Ready for the World, 2013

READY FOR THE WORLD FOCUSED, CREATIVE, PASSIONATE: AREA GRADS TAKE THE NEXT STEP

A special publication of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

From each of our area high schools, a snapshot of the class of 2013

Pullman | Pullman Christian | Moscow | Logos | Paradise Creek | Colfax Genesee | Troy | Colton | Potlatch | Kendrick | Garfield-Palouse | Deary

READY FOR THE WORLD

2 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Keep your grads connected after they leave the nest!

What’s inside

Pullman, Vivek Jayaram ...............................................Page 3 Pullman Christian, Jamie Simanson ............................Page 4 Moscow, Jeremy Williams .............................................Page 6 Logos, Autumn Pratt ....................................................Page 7 Paradise Creek, Logan Intermill...................................Page 8 Colfax, Justin Aucutt ....................................................Page 9

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Genesee, Hailey Johnson ........................................... Page 10 Troy, Ceilidh McElroy................................................ Page 11 Colton, Zach Devorak ............................................... Page 12 Potlatch, Tom Kenworthy ......................................... Page 13 Kendrick, Tim Olson ................................................ Page 13 Garfield-Palouse, Hannah Neibergs ......................... Page 14 Deary, Fidela Salayes-Araiza ....................................... Page 15

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 3

Off to Harvard Pullman’s Vivek Jayaram looks to put knowledge to the test

data. He was also given a different database full of templates for genes, and while comparing both ivek Jayaram still sets of data he had to discover remembers the which gene sequences were the moment as if it most important. were yesterday. In Perhaps even more impressive, fact, most kids who Jayaram worked with another receive their acceptance letter to high school student last year to Harvard do. After all, it’s not ev- analyze the folding of proteins. ery day that one is accepted into “The same protein can fold a school where only 5.8 percent one way or another way because of applicants were admitted this it’s a change of molecules, and year. And like most of his incom- the molecules fold up on theming class, the image is still fresh selves,” Jayaram said. “Protein in Jayaram’s mind. folding is immensely important “I remember exactly opening for biological systems. Alzheimthe letter,” Jayaram said. “I was er’s, for instance, is caused by on a soccer trip and we were in malformed protein conformaColville. I checked my phone tion, so basically we created a and I told my friend ‘Oh, time to method that can more accurately see if I got into Harvard,’ kind of measure the folding of proteins.” joking.”

Jayaram wrote an 18-page But when Jayaram actually paper on his research, and along read the email, it was no joke. with his partner he was selected The oldest and most prestigious as a regional finalist for the West university in America wanted Coast to present his work at Cal Jayaram as part of the class of Tech. Jayaram had also been ac2017. The feeling was mutual. cepted as an undergrad applicant “Harvard wasn’t even one of to Cal Tech. my target schools,” Jayaram said.

He said that to get in “you think you need some sort of special connections or something that’s beyond what you think is capable, so I applied to a couple of the Ivy League schools just to see if I could get in.”

For anybody who knows Jayaram, his admittance was no shock. He scored a 2340 out of 2400 on the SAT, and had a perfect score on the math portion of the test. His accomplishments, however, extend far beyond his test scores.

Last summer, Jayaram took part in a six-week internship at Washington State University, where he learned about computational genomics. Jayaram was part of a team analyzing amino acid changes in several variations of peaches. The Pullman native was given the gene sequences and had to create computer programs that would be able to analyze the

Pullman High School •

By Tom Hager

Daily News staff writer

V

•

Greyhounds Commencement: 5 p.m., June 1, Beasley Coliseum Class size: 162 seniors

He hasn’t decided what field he wants to study within the computer sciences program.

“It’s one of the most rapidly growing fields so you could do anything from the more straightforward computer sciences, working in industry like Microsoft or Apple,” Jayaram said.

“Or you could do cyber security things or you could even take that into medical fields and do biotechnology.”

As for Harvard, he said, “You never know what kind of people you’re going to meet. … Your roommate might be the next president or Saudi prince or the next Mark Zuckerberg.”

Perhaps a few years from now, entering freshman will hope their roommate might be the next Vivek Jayaram.

Tom Hager can be reached at (208) 883-4633, or by email to thager@dnews.com.

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4 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Avid athlete prepares for the future

PCS senior considers career in biological, athletic sciences

By Meredith Metsker

Pullman Christian School

Daily News staff writer

W

hen Pullman Christian School senior Jamie Simanson graduates on May 31, he will move from his K-12 school of 45 total students to Washington State University where he will be surrounded by more than 19,000 college students.

Don’t expect him to be intimidated, though.

