GRADUATION Thursday, June 3, 2021
Congratulations, high school class of 2021 Please forgive the class of 2021 if they’re tempted to rip off their masks and toss them into the air at commencement. But they won’t do that. No, this year’s seniors will do what they’ve done all year – get the job done and do it with a smile, even behind a mask. And they’ve done extraordinary things. In this special section you will read about Kimberly Ngo, of Rogers High School, who went out of her way to help others even as her parents lost their jobs; Sara Graham,
of Cheney, who overcame her own depression issues and is hoping her past experience can help others; and Zachariah Johnson, of Northwest Christian, who joined with friends to launch a yard-work business during the pandemic. These stories, as well as each school’s commencement information, and lists of valedictorians and graduates also can be found at spokesman.com/ sections/class-2021/. So here’s a tip of the mortar board to the class of 2021. Good luck, graduates!
T2 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
INDEX / ON TRACK ACADEMY
On Track suits student’s hands-on learning style Nathan Flinn finds opportunity to work with goldsmith By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Nathan Flinn has a natural, inquisitive disposition, but traditional classroom settings didn’t work for him. “When he came to us at On Track, he was very quiet and reserved,” said On Track Academy teacher Matt Moureaux. “But he started hanging out with my co-teacher and me during my lunch hour, before he headed next door to NEWTech.” Swinging a hammer and working with wood proved to be a great experience for the hands-on learner. “The afternoon construction class at NEWTech Skill Center was a good fit,” Flinn said. “And to be honest On Track is the best high school I’ve ever been to.” While he’d attended other project-based high schools, he felt the projects at On Track made more sense and accomplished more than those at other schools. “We planted trees in the neighborhood around our school,” he said. “We worked with a Spokane forester. It was more of an outreach into the community.” He expressed appreciation for finally finding teachers who understood both his learning style and his long-term goals. “The teachers at On Track pushed me, but in the right direction,” he explained. “Not necessarily college, but in what I’m interested in.” And what he’s interested in is work – specifically working with his hands. While on a carpentry job, Flinn met a goldsmith who was launching an artisan jewelry business. Flinn was captivated by the old-world artistry, and the goldsmith took him on as an apprentice. “This year has been pretty great,” Flinn great. “I’m having a jolly good time.” He’s long been drawn to work that best suits his meticulous attention to detail, and learning the craft of hand-soldering, and the delicate tasks of jewelry repair and design, suits him well. “These are things I care about a lot,” he said. “It’s soothing, methodical and meditative and time just passes.” He hopes to be brought on board the company after completing his apprenticeship. Having his classroom time interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t faze this independent learner. “During COVID he was one of the
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
On Track Academy senior Nathan Flinn pauses work on a silver chain to be in a photo on May 13 at Honeybee Goldsmiths in Spokane. Flinn is passionate about the work of a goldsmith and plans to make a career out of it. few students to really flourish online,” Moureaux said. “He became more vocal – the ice-breaker – one of the first students to respond.” In fact, when On Track resumed in-person learning, Flinn decided to continue schooling remotely. “It allowed him to focus on his hobbies a bit more,” Moureaux said. One of those hobbies is guitar, which he taught himself using online tutorials. “Once he develops a curiosity about something, he pursues it wholeheartedly.” Moureaux said. Flinn downplayed his natural talent. “I’ve learned some flashy guitar tricks,” he said. “You might say I have two addictions; guitar and goldsmithing.” He’s thankful On Track has allowed him to interact with teachers who’ve been able to bring out his natural learning style and untapped skills. “These are the best teachers I’ve worked with because they truly care about students as individuals,” Flinn said. “They
ON TRACK ACADEMY
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Samantha Abramoski Jamilah Al-Baloushi Hayden Anderson Elijah Anderson-Walters Truman Andrews Skylar Antolin Annaliese Archibald Aden Armstrong Seth Arndt Jason Baker Ezias Baker-Beeman Jerra Barber Hannah BartholomausArredondo Austin Bascetta Tyler Bascetta Jordyn Bauerle Benjamin Bautista Eugene Baxter Haley Bear Ewan Becherini Elijah Behrens Izabella Bender Bri Bettenhausen Liv Beyrouti Joseph Boniecki Hunter Bonse Jacob Booth Keyaundre Bracey Riley Bracey Elizabeth Bratchikova Angelina Britton Mercedes Brown Paige Bunch Malakahi Burton Naomi Butler Gabriel Byrnes Brooklyn Camarda Tammya Campbell Ellie Carroll Andrea Chason Joseph Chasse Cecilia Chavis Irina Chernova Taylor Childers Daniel Childress Annabelle Church Maeve Churchill Emma Clary Israel Claybrooks
