This is the first in a series of profiles of graduating seniors at Mercer Island High School.

Anna Bond balances spirit, science and art

Senior Anna Bond, 18, has lived on Mercer Island her whole life, developing deep friendships along the way. She will leave Mercer Island High School known as the behind-the-scenes worker who made MIHS the most spirited place she could.

A member of the dance and drill team, she was a captain of the team this school year.

“It’s a unique team, a student leadership opportunity,” she said.

She’s very proud of the fact that the drill and dance team was the academic state champ for the 3A division.

She has also been behind her class floats for homecoming since her freshman year. With the help of her mom, artist Marianne Bond, they have opened their home for work parties to create awesome floats. Her sophomore year, her class won with their “monopoly” themed float, besting out the seniors who normally win.

School spirit runs in the family. Her brother was one of the “flag dudes” during his tenure at MIHS.

Bond is also one of the leaders of SAVE, or “Students Against Violence Everywhere.” The group recently received a $500 grant from SAVE sponsored by Allstate Insurance. They plan to give out keychains that say something such as “Am I OK to drive?” focusing on safe, sober driving.

With a 3.89 GPA, Bond is headed to the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo., in the fall to study geophysics or geological engineering.

“I’m interested in earthquakes — how you use physics principles and apply them to the earth and natural science,” Bond said.

Her goal is to work in an engineering firm and travel. But perhaps she’ll be the one to figure out when the next “big one” is coming.

“I love Mercer Island,” she said. “It will be sad to leave.”

Briauna Azer, advocate, volunteer for the needy

Islander Senior Briauna Azer walks the walk. While maintaining a low profile, she sees a need and takes care of it.

Azer organized a food drive on April 16, after she learned that the local food pantry was empty.

With the help of the MIHS band, which she is a member of, they broke the Island down into sections and left door hangers on as many doors on Mercer Island that they could get to, announcing they would come back to collect food left out for the drive.

“We got over four tons of food in one day,” Azer said. “We got so much food that we filled the pantry at Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, and gave the overflow to Northwest Harvest in Kent.”

Azer moved to Mercer Island when she was 2 years old. She has been in the Mercer Island School District since kindergarten. She loves being in the band, and went on the trip to London to perform this past New Year’s Day. She also loves leadership and community service.

Every summer she has gone on a mission trip with the Mercer Island Covenant Church. She helped paint a Portland homeless shelter, “A calm beige, that actually reduces fights,” she said. Azer has also spent time in Lapwai, Idaho, on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation repairing homes for the Native Americans.

In her role as a Girl Scout, Azer planned a service trip in Seattle working with Urban Art Works helping run camps each year for at-risk inner-city youth, creating murals.

She has also volunteered at Marra Farm, an urban community farm that benefits low-income immigrants in Seattle, and prepared and served a hot meal for 300 homeless or low-income folks at the Capitol Hill Community Lunch, which served more than 30,000 hot lunches last year alone.

“Because we live on Mercer Island and are so affluent, I want to show my peers that there are a wide variety of services out there,” Azer said.

While she acknowledges groups that make a difference globally, she is drawn to the wide variety of local service agencies she can make a difference through.

“The thing that’s so cool about community service is that you can see the product of your efforts and you can set up a relationship with these organizations,” she said.

What’s next for Azer? She’s off to the University of Washington to study business in the fall. With her great attitude and GPA in the 3.85 range, no doubt she has a bright future.

National Merit finalists

The 2011 National Merit finalists were recently announced. The list included four from Mercer Island.

Elizabeth Chang and Miriam Zawadzki, who both attend Mercer Island High School, were named to the list.

From Lakeside School, Ross Smith, Benjamin Blumstein and Nils Kjos were also named finalists.