An avid, lifelong athlete, Simanson, the son of Ty and Andrea Simanson, said he is looking forward to getting involved with athletics in any way he can at WSU. He plans to participate in

•

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Eagles Commencement: 7 p.m., May 31, Living Faith Fellowship Church Class size: 6 seniors

intramural sports and possibly study biological or athletic sciences.

“I’ve always liked sports and I’m not good enough to really continue past high school but

maybe stay involved in a different way,” Simanson said.

Simanson said he’s played sports his whole life, beginning with soccer when he was three or four years old. In high school, he’s played soccer, basketball and tennis and also plays on a local men’s league softball team.

Although the sports make for a busy schedule, Simanson said they help keep him focused.

“Honestly, I think it’s better to have sports than not, because if I didn’t have them I’d have too much time at home. Instead of getting my work done I’d probably goof off, so with sports ...

I get home, I take a shower, eat and then I get to work. My fun for the day is my sports,” Simanson said.

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Simanson’s schedule doesn’t stop at just sports and school.

He also works with children ages 3-5 at the Living Faith Fellowship church day care once or twice a month and has participated in two mission trips to an orphanage in Haiti in the past two years.

Simanson said his most memorable experience in Haiti was becoming close with three boys who lived at the orphanage. He said he hopes to continue being involved in mission trips.

“I’d like to stay involved in missions, whether it’s full time or once a year or once every five years, I don’t really care. It’s definitely a life goal,” Simanson said.

When he’s not competing in athletics, going to school or participating in community service, Simanson said he enjoys juggling, playing video games and camping with friends.

As is customary for incoming college students, Simanson also said he’s been scoping out scholarships.

“Recently, applying for scholarships has become a hobby,”

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Jamie Simanson Simanson said, chuckling. “That takes up a lot of time.”

Simanson has attended PCS for 12 years and said he enjoyed the small school’s atmosphere.

“It’s a lot more personal with the teachers because of that, so you get in a relationship with them instead of just learning from them,” Simanson said.

Simanson’s older sister, Kara, graduated from PCS and his younger brother, Andy, is currently in the sixth grade.

Meredith Metsker can be reached at (208) 883-4628, or by email to mmetsker@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @MeredithMetsker

Best Wishes to the Classes of 2013!

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READY FOR THE WORLD

Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 5

LCYAC Congratulates the 2013 Graduating Youth Ambassadors and Wishes Them Continued Success In Their College Careers!

Rebecca Kruger Deary High School

Text “LCYAC ”t 879-40 for o information an give-a-ways! d

Kristen Heier

Jacy Knock

Megan Alexander

Kaia Cannon

Kendrick High School

Moscow High School

Potlatch High School

Deary High School

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” ~ Ferris Bueller

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you.

Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can. ~ Neil Gaiman

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

“If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.” ~ Alexander Hamilton

“Be yourself. No one can ever tell you you’re doing it wrong.” ~ Snoopy from the Peanuts

Attending: LCSC

Attending: University of Idaho

Attending: University of Idaho

Attending: University of Idaho

Attending: Wenatchee Valley College

“Now that we’re graduating, we’ll need your help in continuing the mission of LCYAC. To get involved in keeping our teens and our community safe and healthy, nd LCYAC online or on Facebook.” ~ The Class of 2013 LCYAC Youth Ambassadors PARENTS, TALK TO YOUR KIDS! BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LATAH COUNTY YOUTH ADVOCACY COUNCIL CHECK OUT: HTTP://WWW.LATAH.ID.US/YAC FOR MORE INFORMATION

READY FOR THE WORLD

6 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Moscow senior keeps future in focus

newspaper, and while taking a photography class at the UI crafted a 100plans on studying business at Bears page handbook the University of Idaho after • Commencement: addressing high school. concepts on 7:30 p.m., June 7, “I probably will major in the subject Kibbie Dome business administration, and he said he back when I was a freshman, • Class size: 158 seniors wished he’d had I thought I wanted to get in handy when he business, and I thought BusiOnly time will tell if he can started. ness Professionals of America blend his interest in business “I’m just trywas a good way to get involved with his love of photography. ing to wrap up in business a little more.”

“That’s probably one of my everything,” he Williams was in Orlando in biggest interests,” said Wilsaid of his imearly April for the BPA nation- liams. “When I’m traveling, pending graduals where he competed in a I’m always taking pictures. I ation. “The presentation management team guess I like the ability to be yearbook’s done and entrepreneurship events. able to capture memories essen- and I’m pretty “Moscow was pretty success- tially — being able to capture happy with how ful this year,” he said, though that.” it turned out. the hard part is waiting for the Williams is the photo editor Last year reresults. for the school’s yearbook and ally helped me because I knew what would work best.”