Tottianna Clough Nicholas Comello Saxon Comer Jimmy Condon Christian Cory Chloe Cosgrove Bailey Costich Kasia Coston Trevor Coulter Jillian Courneya Alexis Coyle Kyle Cranford Ethan Dahlem Jack Dale Serenity Dalziel Anna Davis Annah Davis Aunna Dayley Kierra De Lay Elijah DeAngelo Javen Delafield Kaela Depner Ethan Derrick Gabriel Dewey Jason Dias Jr. Mickey Dolan Emma Dravland Joshua Dubois Zoe Duncan Cleo Duty Audrey Ebey Damion Eller-Loss Tabitha Elliott Jameson Elton Alyssa Engen Briona Epefanio Juan Escobar Niam Fabbe West Taylor Feldman Christopher Fields Gabi Fievez Willow Fitzsimmons Xander Flick Nathan Flinn Adam Flores Elizabeth Fogle Adran Francis Scarlett Gamez Eden Garcia Mackenzie Garner Tykeese Garrett Isabel Garrod Morgan Gaskin Nigus Gebremariam Meike Genthe
Index
SCHOOL............................................. PAGE Central Valley.................................... 14 Cheney................................................ 22 Classical Christian............................ 39 Coeur d’Alene.................................... 43 Coeur d’Alene Charter..................... 38 The Community School.................. 8 Deer Park............................................ 35 Deer Park Home Link...................... 35 Dishman Hills................................... 27 East Valley.......................................... 17 East Valley Online............................ 16 EV Parent Partnership..................... 16 Ferris................................................... 9 Five Mile Prairie............................... 21 Freeman.............................................. 13 Genesis Prep...................................... 41 Gonzaga Prep.................................... 32
Nathan Gest Kalkidan Getahun Andrew Glass Caleb Gonzales Seanelle Gossett Shayla Gray Owen Gregerson Essence Griffey William Griffith Julieana Gutierrez Manuela Gutierrez-Ortiz Aniece Hammons Kirstin Hansen Carolean Harmon Anna Harper Abbey Hastings Palacios Layth Hayif Emilia Hebert Alesia Helmen Gabryelle Hensley Hayden Herring David Hester Marissa Hixson Christine Ho Macy Hofer Jonathan Hollenbeck Simon Horkey Everett Hosking Rozlyn Houser Dee Howard Baily Hoy Kaiden Humbird Caleb Hummel Gabriel Hurst Elizabeth Ingram Gaige Jackson Griffin Jacobs Julien Jacobson Alexander Jefford Tayana Jenkins Elena Jensen Albious Jeson Caitlynn Johnson Cooper Johnson Kyler Johnson Taylor Johnson Grace Johnson-Hughes Saben Johnston Tristan Katruska Grant Keener Liam Kelly Aelwyn Kennedy Mariah Kennedy Konnor Kindsvogel Owen Kintner Shyla Klein Joshua Kleman Nathan Knowlton Jeryk Knutsen
As an apprentice, Flinn works for Nathan Fromviller, a thirdgeneration goldsmith and owner of Honeybee Goldsmiths.
didn’t just talk at me. They talked to me and really listened to what I had to say.” His teachers in turn have delighted at seeing this quiet student come into his own. “He’s made great strides in confidence. We’ve seen tremendous growth over the
Michelle Koston Levi Kveton Jayden LaRoque Gamal Lamarr William Laohasondhichai Bonnie Larsen Noah Lee Emerey Leifer Malakye Leines Mac Leonard Cody Letts Conner Lintner Caliah Lockard Julia Lovell Alekzander Lucero Xavier Lucero Landson Malkai Lynden Malone Ashley Martello Jaque Mason Morgan McAllister Connor McCormack Lars McDermott Izak McGoldrick Serenity McIver Kieran McKee Joshua McKibben Calah McMillan Dante Mckizzie Kylah Miller Tristen Mokry James Montano Rapier Carmella Moore Karter Morgan Maegan Morrow Kye’Anne Moses Kamron Murphy Brogan Murray Elizabeth Myers Dewey Mylan Aliah Naone-Perry Keonna Neal Annarae Nelson Ethan Nelson Riley Nyberg Zayne O’Connor Isabella Ochoa Josh Olp Dominic Overman Devyn Palmer Uriah Patterson Edvin Pavlenco Carter Pehl Casaundra Pelley Denae Pennington Gracie Perry Kaden Pettit Kenney Phelps Margaret Pickering
Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@ juno.com
Graduation
The On Track Academy commencement will be at 7:30 p.m. June 12 at Riverfront Park U.S. Pavilion in downtown Spokane. Principal: Lisa Mattson Coleman.
Alexis Porath Will Puckett Adrienne Pullman Tyrece Rainwater Bella Ramirez Liyah Ray Analea Redfox Hayden Reed Joseph Reineman John Rhoades Bradyn Rice Chester Rich Belle Richards Fatima Richardson Katie Robideaux Lakaiya Robinson Maliah Rogers Ray Roiger Hailey Rolen Ryan Rose Lilian Rosengren Michael Rubertt Andres Ruedas Jr. Isaac Sanchez Karma Sanchez Emma Sanders Isabella Sankari Caceci Joyce Sardina Abagail Saunders Cody Schrader Ariah Schroeder Kaje Schultz Teanna Scofield Marion Sconawah Cheyenne Scott Riley Scott Twyla Senger Kylee Shaver Tre Shore Tristin Silvers Gavin Smith Jamai Smith Jenna Smith Jennifer Smith Ryan Smith Taveion Smith Jesse Smith Connor Snell Sol Solis
About this section
Cover art: Molly Quinn Page designers: Katharine Kumangai, Caitlin Miller, Lindsey Treffry Section editor: Katharine Kumangai Editing: Universal copy desk editors Corrections: (509) 459-5389; voice@spokesman.com On the web: All student profiles, commencement information,
and lists of graduates and valedictorians from this special section are available at spokesman.com/sections/class-2021/.
