READY FOR THE WORLD GRADS ON THE PALOUSE SET TO GRAB LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
A special publication of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Moscow | Pullman | Colfax | Deary | Paradise Creek | Pullman Christian Garfield-Palouse | Potlatch | Troy | Genesee | Kendrick | Logos | Colton
2 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Graduation 2012
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Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Proud mother
| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 3
Pullman High School senior thanks parents, faculty for helping her succeed after the birth of her child By Katie Roenigk Daily News staff writer
Jasmine Hanson’s most memorable moment of high school may also be the most memorable moment of her life: The Pullman High School senior said everything changed for her last year when she gave birth to her daughter, Audrey. “Before I had her I was kind of a bad kid — definitely a rebel,” Hanson said. “But when I had her, it made me look at things from a new perspective. What will benefit her best?” Hanson plans to enter the military after graduation, and she said her parents will care for Audrey while she is away at first. Once she is settled in a new location, Hanson said she will bring Audrey home with her. “I want to provide for her,” Hanson said. She is proud that she was able to finish school while pregnant, then
PULLMAN HIGH SCHOOL n Graduation: 5 p.m. June 2 at Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum n Graduates: 178 n Valedictorian: Malte Lange, Dylan Moore, Katherine Shirazi, Mitchell Tang and Ledaman Zakarison n Salutatorian: Wendoline Mercado-Rojano
with a baby in the house, but Hanson said the past few years have not been easy. For one thing, she hid her pregnancy from her peers, who began to speculate about her condition when she started wearing baggy sweatshirts to school. “The rumors were definitely the hardest part, but I just learned to ignore it,” she said. Then, she had to adapt to the stresses of having a newborn and going to school. “It definitely makes it difficult to get homework done,” Hanson said.
Jasmine Hanson “She was two months when I went back to (school).” Hanson gave a “big thanks” to her parents, Shelly and Greg Marthe. They have been supportive through-
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AREA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES!
out her life, but Hanson said her mother offered to take care of baby Continued on Page 11
What’s inside
Our staff and management wishes everyone in the Class of 2012 a bright and prosperous future.
Pullman, Jasmine Hanson .............................................2
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Pullman Christian, Emma Hancock..........................4 Logos, Jeremiah Leidenfrost .........................................6 Colfax, Kyle Johnson .......................................................7 Paradise Creek, Ashley Haskell..................................8 Genesee, Miranda Carter ..............................................9 Troy, Randy Menter ........................................................10 Kendrick, Brooke Brown ..............................................11 Garfield-Palouse, Jesse Parkins...............................12 Potlatch, Jake McMillan...............................................13 Colton, Caity Kriehn.......................................................14 Deary, Matthew Balthaser ...........................................15
4 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Staying close to home Pullman Christian School senior will attend the University of Idaho next year By Katie Roenigk Daily News staff writer
Emma Hancock
When Emma Hancock leaves for college this fall, she will not have far to go from her parents’ home in Moscow, where she has lived for the past year. “I’m attending the University of Idaho,” the Pullman Christian School senior said. “I’m planning to go into music education.” During the summer, she said she will take advantage of her proximity to campus by mapping out the locations of her classes and practicing her daily walks. “I’m kind of nervous about not being able to remember which routes to take to class,” she said. She applied to other colleges elsewhere, but Hancock said she wants to stay close to home so she can maintain a relationship with her
PULLMAN CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation 2012
Congratulations Graduates! Voted "Best Place to Raise Kids in Washington" by Bloomberg Businessweek
n Graduation: 7 p.m. today at Living Faith Fellowship n Graduates: 9 n Valedictorian: Gailynn Benjamin n Salutatorian: Courtney Backes
siblings: brother Christian, 15, and 8-year-old twin sisters Grace and Faith. “I have a close connection with Continued on Page 10
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Graduation 2012
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| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 5
MHS grad plans to return home — someday Jane Walden plans to study physics in Seattle MOSCOW HIGH SCHOOL By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Moscow High School senior Jane Walden is heading to Seattle for her college education, but she said she doesn’t plan to turn her back on the town she’s called home for the past 13 years. “I like the community,” she said. “I’ve grown up with the same group of kids, more or less, since kindergarten. I love walking around and seeing people I know. I think when I get older, I’ll move back here and raise a family.” Walden, a member of the National Honor Society, plans to major in physics at Seattle University starting this fall. She described herself as “a bit of a nerd” who