Williams said he plans on “I’ve got some pretty good joining the scholarships too,” he said, “just UI Argonaut to continue his infrom everything here at the terest in photography, but the career he hopes for after college high school.” is to enter music management, Brandon Macz can be reached at possibly managing a band (208) 883-4631, or by email to someday. bmacz@dnews.com.

Jeremy Williams busies self with photography, class presidency

By Brandon Macz

J

Daily News staff writer

eremy Williams has had a busy final year at Moscow High School splitting time studying, planning class activities, putting together the yearbook and keeping up with his photography — and he still needs to write his graduation speech as class president.

“I’ve spent enough time with the class over the past three years that I think I have a good idea what I’ll write about.”

The son of David Williams and Grace Simonetti, Williams

Moscow High School

Jeremy Williams

The City of Moscow would like to extend its best wishes to all of the graduates in our community.

You Inspire Us!

Briana Lynaé McCall Class of 2013 Congratulations on graduating with honors from Idaho Distance Education Academy

READY FOR THE WORLD

Making her mark

Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 7

Wandering senior leaves legacy at Logos

A

utumn Pratt will be remembered for a long time at Logos, not because she is a 4.0 student, not because she is one of the fastest girls in Idaho, and not because she is planning on helping handicapped people once she gets her college degree. While she is an outstanding student, an accomplished athlete and has a heart of gold, Pratt will be forever remembered for a simple mistake she made at a crosscountry practice.

“We have a rule here, we call it the ‘Autumn Pratt rule’ because of an incident that happened in the summer,” Logos athletic director John Carnahan said.

One of the dads at Logos helps the school’s runners train and stay in shape on a regular basis by taking them out on the back roads between Moscow and Troy. Sometime boys and girls show up, but on this particular summer day, Pratt was the only girl to show up.

“I was running with the guys, and they are super fast,” Pratt said. “Eventually I fell behind and was just trying to keep up.

I came to a fork in the road, and I had been there before so I thought I knew which way to go. Eventually, I realized I had made a mistake, but I knew which way to go still so I wasn’t worried.”

Meanwhile, the rest of her cross-country team had finished its vigorous regimen and returned to the starting point to wait for Pratt. After lingering for some time, her teammates began to worry and eventually started searching for her.

“Eventually I came to the Troy highway and was out about

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Knights Commencement: 3 p.m., June 1, University of Idaho administration building Class size: 23 seniors

four miles farther out than I should have been,” Pratt said.

“I crossed the road and went to the bike trail and ran home. It wasn’t until I got home and saw how worried my dad was that I realized how big of a commotion I had caused.”

Needless to say, kids aren’t allowed to run by themselves at school-sanctioned practices anymore.

In the end, the extra running may have paid off for Pratt. Besides helping guide the Knights to a successful cross-country season, Pratt recently made her mark at the state track and field competition, capturing fifth in the 1,600 meter and sixth in the 800 meter.

Carnahan, who doubles as Pratt’s distance coach and literature teacher, said the determination Pratt runs with carries over into the classroom and has made her a straight-A student.

“She’s a hard worker, has intellectual gifts that help her a lot, and she’s very rhetorically expressive in essays and even in test answers,” Carnahan said.

“She’s very good at communicating her ideas to others.

“She does well on both sides of the brain, science and math on one, literature and writing on the other. She’s been very capable at understanding the things she reads and grasps

Ben Handel can be reached at (208) 883-4629, or by email to bhandel@dnews.com.

Educational & Psychological Servicess

Best Wishes to the Graduates of 2013!

Autumn Pratt W. Ra nd Wa lke Tim S . Rehn r, Ph.D. be Jeann e M. S rg, Ph.D. teffen Jarod , Ph.D Fitzge . r a Mash l d , P h a Gart Prisci stein, .D. lla He Ph.D. Alliso rnandez Ha n B. H c arring ker, Ph.D. 2301 ton, P West sy.D “A” S t, Ste C|M oscow

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Logos High School

themes with ease.”

Pratt said she plans to attend the University of Idaho and get a degree in mechanical engineering before working on a masters in prosthetics. She hopes to be able to help those less fortunate than her and design artificial limbs.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Pratt said. “I have a friend who only has half of an arm. I used to make her arm gloves and things like that and would like to be able to do that for a career and help people.”

CLA

By Ben Handel Daily News staff writer

READY FOR THE WORLD

8 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Student finds place at alternative school Logan Intermill continued to give back while waiting to graduate

with homework, such as essays and speeches. ogan Intermill, “I like to help 20, was once an people if they need Phoenix at-risk student, but it,” he said. “I’m he found a place pretty good with • Commencement: 7 p.m., June 5, where he belongs at words.”