Innovation.......................................... 34 Kootenai.............................................. 38 Lake City............................................. 42 Lakeland............................................. 40 Lakeside (9 Mile).............................. 28 Lakeside (Plummer-Worley)......... 25 Lewis and Clark................................ 4 Liberty................................................. 33 Mead.................................................... 18
time he’s been with us,” Moureaux said. “I’m proud of him. He’s done a remarkable job. I think he’ll always be a lifelong learner.”
Medical Lake..................................... 23 Medical Lake Endeavors................. 23 Mica Peak........................................... 12 Mt. Spokane....................................... 20 New Vision......................................... 37 North Central.................................... 10 North Idaho Christian..................... 39 North Star........................................... 21 North Star GSL.................................. 19
Isabelle Sommerville Eleora Spade Darryl Spain Hannah Staebell Jamar Stager-Guice Ellie Stone Olivia Strandquist Kaydan Tally Maddalynn Taylor Kierra Thomley Dominick Tibbets Braiden Tilton T’nae Timoyakin Kayla Torosian Andrew Trail RaMaya Tucker Delaina Turnipseed Maya Vandament Daniel Van Ormer Bridjette Vaughn Joshua Vaughn Natalia Wade Alia Wagner Austin Wagner Ethan Waid Corbin Walker Sareanna Warner Cheyenne Watts Alexia Wayne Camille Weber-Walsh Jayden Weekly Rheyse Weeks Kayden Wheeler Felix Whipple Levi Whitehead Jasmine Whiting Tyler Wieneke Anthony Williams Andrew Williams Kaprice Williamson Daniel Wilson Ty Winter Ryan Woods Connor Wozny Kaylee Wyer Blake Wynecoop Xavier Yanez Rylee Zavala Ryan Zeiler
Northwest Christian........................ 30 NW Christian Home School.......... 30 The Oaks............................................. 32 On Track............................................. 2 Post Falls..............................................36 Pratt..................................................... 8 Riverside............................................. 28 Riverside Achievement................... 28 Riverside Independent.................... 28 Rogers.................................................. 3 Shadle Park........................................ 11 Spokane Valley.................................. 27 STEM at Spokane Valley Tech...... 12 St. George’s......................................... 34 St. Michael’s....................................... 31 TEC at Bryant.................................... 13 Three Springs.................................... 22 Timberlake......................................... 41 University........................................... 15 Upper Columbia............................... 31 Valley Christian................................. 31 Venture................................................ 36 West Valley......................................... 26
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T3
ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL
Ngo no stranger to helping others Rogers senior plans to pursue math-related field in college By Jim Allen
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Kimberly Ngo is graduating valedictorian from Rogers High School and plans to attend University of Washington in the fall.
Class of 2021
Ali Aboud Jiem Akilang Amenah Al Shamarti Hailey Anderson Haley Anderson Miah Anderson Dante Angel Madason Anspach Athena Apodaca Jaedyn Applonie Mary Jingle Arcenas Aden Armstrong Jesse Atwood Nicole Aubrey Patsy Aubrey Emily Auduong Monica Auston Damien Barber Lavona Bates Anna Batrak Casey Beamis Haley Bear Elijah Belgarde Jaqueline Bernal John Bima Sarah Bisbee Abbey Blackwell Luther Blaylock V Nikolay Bobrovnikov Makenzie Bradley Abraham Branij Phillip Branis Emanuel Brantley Joy Brian Selena Brito Delaine Broom Marisa Brophy Jaden Brown Samantha Brown Rigsby Ashlynn Brusseau Ellen Burgess Thomas Burton Ethan Buster David Callahan Marcus Carlile Jeremiah Carr Felicity Case Christopher Chapman Ajani Chapman-Egbert
Katey Christensen Emma Clary Thressa Coffey Braydyn Cook Darien Correa Ordaz Chloe Cosgrove Destiny Cosner Charlie Courville Cesar Covarrubias Julissa Covarrubias Macy Crawford Aholianna Crespo Michelle Cruz Silva Donny Cunningham Kristiana DaJose Gunner Dacosta Nathaniel Daly Keshia Davis William De Parcq Rubylynn Debrum Angelika Dedkov Hailey Denbroder Sydney Densmore Starr Dezarn Jacquelyn Diaz Tony Diep Keneair Digno Barbara Dixon Skyler Doan Ledavius Dunlap Raine Ellithorpe Mariam Fakhreddin Perla Figueroa-Villa Shannon Fitzgerald Corden Foster Amari Frans Kyli Freeland Ryan Garvin Emily Gomez Jernie Gooch Lazarya Grayson Chasten Green Essence Griffey Daniel Grisham Chenille Rae Guieb Bobin Gurung Neschal Gurung Shamir Gurung Katie Hagedorn Peyton Haggerty John Win Hansen Makenzi Hansen Justin Harris
