COMMUNITY10 l November 6, 2013 SAMMAMISH REVIEW

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By Neil Pierson

Danielle Maletta has many students who’ve left her class-room and put their knowledge in mathematics to use in col-lege engineering programs, but those upper-echelon stu-dents aren’t typically who fuel her desire for teaching.

“What I’m really passion-ate about are the kids who are struggling learners in math-ematics,” said Maletta, who is in her sixth year at Eastside Catholic School.

“Really, my goal for them is SAT success, college math placement success, and being able to take college-level math, not necessarily that they become a math major or a physics major. My goal is to get them to the next level, and if along the way I can get them to see connections, and get them to see that math is exciting and illuminating, then I’ve won.”

In October, a statewide panel of content experts and award-winning teachers rec-ognized Maletta’s work. She was selected as a state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest award in the U.S. for middle-school and high-school educators in those subject areas.

Maletta, who is one of four finalists in math instruction, isn’t the only Sammamish-based teacher to be honored.

Photo courtesy Eastside Catholic SchoolDanielle Maletta, a sixth-year teacher at Eastside Catholic School, is one of four statewide finalists for a prestigious award in mathematics instruction.

Photo by Neil PiersonSkyline High School’s Gretel von Bargen has been recognized as one of Washington’s top science teachers by a group of con-tent experts and colleagues.

Skyline, Eastside Catholic teachers in running for award

Skyline High School’s Gretel von Bargen, a biology instructor, was chosen as one of four finalists in science instruction.

Von Bargen, who’s in her 11th year at Skyline, said she has a long list of students who’ve blos-somed after graduation. Among her former pupils are several physicians, five nurses, four laboratory researchers and three high-school biology teachers.

However, von Bargen is quick to credit her fellow teachers and the school’s International Baccalaureate program for her

own success. More than 65 per-cent of Skyline’s juniors and seniors are enrolled in IB, which is designed to foster a globally-based education and acclimate students to college standards.

“Our team here has done a really excellent job of making sure students learn and are suc-cessful on the state standards,” von Bargen said, “so by the time they come to me, they have a really solid background from which I can expand and go in

See TEACHER, Page 11

By Neil Pierson

The idea of the Little Free Library was started four years ago, and although there’s an estimated 10,000 branches world-wide, the city of Sammamish didn’t have one of the neighbor-hood book exchanges until late September.

It took a first-year resident to change that. Robin Ryan, who has authored seven books on career strategies, moved from Newcastle to Sammamish in May with her husband and son, and she was looking for a way to reach out to her neighbors.

The Little Free Library, which was founded by a Wisconsin man in 2009, has spread like wildfire. The organization reached its goal of 2,510 locations last August – the same number of free public libraries that businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie supported in the early 20th century – and there are dozens around King County, includ-ing four in Bellevue and one in Redmond.

“I saw an article about the Little Free Library, and it just

hit a chord with me,” Ryan said. “I can’t explain why. Probably because I’m an author and I love books.”

The premise is simple: Provide a spot where people can take a book, leave a book or exchange books free of charge and without a public library card.

Users are also welcome to put bookplates – a short explanation of why they enjoy the work – inside a book’s front cover when they donate to the LFL.

Ryan’s LFL opened in late September at 20537 N.E. 27th Place in the Timberline Ridge neighborhood. Most of the roughly 30 books inside came from Ryan’s collection, although a few donations have been made, she said. There’s a wide variety of genres and authors, including Stephen King, Clive Cussler and John Grisham.

Opening an LFL isn’t a com-plicated process. Each location needs one steward – someone to keep the library in working con-dition and stocked full of books. The libraries themselves are usu-

Photo by Neil PiersonSammamish resident Robin Ryan, who has published seven books, opened the city’s first Little Free Library in late September.

Love of books sparks Sammamish woman’s idea

See BOOKS, Page 11

sports12 l November 6, 2013 SAMMAMISH REVIEW

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By Neil Pierson

One year ago, the Eastlake Wolves’ football season ended in the KingCo Conference playoffs with a 43-36 loss to the Roosevelt Roughriders.

When the teams met this year Nov. 1 in another loser-out play-off game, the Wolves were deter-mined not to let history repeat itself.

Eastlake scored on seven of its eight possessions, and rolled up 375 yards on offense to run away with a 51-21 victory over Roosevelt at Eastlake High. The Wolves (7-2) advanced to a Class 4A state play-in contest Nov. 8 against Kentwood (7-2), a 7 p.m. start at Kent’s French Field.