loves science and math, and physics is particularly fascinating to her. “It’s not like at the moment I have a complete knowledge of it,” she said. “I like the fact that it’s so interesting — it makes me want to learn more.” She said starting out with physics will give her a foundation for any other sciencerelated studies or career path she may pursue. Walden also has an artistic side, having participated in Glee Club and a student Arts Committee at MHS. She praised the Arts Committee, which plans the high school’s arts-related events, because it “kind of shoved me into the spotlight.” “Arts Committee was the
n Graduation: 7:30 p.m. June 8 in the Kibbie Dome n Seniors: 185 n Top scholars: Jordan Alves-Foss, Zachary Bickford, Jordan Eby, Raelynn Gosse, Josh Helbling, Daniel Leong, Allie McIntosh, Alina PastorChermak, Erin Saladin and Hannah Young
best thing to happen to me in high school,” she said, adding that she used to be shy and tended to avoid talking to new people. “It helped me not worry what others thought, and it really helped me a lot with becoming who I am.” Walden said her freshman year at Moscow Junior High School was a bit rough because she had just returned from a seven-month trip to Continued on Page 12
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6 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Logos graduate recalls childhood in Africa
Jeremiah Leidenfrost staying in Moscow to attend New Saint Andrews schooled him and his siblings. “We lived in a village where people lived in mud huts,” he said. “My dad built us a house there that was a little more secluded.” Leidenfrost said he enjoyed living in the hot, humid climate that was complemented by tropical rainforests. “My mom planted the land really beautifully,” he said. “We had fruit trees and a couple ponds. It was a really nice property.” He said he experienced culture
By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Jeremiah Leidenfrost has lived in Moscow since he was in the seventh grade, but the Logos School senior said his second home is in Africa, where he was born. His parents, Csaba and Lisa Leidenfrost, served as Christian missionaries in the Ivory Coast and in Mali. Leidenfrost said his father translated the Bible into regional languages while his mother home-
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LOGOS HIGH SCHOOL n Graduation: 3 p.m. Saturday in the UI Administration Building auditorium n Seniors: 26 n Valedictorian: Will Eisenberg n Salutatorian: Madeline Schlect
shock when his family moved to Moscow, but he eventually came to enjoy his time at Logos. He participated in track and field throughout his high school career and said he likes the competitive aspect of the sport. He said one of the highlights of high school was a physics field trip where he and a couple other 18-year-old classmates went skydiving near Seattle. He said he Continued on Page 12
Jeremiah Leidenfrost
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Colfax senior overcame rare foot disorder to help win state
Kyle Johnson couldn’t walk for months in high school, but went on to the state basketball championship By Katie Roenigk Daily News staff writer
Anyone who was present at this year’s Washington State 2B boys basketball championship game in Spokane would not believe that Colfax High School senior and team co-captain Kyle Johnson was unable to walk for months of his freshman year. Johnson was born with lateral talus syndrome, a rare foot condition that required that he wear leg braces beginning in seventh grade. By the time he entered high school, Johnson needed surgery on both of his feet, and his doctor told him it would take six months to fully recover. “I was in a wheelchair for two-and-a-half months in high school, then I spent four months learning to walk again,” he said. “The surgery had changed the whole structure of my feet.” Despite his inability to
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| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 7
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n Graduates: 56 n Valedictorian: Morgan Willson n Salutatorian: Arik Laubach
walk, run or jump, Johnson, who has played basketball his whole life, decided to join the high school team. He said he was determined to recuperate and contribute more than moral support to his teammates. “My sophomore year people said, ‘Oh he can’t run,’ ” Johnson said. “I wanted to say, ‘I should be running.’ I’m competitive like that.” At the time, he was 5-feet8-inches tall and weighed 140 pounds. As he prepares for graduation next weekend, however, Johnson stands 5-foot-11-inches tall and weighs in at 170 pounds. And he says he’ll continue to get stronger and faster. “Last year I still couldn’t jump and run like I could in eighth grade, but this year
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8 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Art on the agenda
Paradise Creek Regional graduate heading to LCSC By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Paradise Creek Regional High School senior Ashley Haskell is preparing to expand her repertoire of art skills this fall in the graphic design program at Lewis-Clark State College. “Since I was little, I used to draw with my grandma all the time, and I used to paint random things,” she said. She said she began to learn her own style, which she described as “different,” as she took art classes in school over the years. “I like kind of surreal things that portray messages,” she said. In one of Haskell’s paintings, Little Red Riding Hood wears the pelt of a wolf on her head as she tucks a gun into her purse. Haskell said the piece represents triumph over fear, adding that the wolf can be anything that produces anxiety.
