Rachel Haley, a senior at La Conner High School, is the January Honored Student of the Month for Soroptimist of La Conner. Rachel is a member of the McCauley family and attributes much of her artistic leanings to her family. The late Curt McCauley, her grandfather, was an artist and was very involved in MoNA, the Museum of Northwest Art, as both a docent and a supporter. Gretchen, her grandmother, served on the board. Her aunt Eve is an accomplished painter. Rachell wants to represent all of her family well as she moves forward in life.

Starting in fifth grade, she began to love poetry under the guidance of Sam Green, the first Washington state poet laureate, who left his island home every year to teach at La Conner. That interest stayed with her and prompted her to participate in the poetry slam at the Skagit River Poetry Foundation Festival last year. She still keeps a poetry journal.

As Associated Student Body president this year, she works to facilitate others to enable their goals. Drama is also a strong interest for Rachel – having started with the Missoula Children's Theatre in elementary school. This year she looks forward to being in the spring play. Pep band is another joy in Rachel's school life which she also hopes to carry into college.

Rachel feels that a large part of who she is comes from living in La Conner – being able to hear the drumming as she stands outside her home on Swinomish ancestral land and being in a school, community and a family that honors culture.

Rachel plans to attend Central Washington University and major in humanities, She wants to learn to think, read, write and lead well – and to help others. Rachel is the daughter of Bonnie Beddall and John Haley of La Conner.

Vintage La Conner will give a certificate to their Vintage Thrift and Consignment shop – a store made run solely by volunteers and made possible by the generous donation and purchases of the community.

Source: La Conner Soroptimist