The Wolves have some connections to Kentwood: Quarterback Blue Thomas played for the Conquerors before trans-ferring to Eastlake, and head coach Don Bartel served as an assistant at rival Kentlake.

Another big game is coming up, but Eastlake’s players spent some time celebrating after pick-ing up a postseason victory and continuing the reversal from a 4-5 record in 2012.

“It’s a huge turnaround,” senior Gage Casal said. “Last year we lost to (Roosevelt) in this exact same scenario. We just

wanted redemption this year, and we definitely got it.”

Roosevelt (5-4) looked like

it might spring the upset, how-ever, going 77 yards in 14 plays to start the game. Noah Gold’s

2-yard touchdown run put the Roughriders ahead 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

Eastlake’s response was swift. Thomas hit Casal on a seam route for a 63-yard TD pass, tying the score and setting the stage for an offensive explosion.

“I noticed that they were just playing man coverage outside, and the safety was over the cen-ter,” Casal said of his touchdown catch.

“Blue just looked him off, and then threw right to me – perfect throw – and I just kept running. I felt a couple people hit my legs, but I just wanted to get into the end zone.”

On Roosevelt’s next series, Eastlake’s defense came up with a big play. Cornerback Jeffrey Feinglas stepped in front of a John Peterson pass and had clear sailing for a 64-yard interception return.

Feinglas said the Wolves had practiced against the rollout pass and knew what to expect.

“I had the flats on that one, so I just went out and made a play,” he said. “It was good for Mitch Augenstein to put some pressure on the quarterback, which forced him to make a bad throw like that.”

Eastlake ran for 205 yards, averaging nearly eight yards per carry, and brothers Troy and

Photo by Corky TrewinEastlake defenders Jack Farr (12), Ryan Meinhardt (19), Justin McOmber (5), John Monahan (59) and Mark Whitley (35) tackle a Roosevelt ball carrier during the Wolves’ 51-21 win Nov. 1.

Eastlake’s red-hot attack burns Roosevelt, 51-21

See FOOTBALL, Page 13

By Neil Pierson

Skyline High School has had a stellar defensive record all season, but in the span of seven days, it got even better against one of the state’s top teams.

A week after the Spartans closed their regular season with a 1-0 win over rival Issaquah, they dominated from start to finish Oct. 31, beating the Eagles 4-0 in the Class 4A KingCo Conference girls soccer championship game at Spartan Stadium.

Skyline, which has allowed three goals in its first 15 matches, earned District 2’s top seed to the state tournament, and will host a first-round match Nov. 11, 12 or 13.

Issaquah, meanwhile, was set to host Inglemoor Nov. 5 after press time. A win would send the Eagles to state, while a loss would force them to beat a WesCo Conference opponent Nov. 9 to move on.

Issaquah coach Tom Bunnell felt his team didn’t play well in either of the back-to-back outings with Skyline (13-1-1), and indi-cated things had to change if the Eagles harbored hopes of repeat-

ing last season’s trip to the state-title match.

“The girls have to step up and

play better,” Bunnell said. “I can’t sit there and sugarcoat it and say ‘rah rah’ and all that, because

then I’d be lying. “We just have to be bigger,

stronger, faster, and do what we

do best, and that’s play a much better game instead of just giving in.”

Skyline coach Don Braman credited his players for having a high energy level early in the game, which led to a 2-0 halftime lead.

“I didn’t think the score was indicative of the way the game was,” Braman said. “It was com-petitive the whole way through, and when we get scoring chances and we finish them, then we feel like we’re a capable team.”

The Spartans probed the Eagles’ back four for the first 10 minutes, then struck in the 12th minute on a quick counterattack down the right sideline. Amanda Johnston lofted the ball to Lindsey Fujiwara, and the sopho-more forward was able to deflect a shot past Issaquah goalkeeper Meg Hannan at the far post.

In the 35th minute, Hannan couldn’t corral a long blast from Jordan Branch, and Johnston pounced on the rebound for Skyline’s second goal.

That ended up being more than enough for the Spartans’

Skyline wallops Issaquah for KingCo soccer crown

Photo by Greg FarrarJordan Branch (left), Skyline senior midfielder, watches the ball kicked by teammate Lindsey Fujiwara sail past Issaquah defender Kaylene Pang (20) and senior keeper Meg Hannan for the Spartans’ first goal.

See SOCCER, Page 13