Moscow High School auditorium Paradise Creek Regional High Intermill will • Class size: 7 seniors School. receive his di“I kind of make a habit out ploma June 5 along of showing up every now and with six others in the point I am now where I am then even though I haven’t had his graduating class. Paradise going to be graduating and getto take classes for the last two Creek Regional High School ting my high school diploma,” quarters,” Intermill said. “Some- is an alternative school in the he said. times I’ll show up and talk and Moscow School District serving When Moscow High School hang out at the school when it’s to increase the graduation rate labeled Intermill an at-risk later in the day.” of students who experience student who may not graduIntermill, who has atextraordinary circumstances, ate during his sophomore year, tended Paradise Creek for three according to their website. counselors presented Paradise years, completed his graduaIntermill said his greatest Creek as an option for him to tion requirements in January. high school accomplishment has obtain his diploma.

However, he said he stops by been earning his diploma. “(Paradise Creek) didn’t feel the school once or twice a week “The school is wonderful and like a last chance, even though to help his fellow classmates it was the factor that led me to it was for me for a little while Patrick Groves

Paradise Creek Regional High

Daily News staff writer

L

there,” he said. “It just gave me the opportunity I needed to graduate.”

Intermill said his chronic insomnia made attending Moscow High School difficult, but the later starting schedule and rigid attendance policy of Paradise Creek helped him overcome setbacks.

“That was the biggest issue I had, was my sleep,” he said.

He said he has been at the alternative school longer than the average one or two years, but felt no other teachers could instruct him better than the ones at Paradise Creek.

“The teachers are more understanding toward the students,” Intermill said. “You don’t feel like you’re being shuffled through from class, to class, to class, to class, to class by teachers who don’t really care.”

Intermill said his immediate plans after graduation are to find work and save up enough

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“You know, just generally living a bachelor’s life,” he said.

Patrick Groves can be reached at (208) 883-4632, or by email to briefs@dnews.com.

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Colfax grad wants to take to the skies

Justin Aucutt pursues pilot license for senior project problems right now, Daily News staff writer and forming an opinion and talking about ustin Aucutt has wanted what you feel and to become a pilot ever what you believe in,” since he was in the third he said of the class. grade, when he aced a Aucutt said he Space Shuttle landing knows everyone in simulation game during a family his small class, which vacation to the Kennedy Space provides a sense of Center in Florida. security, and knows Now the 18-year-old Colfax “everyone is there for High School senior is almost you.” ready to take his first official In his spare time, steps into the wild blue yonder he said, he and his — he’s just two flights away friends enjoy hunting, from earning his private pilot’s fishing and eating at license and plans to enter the Air Super China Buffet in Force ROTC this fall at MonMoscow. tana State University in BozeHe also has man. participated in track “It’s a reality that I may be since the seventh able to do this now for a career,” grade and specialhe said. izes in the 400-meter He chose to obtain his private dash, 4x100-meter pilot’s license for his senior proj- relay and 4x400-meect at CHS, where he and about ter relay. He said he 40 of his classmates are schedenjoys “the competition, trying uled to graduate June 1. to beat the person next to you Aucutt, a lifelong Colfax resiand trying to get better,” and dent, said he hopes to become a credited his coach, Jason Cooper, commercial pilot after eventuwith encouraging his progress in ally retiring from the Air Force. the sport.

He said he chose MSU because “Coach Cooper has helped “it has a really good ROTC me a lot the last few years and reprogram” that is relatively small, ally helped me in the 400 to get so cadets have more access to where I am now,” he said. leadership opportunities.

Although he is used to runHe said he is “a little bit” nerning across the land during track vous to leave behind his parents, Rob and Tonya, and his 12-year- events, he’ll soon be soaring through the skies with his private old brother in Colfax. pilot’s license.

“She’s helped me out a lot His father, Rob, said Justin with everything I’ve done,” he practiced with an instructor sevsaid of his mother. “She’s pushed eral times a week last summer. me to do the best I can.”

Rob said even during that At MSU, he plans to major initial trip to the Kennedy Space in political science, an interest Center years ago, Justin demonthat he has explored during his strated his natural aircraft-flyfavorite CHS class — current ing skills when he successfully world issues. landed the Space Shuttle during “It’s learning about all the the simulation game. current events, all the major

By Holly Bowen

J

Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 9

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Justin Aucutt Colfax High School • •

Bulldogs Commencement: 1 p.m., June 1, Colfax High School gym Class size: 41 Seniors

“Everybody else kept crashing and burning bad,” Rob said.

Justin realizes that flying isn’t for everyone, but that’s part of the attraction, he said.

“It’s a sense of freedom,” he said. “It’s just something that not a lot of people can do. It’s not a common thing to be able to fly.”

Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 883-4639, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly

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10 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Genesee’s only swimmer to graduate Hailey Johnson led her school to a state title this year Patrick Groves

H

Daily News staff writer

ailey Johnson, 18, is the only swimmer from Genesee High School. For four years she has commuted almost everyday to Moscow to swim.

“Some days when things are really tough, after you get in the water things just go away and you get to focus on swimming,” Johnson said.

Johnson is the valedictorian of her 2013 class of 15 people. She said she will be graduating May 25 with a 4.0 GPA and will be a member of the Washington State University women’s swim team in the fall.

Johnson said she began swimming at age 11 when her family lived in Lewiston.

“The reason I started swimming

She ended up liking to swim and found she was much better at it than other sports, she said. She now spends about two hours Monday through Saturday in the water.

Johnson said she is particular

was because my mom wanted me to be able to swim if I fell out of a boat,” she said.

good at sprint swimming, 50 to 100 yards. She led Genesee to a 3A-1A state title with her sprint swimming.

“I give my medals to my little

Good Luck, Graduates!

Hailey Johnson

2035 Genesee Juliaetta Rd Genesee (208) 285-1741

See Genesee Page 14

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Genesee High School • •

Bulldogs Commencement: ll a.m., May 25, Colfax High School gym Class size: 15 seniors

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Big plans ahead for Troy senior

Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 11

Troy High School

Ceilidh McElroy heading to San Francisco after graduation

By Brandon Macz Daily News staff writer

C

eilidh McElroy is busy planning for the future, but luckily her future and planning go hand-in-hand.

The Troy senior and daughter of Ned and Ann McElroy has been accepted to the University of San Francisco where she will study to become an event planner or manager in a hotel.

“I’m excited but kind of nervous. I love the city and it’s very diverse and a lot of opportunity,” she said. “I’ll definitely miss being able to go into the mountains and how open it is and how you don’t have to lock your door or anything. You feel pretty safe. I’ll miss that. And

family and friends, of course.”

While battling senior-itis, McElroy is also an FFA chapter and district president, and participated in the program all through high school where she focused on parliamentary procedure and forestry.

“It’s been a lot of work, especially at the end of the year with a banquet and events,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of help, so it’s been running really well and really smoothly.”

McElroy also focused on parliamentary procedure while in Business Professionals of America.

“It’s kind of like debate, but not really,” she said. “It’s how you run meetings. You make a lot of motions and pass motions.”

She said she is grateful to Steve Braun, her FFA adviser

•

and agricultural education teacher at Troy High School, and her English teacher, Lisa Nelson.

“She definitely assured me and was always there when I was freaking out about (college) applications,” said McElroy.

McElroy also passed her title as 2012 Troy Distinguished Young Woman along this year.

She said she has been heavily focused on FFA, but last year also served as activities director on her student council.

She said competing at state for DYW last year was a great “I definitely have senior-itis. way to make friends and learn I’m ready to get out of high about planning. school. I’m really anxious for “If I did parties all the time, college.” it would just be exhausting,” McElroy said. “But if I did Brandon Macz can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to corporate or school events, it wouldn’t be that fun, so I try to bmacz@dnews.com. balance it out.

Ceilidh McElroy

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Trojans Commencement: 7 p.m., May 24, Troy High School gym Class size: 21 seniors

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12 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

A man with a plan

READY FOR THE WORLD

ment team to create off-road vehicles, such as the ones used in the annual Baja 1000 offroad race in Mexico.

“You have one driver but it takes all of those people to make that truck run, to do something on his own for so it’s kind of cool to his senior community service work together. Each project. Devorak held his own person brings what food drive and collected about they have to complete 1,700 pounds of food to contrib- a goal and get that car ute to the community’s Thanksrunning,” Devorak giving food baskets. said.

“One of the things I’ll always The Uniontown remember is seeing how thankful native said it will be a the people were to actually have little strange leaving had that food,” Devorak said. the tight-knit comNext year, Devorak said he munities of Unionplans to take the mechanical town and Colton, but skills he’s learned in FFA and he is excited for the apply them toward a degree in freedom of college and mechanical engineering. Devorak becoming an adult. will attend North Idaho College Devorak is the son of Kurt Devorak said he in Coeur d’Alene for two years and his older brother, Dustin, are and Lynda Devorak. He has three before transferring his credits and both working to become the first younger siblings Courtney, 16, completing his bachelor’s degree college graduates in their family. Meghan, 14, and Blake, 10. at the University of Idaho.

“That’s a big step to live up to Devorak said he is considering and go do that. I’m hoping that Meredith Metsker can be reached using his mechanical engineering works out great for me,” Devorak at (208) 883-4628, or by email to mmetsker@dnews.com. Follow her on degree to work on a developsaid.