Jim Allen can be reached at (509) 459-5437 or by email at jima@spokesman.com
Graduation
ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL
Expected to graduate are:
The transition to college is seldom easy, but Kimberly Ngo already has a head start, thanks to a pattern of self-reliance that stretches back to her first days of school. Ngo was only a first-grader when at her first parent-teacher conference, she did most of the talking because her Vietnamese immigrant parents struggled with English. They still do, relying on Ngo for tasks such as grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments and lately unemployment paperwork after both lost their jobs because of the pandemic. “That’s where my leadership comes in,” Ngo said. “Even when we’re going to the grocery store.” At the same time, her parents expected the best from Ngo in the classroom and beyond. “When report cards come home, they don’t even check it, even at conferences,” Ngo said. “My advisers tell them that Kimberly is doing well, and they are just nodding. I think that in my culture, it’s expected to get all those A’s.” There have been many, enough to send Ngo to the University of Washington this fall. She plans to major in a math-related field. “She constantly strives to try new things and work on ways to not only improve herself, but those around her,” said Rogers social studies teacher Karrie Docterman-King, who’s had Ngo since the latter’s freshman year. “She has been a joy to have in my classes because of her positive attitude and strict adherence to taking initiative and getting tasks completed,” Docterman-King said. At home, Ngo stepped up
when her mother lost her job at a nail salon because of the pandemic and her father saw his hours reduced at an assembly plant. As her parents tried to file for unemployment benefits, it was she who led them through every step of the process, every button on the computer screen. The COVID-19 pandemic has shortchanged the graduating class of 2021 from some opportunities, but Ngo adapted. “We’re not getting the whole senior experience,” said Ngo, who is president of the National Honor Society and tried to stay active in Key Club and student government, despite the pandemic. This year, Ngo applied for the Spokane Lilac Festival’s Royalty Scholarship program, and was one of seven girls chosen. “It’s been an amazing opportunity, with a lot of speech training that will help me later in life,” Ngo said. Ngo also volunteers at Joya Child and Family Development (formerly known as the Spokane Guilds’ School & Neuromuscular Center), a nonprofit assessment and therapy center for children ages birth to 3 years old who have developmental disabilities and delays. She also helped others at Rogers, helping make prom dresses for her classmates and raising money for others. “As her leadership adviser, I have seen Kim grow into a strong, confident and well-rounded young woman who is ready to take on the world,” Docterman-King said.
The Rogers High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 13 at Spokane Riverfront Park Pavilion. Principal: Lori Wyborney Summa cum laude: Andre Ramsey, Kimberly Ngo, Emily Auduong and Ethan Tran.
Brayden Hefling Colin Hendrickson Jorlandy Hernandez Jose Hernandez Nataly Hernandez Kamren Hilde Rylee Hilker Hunter Holcomb Hailey Hooks Kyndra Hoyt Aniyah Humphries Skye Hunter Sage Huynh Ringo Jack Michael Jennings Casey Jeske Ricardo Jimenez Joseph Jisam Kapuanani Joel Rancelina Joel Eleanor Johns Abbie Johnson Johari Kakonga Chloe Karben Jiem Kerong Steven King Rickye Knudsen Nieon Kobeney Raman Krukovich Mark LaMont Carl Laikidrik Katelynn Lake Tanalynn Lalimo Ryan Lamb Andrea Lang Micah Lasalle Joshua Lauch Alma Lautermilch Joseph Lawrence Austin Leeper Leah Lemari Caleb Lemon Tanji Lewis Andrey Liashedko
Riley Lindstrom Christine Livermon Jefferson Lokot Adan Lopez Levi Lyons Aiden Maher Atidrik Malolo Edlee Marphy Janae Martinez Karen Mashtare Dallas Masoner Rheanna Matte Carlos Matthews Riley McGee Jeremiah McKibben Joshua McKibben Mariah McNew Raven Meshell Abisai Michel Rodriguez Mikieo Mikieo Tucker Wesley Miller Annastasia Monks Amaree Moore Tyson Moore Alexander Moos Karter Morgan Keegan Moses Gaoshoua Moua Rhashaun Moultrie Jakob Mull Joshua Mull Destinee Murphy Andrii Mynka Navarro Newkirk Kimberly Ngo Tammy Nguyen Thien Nguyen Kim Nieto Neema Ntakirutimana Yasmin Nunez Guzman Esperance Nuwintije Meygan Oliver Danielle Olson Serena Parra-Trevino
Auduong Zachary Partridge Uriah Patterson Matthew Patton Casaundra Pelley Leanne Pepion Audrey Perier Aaliyah Peterson Megan Peterson Kayla Pham Nancy Phan Shaniece Picard Josiah Pommer Jaelynn Proctor Simona Pruteanu Hanna Radford Marcelino Ramirez Gage Ramos Andre Ramsey Emily Recano Kai Reiner Edward Reynolds Jaden Rice Keyoselynn Rilometo Jascel Roberts Brisean Robinson Nathan Rodriguez Tembo Rubon Danny Rupp Roseme Salomon Jael Sam Gordan Sampson Destiny Sandbergen Diana Sandham Aarin Saunders Austin Saunders Macey Schultz Riley Scott Jordan Searls Owen Searls Bradley Shaffer Aryonia Shapoval Nataly Shatskiy Keigon Shove Nikolay Shvachev
