Bellevue teen stands out by putting family, others ahead of himself
Jan 7, 2014, 1:20 PM | Updated: May 23, 2014, 10:49 am
Standout Student of the Month award winner Kevin Staley is shown building a house in Costa Rica on a church mission. (Nancy Staley photo)
(Nancy Staley photo)
When you’re the youngest of three kids, you tend to get the short end of the stick. And that’s especially true for Bellevue teen Kevin Staley.
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Kevin’s parents divorced when he was just four and his mom raised the three children largely on her own while his dad dealt with health issues.
Kevin’s oldest sister was a star athlete who played on select teams all over the region, while his then 8-year-old sister struggled with profound disabilities requiring around-the-clock care. It was a constant struggle to juggle three kids.
“Kevin had to step up early and help more than normal with their sister,” says Nancy. “I can’t always be there so as soon as Kevin was able, he had to step in. That’s just been a lifesaver for me because I frequently travel for work.”
But the 18-year-old Interlake High School senior wasn’t content to just help out at home. Several years ago he got active with his church youth group and started volunteering around the community. Among the programs he works with is Jubilee Reach, a Bellevue non-profit that provides a myriad of services to low income families.
“It’s literally a community center where kids can go before school, after school and during the summer. The mom’s go there for help. They learn English there, they learn cooking skills, they learn job skills. He’d go every day after school and work with the younger kids and then he’d go in the summer,” Nancy says.
The church group has also taken Kevin on several volunteer mission trips to help the poor in Costa Rica and Chicago.
“He’s got a heart of gold.”
It’s easy for a mom to say that about her son, but plenty of others agree. And that’s why KIRO Radio and Comprehensive Wealth Management have selected Kevin as a Standout Student of the Month. Kevin will receive a $1,000 scholarship and a chance to earn a $10,000 Grand Prize scholarship awarded at the end of the school year.
“Right now, we don’t have any money for college so it’s a huge deal. It was a big celebration at Christmas,” Nancy gushes.
Along with all of his volunteer and community service work, Kevin continues to to excel in school and plays drums in the marching band. He plans to attend a local college so he can stay close to home and his family.
