MARYSVILLE – Marysville-Pilchuck High School seniors Mackenzi Chapman and Ross Whyte have been named the Students of the Month by the Marysville Soroptimists and Kiwanis service clubs.

Mackenzi has the top 4.0 grade point at the school out of 279 seniors. She has achieved that while taking Honors, Advanced Placement, College in the High School and even Running Start classes at Everett Community College. And the classes include ecology, chemistry, ethics, sociology, psychology, foreign language, calculus and language arts. She is busy as EvCC as its Health and Wellness coordinator.

Mackenzi also is talented musically. She has played flute in M-P’s marching band, but she also has taught herself saxophone, guitar, ukelele and more.

She also has been on M-P’s track and Hi-Q teams. She was the sophomore vice president and freshman president.

Mackenzi’s community involvement also is top-notch. She has volunteered at the Providence and Seattle Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She’s also been at the Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington as an acute care volunteer. She’s been an intern with the Red Cross and at Sea Mar, and a volunteer at the Skagit Valley Cancer Care Center.

It may come as no surprise then that she wants to be a pediatrician. She remembers giving a speech in fifth grade about that. Her dad, who is a pharmacist, and mom have helped guide her that direction, she said.

One of the things that helped Ross stand out among the selection committee is his desire to support his classmates. Ross plays basketball and football himself. But he said he’s M-P’s No. 1 fan as he goes to many cross country, volleyball, soccer and other events to cheer on fellow students.

“You have to practice what you preach,” he said, adding he loves when others support him, so he loves to give back, too.

Ross is very involved in student government, as the Associated Student Body president. He is also the president of the Hi-Q team and is the National Honor Society treasurer. He has a 3.83 gpa while taking four AP classes.

For community service, he coaches a Macho Volleyball team that has raised money for Cocoon House. He also helped The Living Room Coffee House with its recent move. He also helped a neighbor and veteran who kept going to the hospital for four months. He also teaches kids at the YMCA to swim and is coaching youth basketball.

As the ASB president he works with Hoops of Hope charity basketball game, food drive, Miracle on State Street, senior citizen play and dinner, and more.

The youngest of six kids, he said he wants to attend the University of Washington and become a pharmacist, although he hasn’t ruled out politics.