Twitter at: @MeredithMetsker

Colton High School senior to attend NIC for engineering

By Meredith Metsker

Colton High School

Daily News staff writer

C

olton High School senior Zach Devorak is no stranger to the busy life.

In high school, Devorak has played baseball, basketball and football and has been a member of the local FFA chapter.

When he’s not in school or at welding competitions with FFA, Devorak, 18, is out riding his motorcycle, working on his home-made go-kart and mowing lawns and doing farm work during the summer.

“It seemed like there was never really a break, but once it really came down to me organizing my time well, which I learned as a life lesson, that it’s

• •

Wildcats Commencement: 11 a.m., June 1, Colton High School gym Class size: 15 seniors

better to be organized. It helps a lot,” Devorak said.

Devorak, a team player, said he enjoys working with other people to achieve a common goal, whether that’s in sports or another activity. He said he enjoys the leadership opportunities group projects provide.

Despite his affinity for team sports and group activities, last fall Devorak decided he wanted

Zach Devorak

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 13

Potlatch student builds guitar for senior project A video game inspired him to learn the instrument

He said the wiring process was his favorite part of the construction. om Kenworthy, “You just sit down and turn 18, has always up the tunes a little bit, start been a little musi- soldering and it’s relaxing,” cal, so it made Kenworthy said. perfect sense for The goal was to give the him to build an electric guitar homemade guitar the ability for his senior project at Potlatch to sound either like Slash from High School.

Guns N’ Roses or Eddie Van “Right about that time I Halen, he said. picked up a guitar that was Kenworthy said he has only my brother’s and I decided I been playing the guitar for wanted my own,” Kenworthy about a year, but he began playsaid. ing string instruments in third He ordered a maple and ma- grade. hogany guitar set that featured He started out on the truma complete body and neck from pet, but played it by ear instead eBay. Kenworthy then had to of using the correct hand posisand down the wood, stain the tions, he said. wood and wire the electronic “So I was playing the right components himself. notes, just not properly,” he

Potlatch High School

By Patrick Groves

Daily News staff writer

T

Starting a tradition Tim Olson will help restart College of Idaho’s football program

By Tom Hager Daily News staff writer

N

ine months ago, Tim Olson had no idea what the future held. The Kendrick senior was getting ready to start his last football season, not knowing if he would be able to play college football.

“I knew I wanted to but I didn’t know if I had the skills to, and my coaches never talked to me about it until this year after a couple of weeks of practice,” Olson said. “My coach Mike Towne asked me if I would be considering playing in college.”

Olson was dreaming of playing at the next level, and Towne got started on finding any takers.

Several colleges were interested, including College of Idaho in Caldwell, Whitworth University in Spokane, Carroll College in Montana, and Eastern Oregon University. None of the schools had any money for athletic scholarships. But that was not going to deny Olson his dream.

“College of Idaho is pretty expensive and finances were a pretty big part of it and it came down to who could give me a scholarship or partial scholarship,” Olson said. “I ended up getting almost a full ride to College of Idaho on academics and so that sort of solidified it for me — this is where I’m supposed to go.”

Olson, who had a 3.8 GPA in high school and was near the top of his class, will be part of a special group of College of

• •

Loggers Commencement: 10 a.m., June 1, Potlach High School gym Class size: 30 seniors

said.

His music teacher recommended he learn an instrument easy to play by ear.

“And we knew a fiddle teacher in the area who teaches you to play the fiddle by ear,” Kenworthy said.

But, he hasn’t played the fiddle in about four years, he said. He chose to return to string instruments because of a guitar video game he and his brother played.

Some of his peers didn’t believe he could build a guitar, he said. So he started getting a lot of attention from his classmates when he began bringing the guitar into the high school woodshop to work on, he said.

“There was a few more impressed than I thought there would be,” he said.

Kenworthy is one of 30 seniors who will graduate June 1 in the Potlatch High School gym.

“My after high school plan as of now is to find a place to work for a few years and go to college,” he said.

Since he finished his guitar, Kenworthy said he has played in his history teacher’s classroom because the teacher plays the bass. Kenworthy sports a small portable amp that clips onto his back pocket when he performs.

“When you go through the

Idaho students. He will be part of the first group to play Tigers football at CI in 37 years. The NAIA • Commencement: 4 p.m., May 26, school of about Kendrick High School gym 1,000 students • Class size: 13 seniors recently decided to reinstate its football program, and Ol“We can all get bigger in the son will be the centerpiece of the weight room and learn the playteam’s resurrection. The Kendrick book and get comfortable with star, who tore defenses apart last each other, and so it’ll be good year, will be playing quarterback because we’ll have that time for for the Coyotes. team bonding.”