PARADISE CREEK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL n Graduation: 7 p.m. June 6 at Moscow High School n Seniors: 9 n Valedictorian/Salutatorian: None
She said she enjoys mixed media art the most because it allows her to combine a variety of materials to get her message across. “I like the fact that you’re not really limited,” she said. “The way different things contrast, it allows you to add meaning.” Haskell, the daughter of Marla and Danny Haskell, said she hopes to return to PCRHS next year to paint a mural on one of the school walls. She was born in Troy, but her
Ashley Haskell
Continued on Page 12
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Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Genesee graduate enjoys expressing creative side
| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 9
Miranda Carter to study journalism at the University of Idaho By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Genesee School senior Miranda Carter said the small size of her class — 25 students — will make for a special graduation ceremony this weekend. “Growing up with the same people from kindergarten and up is something a lot of people can’t say they did,” she said. Carter, the daughter of Dan and Dana Carter, said she enjoys how close-knit the community is. She was born in Moscow, but her family moved a few miles south to the countryside between Genesee and Moscow when she was 2. She said she enjoys the privacy of her home, which is surrounded by farmland. Her proximity to Moscow means she isn’t too far away from the amenities of a larger city. “There’s always something to do if you drive,” she said. Carter will be majoring in journalism at the University of Idaho beginning this fall. She created a magazine for her senior project, and she said she likes the idea of compiling photos, articles and other information into a complete package. For her senior project, she took photos of her family and friends for mock advertisements and features. The magazine is divided into sections for people and health, theater, studio art, photography and fashion. She said she isn’t exactly sure what she
GENESEE HIGH SCHOOL n n n n
Graduation: 11 a.m. Saturday at Genesee School Seniors: 25 Valedictorian: Garrett Jones Salutatorian: Katelyn Phillips
would like to do with her eventual journalism education — just as long as it’s in the creative realm. “I also plan to publish a novel,” she said. “I’ve been writing books since I was 10. I have these stapled-together stacks of paper.” Carter said the UI wasn’t her first choice, but other schools she looked at were too expensive and didn’t really appeal to her. She said she hopes to study abroad in England during her junior year as a way to get away for a while. “I really wanted to go somewhere else,” she said. “UI is a great school, but I’ve been here so long.” At Genesee School, Carter has been involved in theater, choir, Idaho Drug-Free Youth, basketball and associated student body. She said theater class has been her favorite. “It’s a way to express yourself,” she said. “You’re learning something, but in a really interactive way.” Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
Miranda Carter
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10 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Time to get down to business Troy graduate Randy Menter enrolling at the University of Idaho By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Randy Menter of Troy High School is getting ready to hang up his basketball jersey and enter the game of business. He’s got a head TROY HIGH SCHOOL start as president of his school’s Business n Graduation: 11 a.m. Professionals of Saturday at Troy High School America chapter, n Seniors: 33 which gave him and n Valedictorian: Taylor Mikelle other students the Johnson opportunity to learn n Salutatorian: Melissa Marie about business manMayo agement and finance. The students traveled to state competitions in Boise over the past four years. “It’s just something different than what we usually do,” he said. “It’s different than what’s offered in classes.” Now, he is planning to attend the University of Idaho this fall to major in business and accounting. He said he likes the hands-on aspect of those subjects, and they’re broad enough at the undergradu-
ate level to give him a foundation if he chooses to continue his education. “It’s something that challenges me, and I like to work with numbers,” he said about math. As for the UI, “it’s something that’s close enough to home if you need to go back for a little bit.” Menter, the son of John and Chris Menter, said he is keeping his options open when it comes to a post-college career. In addition to being active in the BPA, Menter has participated in cross-country, track and field and the National Honor Society, and he has played basketball since he was in the fourth grade. He said running could remain a hobby of his in college and beyond. “It’s a really good way to stay active,” he said. “It’s something you can do for the rest of your life.” Menter said it’s going to be a real change to move to Moscow after spending 18 years in Troy, a close-knit community where he knows all of his classmates. “It’s just a small town — you know everybody,” he said. “Everybody’s there to help.” Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
