Sultan High School’s Ruth Tess does it all

SULTAN — Ruth Tess, 17, is a senior at Sultan High School who is involved with student government. She hopes to make school more a place students want to be. She holds a steady job and is an only child.

Question: What classes are you taking that you like?

Answer: AP Literature and AP Bio. Although I do like all of my classes. There are different things I like about each class.

Q: What are your interests in school?

A: Student Government. I am the ASB Vice President. I am in marching band, for spring and for fall. I play the marimba, bells, and vibraphone. I like drama, I will play in our school musical “Grease.”

Q: What part are you playing?

A: The principal.

Q: I hear you typically stick around campus after school, what do you do in that time?

A: I am the yearbook photo editor and the chief photographer. I also do honor choir, National Honor Society, pep club and Link Crew.

Q: Tell me about Link Crew.

A: We work with the freshmen throughout the year. So, we take care of welcoming them to our school and mentor them as the year goes on.

Q: What about outside of school, is there anything you do?

A: I have a job. I work for the Monroe Monitor as a freelance writer. I have been there for a little over two months.

Q: What types of things do you write about?

A: Mostly I write about Sultan High School.

Q: So, between work and school, your time is pretty obligated?

A: Yes and no. I am also involved with a family missions group. I’ve been to Moldova, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Washington D.C., and around this state. With the family missions group I have more than 500 hours of community service.

Q: What are your plans after school?

A: I want to find my passion. I’m going to college and intend to find that out. I think it’s limiting to have to decide what you want to do in life when you’re in high school, when I can do anything, be anything.

Q: What schools are you looking at applying to? Or have you already applied?

A: I applied at UW and Western. I applied to a few universities in California but I’ll probably stay in state for college.

Q: Do you have any dreams or goals?

A: I definitely want to study abroad in college. I want to visit Korea. You see, I’m half Korean, and I really want to get to know that half of my culture.

Q: What’s your family like?

A: Well, my parents are missionaries and we lived in Japan until I was in fifth grade. And I’m an only child. We moved to Monroe about seven years ago.

Q: So, do you speak Japanese?

A: Not really. I’ve forgotten most of it. I do speak Korean though. And English, of course.

Q: How do you kick back after doing all of these things?

A: I have jam sessions with my friends. I sing, one of them plays piano, another plays the guitar, I play the guitar. I like to watch Korean dramas with my friends. And we play Pathfnder, it’s like a D&D type of game.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Ariel Garcia, 4, was last seen Wednesday morning in an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Dr. (Photo provided by Everett Police)
Everett police searching for missing child, 4

Ariel Garcia was last seen Wednesday at an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Drive. The child was missing under “suspicious circumstances.”

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.