Ramsey
Tran
Dyani Sijohn Pascal Natalia Silk Josias Silva Mejia Austin Smith Bailey Smith Areli Solano-Castaneda Jeanna Staker Derek Steppe Caleb Suazo Greg Swedberg Isaac Sweeney Roselyann Tartios Sid Tensley Emily Tillett Jadyn Tinkham Anastasia Tishchenko Diana Tran Ethan Tran James Trent Anton Tyurin Peter Ueno Furaha Umutoniwase Maria Valdovinos Maya Vandament Jabez Vang Mackenzie Vanwinkle Alexis Villarrial Nancy Vo Mazelyn Vreeken Brus Jaana Vue Anika Walker Dawntasha Walker O’Neil Madison Wallgren Autumn Washburn Cheyenne Watts Dalton Wetmore Emily Whipple Jakiia Wilder Christian Winans Gracie Yates Shing Yawng Sofiya Zhelez Dakota Ziegler Branden Zimmerman
T4 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
LEWIS AND CLARK HIGH SCHOOL
Moving to new city, school builds true grit At Lewis and Clark, Eti dared to stretch his comfort levels, but he is ready to return to living in a big city By Dan Thompson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
When his family moved from Houston to Spokane before his sophomore year of high school, Allen Eti wasn’t all that excited. He liked the big city. Rather than send Eti into a retreat, the move has actually had the opposite effect on the Lewis and Clark High School senior. “Initially I didn’t want to move, and honestly I prefer Texas in general,” he said, “but I feel like being in a new circumstance, where I didn’t necessarily want to be, taught me resilience.” The move – which came about because his mother wanted to move to a research university, in this case Washington State University – wasn’t great at first. Eti started out at Ferris High School, and it wasn’t a good fit, he said. In Houston he attended a private school, and the jump into public school was difficult for him. So, before his junior year he transferred to Lewis and Clark. “I’m very happy at LC,” he said. Given the chance to start over again at a new high school, Eti decided to try something new: He auditioned for the school’s production of the musical “Something Rotten.” “Honestly I’ve never been too involved in the arts, and especially performing arts, so I wanted to try that out,” Eti said. “It was a pretty jarring experience for me, but it was also great. It forced me to come out of my comfort zone.” The COVID-19 shutdown shuttered the performances of “Something Rotten,” so Eti never got to perform as Francis Flute in front of a large audience. But, he continues to sing. “Hopefully so I don’t embarrass myself as badly as I did in the first show,” Eti said. In just his two years at Lewis and Clark, Eti impressed counselor Kathy Blancher. “He’s brilliant,” Blancher said. “He’s inquisitive (and has) lots of grit. Kids today have to have grit, but he has grit-plus.” Eti is interested in programming, specifically game design. Currently he is developing a “pet breeding” game using the Roblox platform. It ties into his interests in biology and trait inheritance, he said. He has previously developed other games, too, including some simulators and anime-based projects. “For now it’s just an interesting hobby and something I do when I have extra time,” Eti said. But Deborah Eti, Allen’s mother, said that he might be selling himself short just a bit. “Allen doesn’t settle for less,” Deborah Eti said. “There’s a saying, ‘what is worth doing is worth doing well,’ and that exemplifies him. In everything, he tries to do an excellent job.” Allen Eti said he plans to take a gap year after graduation, do some volunteer work and build more practical experience before going to college. He’s not sure where he wants to attend college just yet, but a larger city like Chicago would suit him well, he said. “I like Spokane, but I really don’t like how quiet it is,” Eti said. “I want to get back to a big city.”
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Senior Allen Eti is Lewis and Clark High School’s notable grad for the class of 2021. Eti plans to attend the University of Chicago after taking a gap year.