“It’s definitely interesting When he’s not preparing for time,” Olson said. “I’ll be a lot College of Idaho’s first season of fun. It’s sort of an honor to be back, Olson will be in the classpart of that first incoming class room working on his exercise and the regeneration of their science or health science classes. football program. It’s a totally He hasn’t decided which route he new experience for everyone in would like to take yet, but based it.” on his past success in the classThe team will not be playing room, it’s not a stretch to think games Olson’s first year. Rather, he will thrive in his freshman year the entire team will be redshirtat CI. ing as they gear up for football in “My dad is a pastor and so 2014. there’s a lot there that I just want “It’ll be a little bit different to make my parents proud and not having those games to get live for God,” Olson said. “I just pumped up for but I think it’ll don’t want to disappoint anyone I actually be good,” Olson said. guess so working hard has always

Tom Kenworthy whole project knowing that ‘Hey, I get to play this when I’m done with it’ you can’t help but play it,” he said.

Patrick Groves can be reached at (208) 883-4632, or by email to briefs@dnews.com.

Kendrick High School

Tim Olson been in my lifestyle.”

Olson’s work ethic was a main factor in the coaching staff tabbing him as their quarterback. He had played receiver for some of his high school career, but his leadership abilities were too much to ignore. He will be directing the offense in 2014, and if his football career turns out to be anything like his academic success, opposing defenses better watch out.

Tom Hager can be reached at (208) 883-4633, or by email to thager@dnews.com.

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14 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

From cattle to children

Garfield Palouse High School

Gar-Pal graduate eager to work with people

Cook, a nurse in the Family Birth Center at Gritman Medical Center Daily News staff writer in Moscow, for her senior project.

She said she saw a couple of C-secannah Neibergs tions and helped care for babies has spent her after their births. junior high and “I cut the umbilical cord on high school years one baby,” she said, adding that successfully raisshe learned a lot during the job ing and showing cattle, but the shadowing experience. “It’s been Garfield-Palouse High School senior plans to switch gears this fall, crazy, but it’s been fun.”

The study of human health will when she will enroll at Washington be a change for Neibergs, who is State University to begin studying used to working with cattle as part neonatal nursing. of 4-H and FFA. “It’s going to be a big change,” The matriarch of her cattle clan said Neibergs, 18, a Palouse resident. “It’d be fun to sell show cattle is Layla, a cow she purchased when she was a freshman. Layla gave on the side or something, but for birth to a male calf, Bear, at the my main job, I’d like to become a end of April. nurse.”

She also cares for Ironman, She said she chose neonatal Layla’s calf from last year, and Ali, nursing because she enjoys being around small children and helping a show calf named after boxer Muhammad Ali. people.

“They all have their own perNeibergs shadowed Brenda

By Holly Bowen

H

sonalities,” she said.

She said each animal has a different thing it dislikes doing — for example, one of the steers has a hard time standing still — so she works with it on overcoming that resistance.

Neibergs said she shows her animals at competitions around the state, but the Palouse Empire Fair in Colfax is the final test, as that’s where she sells the steers at market.

Her steer last year, Teensy, won grand champion at the fair, meaning he was first in the sale order and demanded a higher price. She said it’s hard to sell her animals even though she knows the goal of raising them is to make money.

“You get very attached, and you spend so much time with them,” she said.

Studying and working with newborn humans won’t be the only

•

•

Vikings Commencement: 1 p.m., June 1, Garfield Palouse High School gym Class size: 19 Seniors

change of pace for Neibergs when she enrolls at WSU this fall. She will also have to become accustomed to living in a dorm room that’s just a fraction of the size of her family’s 10 acre property.

Her family moved to Palouse from Louisville, Ky., the summer before she started the sixth grade because her parents, who were originally from the area, got jobs at WSU. “It was home to them, and they came back,” she said.

She has spent recent summers working on bovine research with her mother, Holly, a genetics professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. Two summers ago, she said, she traveled to a California slaughterhouse to help take tissue samples from the bodies of cattle that were suspected to have suffered from disease. She then helped bring the samples back to Pullman to be processed in a laboratory as part of her mother’s grant-funded research.

Her father, Shannon, is an associate professor of agricultural economics in WSU’s School of Economic Sciences. She also has a younger brother, Ian, a freshman at Gar-Pal. Neibergs has also kept busy by playing volleyball during all four years of high school and serving as a member of the National Honor Society. She also babysits and works with children who participate in the local cattle club.

Now, she is preparing to take a senior trip to Wallowa Lake, Ore., and then graduate June 1 along with about 20 of her classmates.

“Palouse is very close-knit,” she said.

Holly Bowen can be reached at (208) 883-4639, or by email to hbowen@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DailyNewsHolly

available at the university.