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Randy Menter Hancock Continued from Page 4
them, so I don’t want to go away, especially as they grow up,” Hancock said. “I love my sisters and brother.” It was their close bond that led to the Hancock kids’ enrollment at PCS despite their residency in Idaho. When they moved to Moscow,
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there wasn’t enough room in the city’s Christian schools to accommodate all of the siblings, so they decided to take classes in Pullman. Hancock said she’ll miss the teachers she has gotten to know at PCS, especially Jamie Gleason, who taught her Bible, math, history, chemistry, physics and gym classes. “He teaches a little bit of everything,” she said. She plans to stay in touch with her friends from high school, and she is excited to spend more time with them outside of class. Looking back, she said she enjoyed her time at PCS, particularly the fact that she was able to compete against other high schools in basketball. “It’s a small school, but we can play sports in the Mountain Christian League,” she said. Hancock is the daughter of Joe and Jamie Berg of Moscow. Katie Roenigk can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by email to kroenigk@dnews.com.
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 11
‘Farm kid’ to play volleyball in Moses Lake Brooke Brown of Kendrick says she’ll miss friends KENDRICK HIGH SCHOOL
By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Brooke Brown said she’ll miss the camaraderie of her classmates after they graduate from Kendrick High School later this month. She said most of the 19 seniors have gone to school together since kindergarten, and they spend much of their free time camping and hanging out with each other. Some of that time includes playing pranks on students in other grades. For example, when Brown and the other students in her class were juniors, they brought a water truck to school to spray members of the senior class, who were having a sleepover inside. In another prank, the students partially filled cups with water and placed them on sidewalks, packed tightly together to obstruct pedestrians. “We try to do stuff that’s not considered vandalism,” Brown said. “With the other classes, we get in little ‘wars.’ ” She said she won’t be too far from her friends while she studies nursing and plays volleyball on scholarship at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. “It’s only two-and-a-half-to-three hours away,” she said. “It’ll be easy to come back whenever. It’ll be good to get away for a while.” She said she has been interested Hanson Continued from Page 3
Audrey when Hanson went back to school. She also expressed her gratitude to members of the PHS staff, who worked with Hanson to make sure she fulfilled her academic requirements in time to receive her
n Graduation: 4 p.m. Sunday at Kendrick High School n Seniors: 19 n Valedictorians: Austin Hall and Darryl Kerby n Salutatorian: Pepper Curry
in volleyball since she was in kindergarten, when she would accompany her mother, an assistant coach, to practice. She said she always looked up to the high school-aged players. Brown, the daughter of Jane and Lynn Brown, has lived on a farm outside Kendrick all her life. She said her family owns cows and horses and does some farming. “I like being out in the country,” she said. “I don’t really like towns. It’s much quieter and private here.” In addition to playing volleyball, basketball and softball during all four years of high school, Brown has participated in 4-H and was president of the local FFA chapter for her junior and senior years. “I really loved everything FFA does, since I’m a farm kid,” she said. Brown said she took a steer to the Latah County Fair last fall and won the bronze for quality and fitting and showing. Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 8825561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews. com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
diploma this semester. “I’m thankful for how helpful and understanding the school faculty were,” Hanson said. “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to graduate.” She does not know where she will end up living, but Hanson said she will miss Pullman if she ends up moving away. The senior, who also participated
Brooke Brown
in Future Farmers of America activities in high school, said she has enjoyed her home on the Palouse. “It’s a friendly, homey town,” Hanson said. “Everyone is willing to help their neighbors.” Katie Roenigk can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by email to kroenigk@dnews.com.