LEWIS AND CLARK HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Brianne Abbott Rogge Kiyah Achziger William Adams Mahiba Ahmed Braden Albertini Dylan Aldrich Bramong Alee Audriana Alfaro Marcellinus Aliven Olivia Allen Evelyn Allison Havala Alvarez Hailee Anstine Grace Archer Adeline Arpin Ayden Asselin Lacroix Sierra Athos Anna Atkison Warren Atkison Finn Baker Ezias Baker-Beeman Zoya Baldwin Elizabeth Barker Oscar Barrera Ayala Kyler Barron Tyler Bascetta Kendall Bashaw Abigail Batten Claire Baumann Eliana Bayley Cooper Beebe Donovan Bendocchi Lioner Benjamin Jake Bennett Mariya Berlova Caden Best Elijah Blakely Casey Boehrig Wilma Bokmej Kyle Bowen Lauren Bradley Naomi Brandt Lucille Branham Ellie Brooks Madelyn Brother Zoe Brown Ashley Browning Paul Browning Elijah Bucklin Grace Bugbee Diana Bukhantsova Naomi Butler Brooklyn Camarda Patrick Carney Evelyn Carroll Chloe Chaffin Atticus Chanse Ali Chilashvili Hugh Clarke Daniel Close Dane Cobb Jonathan Cochran Zaida Coker Isabella Coleman Molly Collins David Conklin Mathieu Conway Michael Cooper Kathryn Cornelius Owen Cotter Elissa Cranshaw Ethan Crawford Alexandra Crone Jonathan Crowley Ella Damon Olivia Daniels Sierra Dauphin Aidan Davis Kaylee DeFord Kellen Dehmer Amia Delaney Ireland Dennis Rita Devera Aston Dezenberg Taylor Diamond James Dickinson Yesemar Miguel Diego Scyla Dowd Corin DuBoyce Trevor Ducharme David Dunlap Tommy Duong Hannah Easterbrooks Maya Eastlund Sophia Eliason Lillian Ellis Caden Erickson-O’Malley Allen Eti Chelseana Farace Noah Farland Ezekiel Farrar Theodore Ferro Willow Fitzsimmons Ryan Flanigan Christopher Flatt Elisa Flores Malakai Fordahl Hannah Foster Blaine French Nora Gadd Trent Gaines Ginny Lou Garabedian Letty Garcia Hernandez Leah Gardner Sarah Garvin Connor Gates Lucy Gehn Tatum Getchell Connor Gilliland Matthew Glaser
Graduation
The Lewis and Clark High School commencement will be at noon June 13 at Riverfront Park U.S. Pavilion, 507 N. Howard St. Principal: Marybeth Smith
Abbott Rogge
Allison
Baker
Bugbee
Chanse
Ducharme
Eastlund
Hildenbrand
Hindman
Huppin
Johnson
Juviler
Kilaru
Koffinke
Krauter
Little
Magner
Malone
Marshall
McConnell
Murto
Oxford
Picanco
Pirch
Rawlins
White
Whitney
Wirthlin
Summa cum laude:
Brianne Abbott Rogge, Evelyn Allison, Finn Baker, Grace Bugbee, Atticus Chanse, Trevor Ducharme, Maya Eastlund, Kate Hildenbrand, NicoleLiMing Hindman, Lindsey Huppin, Kristianne Johnson, Rosalie Juviler, Rohini Kilaru, Megan Koffinke, Lauren Krauter, Isabella Little, Carlee Magner, Jadyn Malone, Sara Marshall, Amber McConnell, Lindsey Murto, Elsa Oxford, Julia Picanco, Olivia Pirch, Elena Rawlins, Ella White, Benjamin Whitney and Anna Wirthlin. Juliette Gleave Evan Goedhart Lucas Goeller Launa Gorman Eric Goyko Macey Grant Richard Greaves Henry Greiner Gabriel Grover Noah Halvorsen Kya Hamilton Olivia Handel Isaac Hansel Madison Harp McKenna Harp JayceAnne Hartman Abigail Hastings Palacios Taryn Hatch Levi Hawk Francis Haynes Lilyanna Henderson Carson Hendrickson Miriam Henry Gracie Hieronymus Kate Hildenbrand NicoleLiMing Hindman Erik Hines Ashton Hixon Ella Hoefer Noah Hoerner Bridger Hoiland Samuel Hokonson Nyah Holland Isaiah Hoog Zane Horst Elaina House Megan Howser Ava Hubble Lindsey Huppin Tucker Inabinet Maya Jackson Eddie Jebina Elaisha Johnny Brooklyn Johnson Kristianne Johnson Cilviya Jones Beck Jordan Lolitha Joseph Abby Jurasin Rosalie Juviler Abigail Kadlec Trinity Kellum Isiah Kelly Katarina Kenlein Lillian Kennedy Caitrin Kerr Jaiden Keyser Rohini Kilaru Sam Kindl Ella Kirkpatrick Helen Knaack Megan Koffinke Sylvie Kozora Lauren Krauter Adelalyn Kuehl Isabell Kuhn Justin LaBar Aiden Lanegan James Larsen Giovanni Lavigne Danny Le Russelly Levi Sepe Levi Olive Lewis Elias Link Isabella Little Marina Lopez Melissa Lorentz Jessica Lortie Kiana Lowe Ryan Lynch Brin Magner
Carlee Magner Ella Magnuson Jadyn Malone Prabin Mangar Greta Mannan Clarissa Marsh Sara Marshall Casey Masjoan Parker Mason Molly McClure Amber McConnell Lillian McCoy Jazrin McCrerey Alexis McFarlane Cole McKenzie Charlotte Meenach Bianca Melgar Mario Melgar Netson Mengelwa Maria Menjivar Hernandez Milo Miller Samuel Modica Omran Mohmand Leah Moncada Hser Eh Moo Mary Jean Moore Nolan Morehouse Dieume Mungualinipa Lindsey Murto Anna Nelson Jacob Nickle Joseph Niedermeyer Gabriella Nielsen Tayden Noble Riley Nyberg Sinead O’Halloran Ruby O’Neil Taylor Oesterheld Eli Olson Samuel Ontiveros Emma Osborne Jacob Osler Christian Osterman Ethan Ottinger Elsa Oxford Nyamoch Pal Jace Parbon Annie Paridon Ashlynn Parrott Law Eh Paw Michael Peasley Ethan Perko Charlie Perrey Hannah Peters Alexander Petersdorf Jordan Peterson Mayssa Peunemany Calix Phan
Elke Phillips Julia Picanco Isabel Pierce Olivia Pirch Sophia Post Keel Potter Sameer Powers Kai Prinz Von Teck Wade Rabin Miguel Ramirez Zavien Ramos Henry Rashidi Elena Rawlins Logan Redinger Karlile Reed Samuel Reed Matthew Rhinehart Myah Rice Obryant Sueann Rilang Joshua Ritok Mertie Robbins Estelle Roberson Henry Robison Lauren Roddis Madeleine Rodenberger Brennen Rogers Robin Roose Benjamin Royter Tyler Rundgren Izaiah Salcedo Zachary Sanderson Chase Sandifur Larke Schaff Bella Schmick Elliana Schmidt Genevieve Schmidt Nathanyel Schmidt Kaje Schultz Kaylee Schwartz James Seale Olivia Senske James Seyl Lucy Sharapata Simone Shears Malcolm Shepherd Andrey Shevchenko Anna Silva Mitchell Simpson Nichole Simpson Shukur Sims Shaina Skillingstad Samuel Smith Xavier Smothers Geneva Snow Addisen Somes McKenzie Spanton Madeline Speare Breydan Spray
