SEQUIM — Ruth Sandell says she is long past the “What do you want to be when you grow up, little girl?” stage in her life.
“I’ve been interested in marine biology since the fifth grade,” the confident 14-year-old said.
“I intend to go to college and become a marine biologist.”
Ruth already has a college in mind — “I want to go to the University of Hawaii in Honolulu” — and she’s plotting a course to get herself there.
“She’s determined,” said her mother, Charlee Sandell.
“Ruth has really come out of her shell in the past three years. I wouldn’t be surprised by anything she achieves.”
Ruth has two siblings, sister Hadley, 23, and brother Cody, 16.
Her father, Kurt Sandell, former Clallam County economic development director, died in 1989.
Her mother is the owner and operator of the All-American Sports Exchange sporting goods store, 150 E. Bell St.
Mrs. Sandell also coaches youth soccer in Sequim.
It came as no surprise to her mother when her youngest daughter decided to try to win college money by entering the Miss Washington American Co-ed Pageant, to be held in Seattle over the Labor Day weekend in September.
Details appear in the Monday Peninsula Daily News, on sale throughout Clallam and Jefferson counties. Or click onto “Subscribe” to get your PDN delivered to your home or office.