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12 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Parkins seeks adventure as lineman Palouse High School senior will head to Spokane for training By Katie Roenigk Daily News staff writer
Jesse Parkins Leidenfrost Continued from Page 6
enjoys learning about physics because it explains how things work. “It was amazing,” he said of the skydiving experience. “I loved it. We freefell for about a minute and a half.” Leidenfrost said he likes the open spaces and wheat fields of the Moscow area and would choose that over big-city living. He’ll have at least four more years to take advantage of that, as he plans to attend New Saint Andrews College “because its liberal arts curriculum gives me the grounds to go off Haskell Continued from Page 8
family moved to Moscow when she was very young. She said she enjoys the college town atmosphere of Moscow because it “makes it easier to be young here.” “I like the diversity of people, and I like that everybody knows each other,” she said. “But I kind of don’t like it at the same time.” She said she appreciates how her teachers know their students on a more personal level than at larger high schools. At PCRHS,
When Palouse High School senior Jesse Parkins saw a picture of a lineman hanging from a power pole, he knew what he wanted to do for a living. “It’s the second deadliest job after deep sea fishing,” Parkins said of his future career as a lineman. “I always like living on the edge, pushing the limits, getting that adrenaline rush.” When he graduates this spring, Parkins will move to Spokane for four months to attend line construction school through Spokane Community College and Avista Utilities. After that, he hopes to find work in the field. “I’ll pretty much go where I can find a job,” Parkins said. “I’d like to go somewhere warm, but I like it here, too.” He has lived in Palouse for five years, and Parkins said he has spent his time enjoy-
and for the rest of my life be a Christian,” he said. In his spare time, Leidenfrost enjoys carving wood, and he builds cabinets for Master’s Touch Woodworking during the summer. He said he started carving when he was in the seventh grade. “I just like carving because it seems the shapes are in the wood, and I’m getting them out of it,” he said. “It’s more constructive than computer games.” Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
“you’re not just another student,” she said. Haskell said she will miss her teachers and a majority of her classmates when she starts school in Lewiston and potentially transfers to another school in Oregon at a later date. “I love beaches, and Oregon’s just a really beautiful place in general,” she said. “It’s still close enough to home, but far enough away.” Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
GARFIELD-PALOUSE HIGH SCHOOL n Graduation: 1 p.m. June 2 at Palouse High School n Graduates: 21 n Valedictorian: Heidi Jamison n Salutatorian: Missy Johnson
ing the outdoors with local friends. They hunt coyotes, go out shooting and mudding, and take turns jumping into the Palouse River in the summer. Parkins also played football and baseball in high school, and he became involved in agricultural mechanics his junior year. By that point, he says, he had made a big change in his attitude toward school. “I used to be a troublemaker,” Parkins said. “But one day I decided this wasn’t the way I wanted to go. I started to do better. I realized life takes hard work.” He anticipates that his training in Spokane will be a challenge as well. After Walden Continued from Page 5
Switzerland, where her parents, Tina Hilding and Von Walden, were on sabbatical from their university jobs. “I was thrown into an allFrench-speaking school with kids from different countries,” she said of that experience. “That was definitely characterbuilding.” She said she felt a bit like an outsider when she returned to Moscow, but that feeling went away when she moved up to MHS. Walden also played tennis her sophomore and senior years, taking a break her junior year, and went on the annual Turtle Trip with the school’s Environmental Club this year. Students in the club traveled to Mexico to help newly hatched sea turtles safely make it to the ocean in the middle of the night.
a math test and interview, Parkins was one of 32 trainees selected for the training from a pool of 150 applicants. He said his upcoming lessons will involve a lot of physical activity. “They said the first week is like boot camp,” Parkins said. “For the first few days you climb 30-foot poles, (but) by the end of the week you’re climbing a big, steel 90-footer.” He doesn’t have much experience climbing, but Parkins said it seems like the lineman job will be fun. The career also should provide him with a livable income. “I knew a lineman, and I saw how he was able to support his family,” Parkins said. “And if you love your job, you never work a day in your life.” Parkins is the son of Paula Parkins and Dennis Fealy. Katie Roenigk can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by email to kroenigk@dnews.com.