Emma Stachofsky Aidan Steinbach Kalia Stenlund Diana Stenzel Ashlie Stockwell Lauren Stone Izabellah Struck Karsten Stucke Linnea Sunderman Marina Swartout Audrey Sylling Emery Syverin Philolynna Taidrik Shiloh Tall Shea Taylor Anna Thompson Courtney Thompson Hailey Thompson Lydia Thompson Hailen Tollefson Stroisch Lulu Toring Mason Trent Angelina Truong Tyler Trussell Sierra Turner Avery Tyler Alexis Uncapher Glenn Upham Joseph Valov Micah Van der Weide Thomas Vlasak Victoria Wagner Robert Warren Isaiah Waters Christian Weishaupt Samantha Welch Jordan Wheatcroft Ella White Benjamin Whitney Lilly Whitver Breanna Widener Evan Winkler Anna Wirthlin Kyle Wong Henry Wood Aurora Woodward Kiana Woolard Beemnet Yimam Trevor York Suzan Yormia Cody Zarecor Kaylee Zbylski Jonathan Zemke Andie Zylak
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T5
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Special Section
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June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T7
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Special Section
THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL / PRATT ACADEMY
Chamberlain found his niche at Pratt Academy Got opportunity to be successful, discovered he’s more than capable in right environment By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Some teachable moments last longer than others. Take Michael Bruce Chamberlain’s, for example. The Pratt Academy senior spent 2½ years at North Central High School before finding his niche as a junior at Pratt, which offers a small, personalized learning environment with a blend of technology-based courses, career exploration, and project-based learning. The school prides itself on building strong teacher-student relationships. That has certainly been the case for Chamberlain, who remembers his time at North Central less than fondly. Despite his involvement in school activities such as football, a winter weights program, and an after-school YMCA studyand-gym project, Chamberlain says that he had frequent disciplinary issues there and didn’t feel that he was getting the support that he needed to be successful. After spending most of his final two semesters there in a classroom without much direct contact with instructors, Chamberlain found himself frustrated and angry and, as he puts it, simply got up one day, walked out of school, and didn’t return. When he left, he says, he was seven credits – more than a full year – behind. “I had heard about Pratt Academy,” he said, “but mostly that it was a school for bad kids. I had a friend there who told me that it was where kids went when they got kicked out of school.” He had already been enrolled in the Construc-
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Pratt Academy selected senior Michael Chamberlain to be the notable grad from the class of 2021. Chamberlain paused for a portrait amid a group construction and wiring project that was in the works at Newtech Skills Center in Spokane. tion Technology course at Newtech Skill Center, a hands-on career preparation program open to students from 11 Spokane-area school districts. He had originally been interested in the Fire Science program, but lack of transportation to that course’s site eliminated that possibility. “I figured the next best thing for me was construction, because I would learn how to read blueprints, so that if I ever became a firefighter, I would have knowledge of how houses are laid out,” he said. “It was awesome. The first day that I got to Newtech, I had an amazing teacher, Chuck Sauer. “And when I started at Pratt about a week after I left NC, it turned out to be just as awesome. Everyone
there was very welcoming, and the way that classes are set up is the way that a school should be, with smaller classes and more teachers for more help. I was very grateful to get out and go to another school and very happy to be in a different situation. “I feel that Pratt and Newtech gave me the opportunity that I needed to be successful. I made up a year’s worth of credits in three semesters. I sat at my computer for days and days, made up about half of those last year and the rest my senior year.” Sauer, Michael’s Construction instructor, returns the compliment. “We just helped him with the tools to take the next step,” he said. “Michael
has put in the hard work. He came back a second year to be in a crew leader position, with the added responsibility of having to show what he learned the first year. Mr. Chamberlain is a good man and will be successful at whatever he puts his mind to!” As many of the students in Newtech’s state-recognized pre-apprenticeship program do, Michael will follow that route, having chosen a sheet-metal apprenticeship after comparing and contrasting several other fields, including carpentry, bricklaying, and electrical work. He plans after five years to have his journeyperson’s card, good in all 50 states.
