Thanks to the generosity of Sunland homeowners who contributed more than $6,000 to the SLOA Scholarship Fund, the group awarded $2,000 scholarships to Elizabeth Sweet and Kaitlyn Viada.

Both recent Sequim High School graduates maintained 3.75 or higher grade-point-averages, completed advanced placement classes and are Honor Society members. They contributed to their school and community through athletics, academics and community service.

Sweet was recently admitted directly into the University of Washington’s biochemistry program. She said she is intrigued by the current status of biotechnology and space exploration and is curious about the intricate networking of the brain from a biochemical level. Sweet interned with the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe, sampling and analyzing phytoplankton to monitor biotoxins that affect shellfish.

Viada said she is passionate about creativity, adaptability and problem-solving. Her interest in math and science led her to study electrical engineering and its application within the renewable energy and agricultural fields. Viada, who works as a lifeguard at the Sequim YMCA, plans to earn an associate’s degree in computer science and/or engineering at Peninsula College, complete a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at a four-year university and then complete a master’s and PhD in the sciences.