However, before she attends freshmen orientation she’ll have to from Page 10 give her speech as valedictorian.

“To be a good influence on brother to wear because he likes them,” she said, “but I keep a few of others, that’s kind of my main message,” Johnson said. my favorite ones in my room.”

To emphasize her point, JohnJohnson said she chose to join son chose a quote from George WSU’s swim team because Head Coach Tom Jager has won Olympic Burton Adams.

“There is no such thing as a medals in freestyle.

“I thought I would have a really ‘self-made’ man,” Adams’ quote says. “We are made up of thousands good chance at becoming a better of others. Everyone who has ever sprinter through WSU,” she said. done a kind deed for us, or spoken “I’m really looking forward to one word of encouragement to us, being on a team with the girls of has entered into the make-up of our my swim team,” she said. “I really character and of our thoughts, as want to have friends for life and build really strong bonds with those well as our success.” people and have a great experience Patrick Groves can be reached at and learn from each other.”

(208) 883-4632, or by email to Also, she said she likes the environmental engineering options briefs@dnews.com.

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8683 S State Rt. 270 Pullman-Moscow Highway (509) 872-3600 ToyotaOfPullman.com

Hannah Neibergs

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News | Friday, May 24, 2013 | 15

From Maui to Deary Salayes-Araiza has big dreams

By Ben Handel

I

Daily News staff writer

Don’t drive under the inuence.

t wasn’t long ago that Fidela Salayes-Araiza was living in a rickety old bus parked in a junkyard.

What a difference a few years can make. Today, the high school senior is preparing to graduate at the top of her class from Deary and planning her college education.

Salayes-Araiza spent her childhood in Maui, Hawaii.

However, her mother, Lorrie Robles, struggled to provide for her and her sisters. Meals were often sparse and unsatisfying and living quarters were crowded. At one point, Salayes-Araiza and her mother and sisters had to live in a bus.

“That was probably the most stressful time of my life,” SalayesAraiza said. “I was forced to be

mature when I was younger. I had a rough lifestyle, now I am more confident and better able to take care of myself.”

When her mother asked her if she would like to live in Idaho with her uncle, Salayes-Araiza jumped at the chance.

“I thought living in the country would be fun,” Salayes-Araiza said. “Eventually my mom and little sister came and lived out here, too.”

Salayes-Araiza enrolled in the seventh grade at Deary and was immediately challenged. At her old school, she had never really had time for homework and school was never a priority. At Deary, she was in over her head.

“They didn’t really care about every individual student in Maui, so a lot of the time I was left in the dust and had to try and figure out things for myself,” Salayes-Araiza said. “I always felt

Deary High School • •

Mustangs Commencement: 11 a.m., May 25, Deary High School gym Class size: 31 seniors

like I was really behind. When I arrived here, I had to start at the bottom and work my way up.”

Fitting in and making friends also presented a challenge to the Hawaii native. Luckily, she was able to speak the language without words – music.

“I knew how to play the clarinet so I joined band to make friends,” Salayes-Araiza said.

“Band is always the place for the really geeky kids but I definitely fit in with them and I feel like they are my family, made a bunch of close friends.”

Shortly afterwards, SalayesAraiza found herself conscripted into playing volleyball, and although she was new to the

sport, she quickly found herself enjoying it. With a little bit of help from their outside hitter from Maui, the Mustangs took third place at state this last year.

Salayes-Araiza said she owes her success to her three uncles.

She moved to Idaho with David Brunstad, who is her biological uncle. When Brunstad was gone with his job as a flight attendant, Salayes-Araiza lived with some family friends – Greg Crouch and Matt Huddelson – whom she now refers to as her “uncles.”

“They’ve become like dads to me,” Salayes-Araiza said. “They paid for my braces, they’ve taken care of me and they’re the reason I’m going to be able to go to college.”

Salayes-Araiza said she plans to attend the University of Idaho for a year before transferring to Washington State University. If things go according to plan, she’ll graduate with a degree in business and accounting and start her own private business.

“My big dream is to get a good-paying job, get opportunities to do everything we have the privilege of doing,” Salayes-

Fidela Salayes-Araiza Araiza said. “My mom missed out on a lot of those opportunities raising us and I would like to make it up to her.”

Warren Case, her English, technology, chemistry and physics teacher at Deary, said that compassionate and determined spirit make Salayes-Araiza the person she is today.

“She’s a leader, leads by example and by being independent,” Case said. “She’s not worried about following the crowd, but fits in very well when she wants to. She’s going to do great in college and after that.”

Ben Handel can be reached at (208) 883-4629, or by email to bhandel@dnews.com.

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16 | Friday, May 24, 2013 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News

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