Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) proudly celebrates two of its outstanding students, Jesse Grubb and Mya Silva, for earning high academic honors at the state and national levels.
Jesse Grubb Named to the 2025 All-Washington Academic Team
Jesse Grubb has been selected for the 2025 All-Washington Academic Team, recognizing her exceptional academic performance, leadership, and dedication to environmental conservation.
Grubb, who is completing her associate in biology at WWCC, plans to transfer to a four-year institution to study environmental science. After spending years working in conservation, she returned to school with a renewed passion for environmental stewardship. She actively volunteers in local sustainability initiatives, including salmon habitat restoration and organic gardening, aiming to bridge the gap between human activity and environmental sustainability. Grubb’s ultimate goal is to use her education to heal human-environment relationships and contribute to a more sustainable future for all.
Mya Silva Earns Dual Honors on the 2025 All-Washington and All-USA Academic Teams!
In an extraordinary achievement, Mya Silva has been named to both the 2025 All-Washington Academic Team and the highly competitive 2025 All-USA Academic Team—a distinction awarded to just 20 students nationwide out of nearly 2,100 nominees. As part of this national recognition, Silva will receive a $5,000 scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa and the Coca-Cola Foundation.
Silva, a psychology student with a deep love for music, plans to transfer this fall to Pacific University to major in Music Therapy. Music Therapy is rare; yet highly demanded. Pacific University is the only college on the west coast that offers it.
Silva aspires to eventually earn her doctorate, open her own practice, and use musical medicine to help individuals—especially neurodivergent children—connect with the world through music. “Music has always been my support when words have failed, helping me navigate the world and providing a voice when I needed it most.”
Silva took advantage of the online WWCC experience; she completed all of her courses at home. “The online program has been great because it has allowed me to have an occupation, while also pursuing higher education.”
Silva works as a teacher at The Mustard Seed Preschool where she also attended as a child. Not only did she attend school there, but her mother is the director, and her grandmother has been teaching the 3-year-old class for 40 years. She laughed, “They call us Mrs. Silva, Ms. Silva, and Miss Mya. It can get confusing.”
With strong ties to her family and The Mustard Seed Preschool she said, “My big dream is to open a preschool connected to Mustard Seed but dedicated to neurodivergent children in need of early intervention, while also having my own practice where I can provide both private and group music therapy.”
WWCC is incredibly proud of Jesse Grubb and Mya Silva for their dedication to academic excellence, leadership, and service. Their hard work and passion exemplify the spirit of WWCC and serve as an inspiration to students across Washington and beyond.