“It was incredible in many ways,” she said about the trip. “It was different waking up at 3 in the morning and then working a three-hour shift.” Walden, who was born in Seattle and lived in Madison, Wis., before moving to Moscow when she was just about to enter kindergarten, described MHS as “such a wonderful place.” “The people are very nice, and there’s a lot to be involved in, which I’ve taken advantage of,” she said. MHS Principal Bob Celebrezze said Walden has made the school a better place with her positive influence on other students. “She is actively engaged, bright, articulate and has immense positive energy,” Celebrezze said. Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 13
Potlatch graduate aims to become engineer Jake McMillan enjoys country life but is headed to Moscow By Holly Bowen
POTLATCH HIGH SCHOOL
Daily News staff writer
Jake McMillan enjoys the contrast of his quiet Princeton home with Potlatch High School, where he said there is never a dull moment. “It’s been great going to Potlatch High School, getting to know my teachers and friends and going to school every day with people who make me laugh,” the outgoing senior said. McMillan, the son of Jim and Tanya McMillan, plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Idaho starting this fall. He said his favorite subject is math, and he loves working with his hands and getting them dirty. He said his family moved from Coeur d’Alene to Princeton when he was a baby so his father could gain experience as a machinist at Bennett Lumber Products. Seeing his father’s work inspired him to pursue engineering so he can create better tools for others in the field. “I kind of want to be that engineer that makes it practical and a little easier for machinists,” he said. He said in addition to the UI’s proximity to Potlatch, he’s heard good things about the institution’s engineering program. Campus life will be a change for McMillan, who currently lives in the countryside about a 10-minute drive Johnson Continued from Page 7
University in Spokane, where he plans to go to school next year. Johnson, the son of Bryan and Debra Johnson of Colfax, said he is looking forward to entering college because none of his classmates will know him as the “gimpy” kid. But he said he will miss his friends and neighbors in Colfax.
n Graduation: 10 a.m. June 9 at Potlatch High School n Seniors: 28 n Valedictorian: Isaac Curtis n Salutatorian: Evan Lovel
from school. “I like how it’s peaceful, and you can wake up and see a deer out in your front yard and hear birds singing,” he said. He also said he likes the size of PHS and how it’s easy to get to know classmates and teachers. McMillan is a familiar face to those affiliated with the school, as he has played football and basketball and participated in track and field for all four years of school. He said the latter is his favorite of the three sports. “I love the intensity and everything (of basketball and football), but you get to track, and it’s more relaxed,” he said. “There are more opportunities to socialize.” He said he also enjoys the individual rather than team aspect of the competition. If you win, that accomplishment is yours. “When you lose, there’s no one else to blame but yourself,” he said. McMillan placed fifth in the triple jump and seventh in 300-meter hurdles at the recent state high school track competition.
“I’ve known them my whole life,” Johnson said. “This is where I grew up.” He recalled this year’s state championship competition, during which he felt the support of community members who drove to Spokane to watch. “We’re not just the best team in the state, we have the best fans,” Johnson said. “I give credit to them. ... It was
Jake McMillan In addition to athletics, he has participated in the National Honor Society, Idaho Drug-Free Youth and the Latah County Youth Advocacy Council.
like a win for Colfax, not just those 12 guys in the locker room.” Johnson’s most memorable moment of high school came directly after the game, when he and his teammates celebrated their success together. “I just remember a friend yelling at me, ‘You won state; all that work paid off,’” Johnson said. “It was crazy. I feel so lucky. Everyone on this
team truly loved each other. I wanted to win for my friends.” He said he feels lucky when it comes to his lateral talus syndrome as well. “I didn’t think I’d be able to play at the level I’m at,” Johnson said. “I learned that hard work pays off. Never say you can’t do it.” Katie Roenigk can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by email to kroenigk@dnews.com.
Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
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Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Colton grad excited for independence Caity Kriehn plans to study psychology at BSU By Katie Roenigk Daily News staff writer
Colton High School senior Caity Kriehn is looking forward to the new experiences that will come when she enters college at Boise State University next fall. “It’s the independence; doing what I want to do,” Kriehn said, adding that the coming change is “a little” scary, too. “But I was born in Boise,” she said. “I’m excited.” Kriehn moved to Colton in 2004 when she was in elementary school, and she said she likes the small Palouse town. “It’s easy to get around, and it’s safe,” Kriehn said, describing days spent taking walks and traveling the county with friends. She says she’ll miss the familiarity of Colton. “I’ll miss my teachers defi-
nitely,” Kriehn said, mentioning band director Tony Bonuccelli specifically. “I’ve taken band from him since I’ve been here.” In addition to band, Kriehn has been involved in basketball, volleyball, softball and cheerleading during her high school career, and she said she “loved” Spanish and English classes. She plans to study psychology at BSU, with a goal to become a clinical psychologist. During her final year in high school, Kriehn became a mentor for some of her younger classmates, and she said that helped her realize she had a passion for psychology. “It just interests me a lot,” Kriehn said. “I want to help people.” She also wants to take music classes, either joining a choir to picking up the piano in Boise. “I grew up around music,” said Kriehn, who once sang the national anthem before an event
COLTON HIGH SCHOOL n Graduation: 11 a.m. June 2 in the Colton High School gymnasium n Graduates: 15 n Valedictorians: Haley Moser and Erin Weber n Salutatorian: Jake Riedner
at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. “I think my whole family’s pretty musical.” Kriehn’s mom Danette plays the guitar and sings, and her dad Richard is an instructor at the School of Music at Washington State University in Pullman. Kriehn said she will be sad to leave her parents’ home, but she said she will do whatever feels right to her. She may want to explore a larger city in the future. “We’ll see what fits best,” she said. Katie Roenigk can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by email to kroenigk@dnews.com.
Caity Kriehn
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
| Friday, May 25, 2012 | 15
From Houston to Deary Grad looks to UI to vault him to new heights DEARY HIGH SCHOOL
By Holly Bowen Daily News staff writer
Matthew Balthaser
Matthew Balthaser went from attending middle school in the big city of Houston to going to high school in Deary, where his senior class is 17 students strong. A native of Fort Hood, Texas, Balthaser and his family moved to Latah County four years ago to be closer to family members who live in the area. He said living in each city has had its advantages and disadvantages. “In small towns, you really kind of know everybody,” he said. “It’s not like you meet a new person every day.” Balthaser, the son of Karen and Tony Balthaser, added that he misses having more things to do for fun with his friends, as in Texas. But he said he appreciates the
n Graduation: 11 a.m. Saturday at Deary High School n Seniors: 17 n Valedictorian: Trevor Case n Salutatorian: William Wadley
small-town atmosphere at Deary High School. “I like being able to have good friends and having all my classes together with them,” he said. Balthaser plans to study sports medicine at the University of Idaho beginning this fall, both because of the school’s proximity and the quality of its sports medicine program, he said. His favorite subject in high school has been anatomy and physiology. He said he isn’t sure what he’d like to do for a career — something using his degree, for
sure — but he is considering an eventual move back to Texas. “I miss my family I have down there,” he said. At Deary High School, Balthaser has been involved in Idaho Drug-Free Youth, basketball, cross-country and track and field. His track and field specialty is the pole vault, in which he tied for fifth at a recent state competition. He said pole vaulting is an adrenaline rush that requires discipline while running and maintaining upper body strength. “I like the mental part of it — having to go over instead of out,” he said, describing the way the pole launches him into the air. Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly
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16 | Friday, May 25, 2012 |
Graduation 2012
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
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