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April 12, 2002/Nisan 30, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 30
Apollo High senior 'achieves above all'
JESSICA BARBER
Editorial Assistant
Earning a 4.0 Grade Point Average, participating in a National Young Leaders Conference and serving as president of her school's chapter of the National Honor Society are only a few accomplishments on Jennifer Baker's extensive list.
Baker made the list a little longer in February, when the Apollo High School senior received the "Achievement Above All Award," given by the Glendale Union High School District in recognition of academic excellence.
"I was very, very excited," says Baker. "My mom has been going to school board meetings since before I was born to watch other students receive the award. Then she got to see me."
One student from each of Glendale Union's nine high schools receives the award each year. Baker was nominated for the award by Apollo High teachers and administrators as the school's "student of the year."
In addition to her academic career, Baker has spent countless hours volunteering for various organizations, including making cookies at Temple Beth Israel in Scottsdale.
"Every year I would volunteer at the Temple Beth Israel Purim carnival," says Baker. "We made over 1,000 hamentaschen for the little children to eat during the service."
Baker also participated in "Volunteer Sunday" at the temple, a program dedicated to cleaning playgrounds and planting trees.
Baker became involved in volunteer work through her membership in various organizations, including the National Honor Society and the Society of Female Scholars.
"We all focus on volunteer work," says Baker. "That's how I got started."
Baker has also combined her artistic talents with volunteer work.
"I helped paint a wall at Bethany Home Road in a residential community," Baker says.
Baker also helped paint a mural at Velma Teague Library in Glendale.
In addition, she has volunteered at Westside Food Bank, Glendale Glitters, St. Mary's Food Bank, Glendale Youth Fest and Glendale Chocolate Affairs.
During the summer, Baker intends to volunteer at Thunderbird Samaritan Hospital, perhaps her first step toward medical school. She plans to attend Arizona State University West in the fall with hopes of becoming a psychiatrist.
The college atmosphere will not be an entirely new scene for Baker, however. She has already taken classes at Glendale Community College and the Arizona Art Institute.
"I took a class at GCC in graphic arts and then I took a summer class at AAI in computer animation," says Baker. "I just took them for fun."
In addition to volunteer work and college preparation, Baker is planning to attend a national youth leadership conference in Chicago this summer. The conference will focus on medicine.
Baker resides in Glendale with her parents, Chuck and Lori Baker. She has a 15-year-old sister, Julie.
The Bakers are in the process of becoming members at Temple Gan Elohim in Glendale.
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