Federal Way Public Schools Graduates of Note

Karlo Leonor

Student, University of Notre Dame

Todd Beamer High School
Graduate, Class of 2007

Karlo Leonor, a member of the first cohort of students to attend Todd Beamer High School for four years, recalls his public school journey with fondness. “I had great role models in high school,” says Karlo. “My time in public education is one of my ‘feel good’ times.”

Make no mistake, though, Karlo, took his studies seriously, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average through high school. After his first semester in college he has a 3.45 grade point average due, in part, to the study habits he gained during high school. He also credits the Advance Placement (AP) classes and exams he took at Todd Beamer as building blocks for the rigorous course of study he’s undertaken at the University of Notre Dame. 

One of his main focuses in high school was the Speech and Debate Team. Besides traveling to Arizona, Oregon, Florida and New Mexico, he won 13th place for extemporaneous speaking in a national event. He also garnered first place in both impromptu and extemporaneous at a competition at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Once, during a competition, he was asked to speak about “acorns.” At first Karlo had no idea what he was going to say, but he made it work.

“Making it work” might be a good mantra for Karlo. Last year he served on the State Farm National Youth Advisory Board and along with other students from across the country helped State Farm choose how to distribute their grants. His group gave away $2.4 million. Karlo’s term on the board is over, but now he has been hired as a research assistant to help with the work the new board is doing.

Students at Notre Dame aren’t allowed to declare a major until the beginning of their sophomore year. So far, theology, political science, history, philosophy, law and English are of special interest to Karlo.

Why do you think you enjoyed speech and debate so much?
My mom says that when she was pregnant with me, she had a job that required her to talk to a number of people everyday. She says that’s why I like speech and debate because I heard her talking all the time. Listening to the school announcements first thing in the morning describing what the Speech and Debate Team were doing and where they were going made me want to join them.

What are your most recent accomplishments?
My biggest accomplishment was spending three years writing and researching my family tree. It started when I was in eighth grade as a history assignment and then I spent two more years working on my family’s genealogy on my own and completed it in 11th grade. I now have a 150-page manuscript that details five generations of my family, which I used as the topic for my college entrance essay.

Please describe an experience, event or individual in your public education experience that inspired or motivated you.
I first attended Todd Beamer the year it opened and going to a brand new school was challenging. Being a freshman in a new school is hard, but it also gave me the unique opportunity to help develop the school from the ground up, both literally and figuratively. I found it exciting to forge relationships with teachers and with other students and to develop traditions. I ran track and field and was very active in student government. In my sophomore year, I was an academy senator. I also served as Associated Student Body (ASB) president, academy president and president of student council. I was a part of Beamer’s Business and Industry Academy. Now I’m in the College of Arts and Letters at Notre Dame and am pursuing political science and theology.

My US History and Current World Problems teacher, Stacy Hoffman, was a good mentor to me. She gave our classes a big world view and exposed us to different points of view. Making history real in school and out of school was a part of what she taught. Now she’s a good friend.

What advice would you like to share with teachers in schools today?
Teachers need to expose their students to a wide range of ideas. Give them a tasting of different genres of literature and explore controversial events with them. I sympathize with teachers and all they have to cover now, but I wish I would have had to opportunity to look at some of the classics and touch on philosophy. Teachers should expose students to as much as they possibly can.

I advise teachers to help students get some idea of what they want to do after high school. Inspire them and talk with them about their interests. Students need support to get into college because it’s really competitive and college itself is hard. Teachers need to kick start their students into thinking about college.

What advice do you have for students in schools today?
Don’t just show up in class, but always make yourself teachable when you’re there. Be open to what is being presented to you. Education is what you make of it and you should soak it up like a sponge. Sometimes you’ll have to learn on your own and do research on your own, but be a sponge then, too.