24-04-2025
Ephrata's Downer recognized for excellence
Apr. 24—Correction: April 24, 2025 — "Ephrata's Downer recognized for excellence" — The caption should have said Downer was attending Central Washington University.
EPHRATA — Hannah Downer, an 18-year-old senior at Ephrata High School, has been selected as one of the Students of the Month for March in recognition of her academic performance, leadership roles in extracurricular activities and positive influence on her peers.
"I like being nominated for stuff and being recognized," Downer said.
Having attended Ephrata schools since kindergarten, Downer has demonstrated a commitment to her education and community that has set her apart from her classmates, according to her teacher, Mikki Johns, who nominated her for student of the month.
Downer is a versatile participant in numerous activities; she has been a dedicated member of the girls tennis team since her freshman year, felt a sense of belonging in Key Club where she served as president and showcased her talents in the drama club.
"I love being involved and giving back to my community through service projects," Downer explained, referring to her role in Key Club. "There's something so gratifying about organizing events that help others and promote kindness."
In her time as president, she has organized projects including candy grams for Valentine's Day, assisting with neighborhood yard sales in collaboration with Kiwanis Club and setting up flags for state send-offs.
Downer's accomplishments in the athletic arena include her recent promotion to the varsity girls tennis team.
"I was part of the junior varsity for the first three years, and being on the varsity now is a huge achievement for me," she said. "Despite some health challenges this year, I've learned to embrace improvement over winning. I value seeing my own growth more than the outcome of a match."
Hannah is not just committed to sports and service; she also demonstrates academic prowess. She has been an active member of the National Honor Society for two years, even promoting Key Club during its Oscar Night event, where students are recognized for exhibiting exemplary character traits.
"Being involved in the National Honor Society has allowed me to support and celebrate my peers' success," she said.
One of her most impactful experiences has come from her participation in Advancement Via Individual Determination, a program designed to prepare students for college.
"AVID has changed my life," Downer said. "It's not just about academics, but also about building relationships with people who encourage you. Those four years feel like a family."
Her dedication to both her own success and that of her classmates has made her a role model in the classroom environment, Johns said.
Hannah has also embraced the challenge of the Running Start program, where she takes college courses at Big Bend Community College while still in high school. Johns praised her adaptability and determination.
"Hannah's commitment to her education is inspiring," Johns said. "She's taken on the rigors of college classes and tackled them head-on, proving her resilience."
Downer said she balances all her commitments by managing her time and trying to avoid distractions.
"I try to manage my time effectively, especially when juggling assignments from different classes and obligations to my clubs," she said.
Johns pointed out how Downer's upbeat personality has positively impacted the classroom environment.
"Hannah has a way of lifting everyone's spirits. She recognizes when someone is feeling down and works to change the atmosphere. Her ability to create a positive environment helps everyone in the class flourish," Johns said.
Johns said she has also inspired other students in AVID to accomplish their goals. This year, Downer had too many credits, so she was unable to take the AVID class. Despite this, she attends the class every day, completing assignments that will never be graded.
"Students in the class saw her showing up when she didn't need to be," Johns said. "They) think, if Hannah's doing it and Hannah's not even in the class, maybe I have that type of attitude. I think she really pushes people to work harder than what they are doing."
With her graduation approaching, Hannah Downer has her sights set on Central Washington University, where she plans to major in anthropology and museum studies.
"Museum studies is taking artifacts and curating the museum exhibits and, basically, handling history," she said. "It (has) kind of like an art side, because you're creating the exhibits, but you also have the history side when you're handling the artifacts. As a kid, I always loved history. It was like my favorite subject. I just love learning history that I haven't witnessed or experienced ... like the 1600s and like the 1700s, finding out how the United States began."
Downer expressed gratitude toward her parents Jason and Jennifer Downer for their support throughout her educational journey.
"My parents have always been there for me, especially during difficult times, like when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 10," she said. They've provided unconditional love and encouragement that kept me going."
She also wants to thank Johns for her patience and kindness throughout the last four years of school.
"I really love her. Love my heart. She's like a teacher-mom," Downer said. "If we're kind of struggling, going through some hard times, she's always there for us if we need a shoulder to cry on. She's there if we need a hug or whatever."
Johns said she finds Downer inspiring.
"I would say, when I think back many years from now and I think of Hannah, I will think of her hugs," Johns said. "I don't know if she's needing it for herself or if she thinks maybe some days I might need a little lifting. But she's one of those students that will come to me and just say, 'I need a hug. Can I?" I love that. I think that's amazing."
As Downer embarks on her next chapter, Johns offered hopeful predictions about her future.
"I know that college is really important to her, and I see her attending and finishing," Johns said. "I know it's a personal goal of hers. I know she's going to do whatever it takes to complete that and be successful. She's (the kind of) student that (when) she is struggling, she knows how to reach out to her resources and ask for help, which I think is amazing."
