla and Mohamed from Cohort 16 as they reflect on conversations and opportunities that stood out the most.
- Mohamed Reflecting on Making Amazon Connections
- Why Karla says Rainier Scholars helped prepare her for what comes next
What Scholars Learned From Their Summer Internships
Scholars stepped into professional environments, tackled real-world challenges, and gained valuable skills that will stay with them long after their internships ended.
Kidus Befekadu, Cohort 21, Interned at Mathy
Kidus spent his summer designing educational games to help elementary and middle school students learn math in engaging and creative ways. He also contributed ideas for reaching new students and teachers through marketing.
His biggest takeaway?
“I am going to carry on the ‘quantity over quality’ brainstorming approach because this internship showed that creating numerous ideas, even if they are flawed, leads to better results than if focused with a ‘quality over quantity’ approach.”
Araceli Verbera, Cohort 20, Interned at KPFF
Over five weeks, Araceli worked alongside engineering professionals, learning from multiple teams and gaining hands-on exposure to the engineering field.
The biggest challenge she overcame?
“I think the most challenging part was learning to adapt and being okay with not fully understanding everything. There were many times when I was unsure or confused about the topics. I had to remind myself that I earned my spot there and pushed myself to ask questions when I needed help.”
Mariyamawit Mussie, Cohort 18, Interned at UW Bright-UP
Mariyamawit worked in the Pepper Lab in the UW Immunology department under the guidance of a mentor, where she studied the IL-21 Receptor in the germinal center, and took part in wet-lab research to discover more about the b-cell selection process.
Something Surprising that she learned?
“I had never been in a lab before and I only understood the basic sciences, however, actually doing the experiments, I learned so much about different equipment, measurements, and how to work in a lab with complex systems. By the end of the program, I was able to work in the lab for hours on my own, which was something I didn’t know I could achieve in such a short time.”
As we settle into a new school year, our scholars are carrying new skills, stronger confidence, and expanded possibilities. We are grateful to every mentor, educator, volunteer, and supporter who helped make these experiences possible and look forward to seeing what our scholars accomplish next!