Brandon West Memorial Scholarship Awards

I am extremely proud and honored to have been able to call Bellevue my home the past four years. I came to Bellevue as a nervous and shy freshman, unsure and afraid of what was to come, caught in the dreadful idea of not fitting in.  It was a different area, no connections, starting fresh from square one. However, as time went on, I realized how much of a blessing and opportunity it was for me to be able to start fresh in such a community. Coming to Bellevue didn’t mean changing and leaving behind who I was, it meant growth and building. 

In my tenure at Bellevue High School, I was blessed to be able to experience so many unique things. State tournaments and league championships in basketball, two state championships in football, all league honors in football, to name a few. During my time at Bellevue, I was a winner. Not because of rings, or championships, or records, but because of the lifelong memories, relationships, lessons, and wisdom that I was able to experience and take in. Bellevue High school is more than a school or a team. It’s a family. And being a part of that family has taught me so many valuable things. Bellevue has shown me what hard work, discipline, respect, and being a teammate looks like. It has shown me that growth and competitiveness isn’t a solo pursuit, but a shared climb where every step that I take myself, pulls someone else upwards. My time at Bellevue has been quite the journey, and I wouldn’t trade the relationships, memories, and lessons that I have gained along the way for anything. 

Later this fall, I will be attending the University of Puget sound, furthering my academic and athletic career, playing division III football as well as double majoring in Business and communications. I have made it my goal to bring light back to such a lost art in communication and interaction, to the best of my abilities. 

Aside from sports, I love to draw, read (books and comics), play the cello, stay active, eat food, listen to music, watch movies, and take pride in helping other people around me. No matter the activity, my approach to them all will always be the same. A critical and empathetic approach, that allows me to take things on with an inclusive and kind mindset is something that I will always strive to maintain for the rest of my life.