And what did he get from that teachable moment? “I learned that I’m capable and disciplined, and that I know how to survive in an environment that I didn’t like, until I found something
better for me. My whole high-school experience taught me about grit.” Joe Everson can be reached at joseph.everson@yahoo. com
PRATT ACADEMY
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Edina Arnautovic Jessie Bannister Michael Chamberlain Elijah Daniels Alexander Hess
Logan Hoffman Savannah Hovde Jason Larsson Caleb Mullin Jake Munat Dominic Russell Matvey Shulipa Sarah Smith
Graduation
The Pratt Academy commencement will be at 1:30 p.m. June 11 at Pratt Academy, 6903 E. Fourth Ave., Spokane Valley. Principal: Lisa Pacheco
Community School’s Kaitlyn Smock headed for Montana Shows STEM is a girls’ world and participates in Spokane’s performing arts as well By Georgia Cosola
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Leading the way in the arts and STEM in Spokane, Kaitlyn Smock is a senior at the Community School graduating this June. “Kaitlyn is someone who has always rejected binary choices,” said Nathan Seaburg, Smock’s adviser for all four years of high school. “You could have path A and path B and she consistently says yes to both.” In fact, Smock has been the team captain for an all-girls robotics team sponsored by Girl Scouts for the past eight years. During those eight years, Smock and her team have won three state championships. “Our team has recently become official STEM ambassadors for all of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho,” Smock said. Within this role, Smock and her teammates teach young people about robotics and mentor younger robotics teams. They also lead by example and show how women are capable of excelling at STEM. Smock is involved with various theater productions, as she had been participating in community theater in Spokane for more than a decade. She has acted in over 30 plays. She also has experience stage managing and participating in the creative side of productions. “She is wonderful. She’s dynamic, she’s intelligent, she willing to risk, she’s self-reflective,” Seaburg said. “I am buying stock in this kid; she is going to do some pretty incredible things.” On top of being a leader with robotics teams and theater productions, Smock has also been involved in working with and serving the Spokane community. In both her first and second year at the Community School, Smock was a lead organizer for Spring into Action.
The event took place a day in April when no students had classes, and the entire school went out and volunteered at a handful of locations across Spokane. “Our school collectively got close to 2,000 community service hours throughout that whole day,” Smock said. Following graduation, she is planning on attending Montana State University to study either marketing or public relations with a STEM minor. She hopes to one day pursue a career in Esports. “I think I’m going to look back and remember from my high school experience that I was really involved in seeing the betterment of the community,” Smock said. “I think that I have really left a footprint at TCS and slightly smaller one the Spokane community as a whole.” While Smock has been very involved in high school, she has also learned what some people never learn, the importance of stability. “I have been proud of the way in which I’ve seen her be able to find balance in a world that is constantly vying for her attention and talent,” Seaburg said. “I am proud of the way she has learned to say ‘no’ and prioritize things.” As Smock begins to start a new chapter of her life, her adviser says they are proud of her ability to come up with new ideas and stay interested. Seaburg wants her to remember to find support in her new environment in order to find the most success. “Find that support structure,” Seaburg said. “Find your people and keep them close.”
COURTESY
Kaitlyn Smock is a notable 2021 grad at the Community School.
Graduation
THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Ashton Arnold Thomas Bearchum Ashton Belgarde Jessica Black Gavin Brown Sawyer Burchett Ashiah Campbell Chloe Carson Kaiah Caru Christopher Chappell Hannah Curl
Jordan Darling Frida Davila Isaac Emswiler Rowan Fisher Grant Gibbs Aaron Grimes Kaiden Hansen Jack Johnson Benjamin Kealiher Myles King Carson Korth Risa Lockwood Alyson Lynch Stephon Maureaux Coyote McLaren
The Community School at Bancroft commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 14 at The Pavilion at Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. Principal: Cindy McMahon
Audrey Merritt Chloe Paparazzo Ailish Radford Paul Sciarrio Kaitlyn Smock Jacob Temple Rowan Wildes Samuel Wilfong
Aaliyah Williams Ahryn Windsor Ethan Wood Carson Worden Blake Yacker
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T9
FERRIS HIGH SCHOOL
Scholar makes time to help others
Ferris senior says languages inform her worldview, awareness of community; she registered votes, worked on climate change awareness Zhou also volunteers with the Sunrise Movement of Spokane, a youth group dedicated to raising awareness about climate change. “Getting involved with Sunrise helped me become more involved locally and give me a new sense of identity,” Zhou said. Earlier this year, Zhou was profoundly affected by a rise in attacks on Asian Americans, especially the deaths of six people in a spa in Atlanta on March 16. Immediately, Zhou and others worked to organize a vigil in Spokane. “We felt like we needed some healing,” Zhou said of the event, which drew 400 people to Riverfront Park on March 20. “Rosie is a true young scholar and community servant who leads with humility and grace,” social studies teacher Scott Ward said. Zhou also showed self-discipline during the limitations of the pandemic. “I just had to make the best of the situation,” Zhou said. “I really had to stay up to date with class and engage – not just turn the camera off but be actively asking questions.” Her AP Spanish teacher, Tamara Gower, rose to the occasion by assigning poems and other readings. “I have to say that I definitely got a lot of help from all my great teachers – they are all so encouraging,” said Zhou, who also drew strength from an older brother, and her parents: father Duanning, mother Ping Ping.
By Jim Allen
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Rosie Zhou, who will graduate from Ferris High School summa cum laude, is fluent in three languages – English, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.
Brower
Already accepted at an Ivy League school and with one of the most impressive academic resumes imaginable, Rosie Zhou could be forgiven for coasting to the finish line. No chance, she said last month. “I still have some AP tests to take,” said Zhou, whose ambitions stretched far beyond Ferris High School even before she was accepted at Columbia to study political science. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Zhou grew up speaking Mandarin Chinese, but also is fluent in Spanish. “I believe that learning languages not only expands my own worldview, knowledge and cultural awareness, it is also a wonderful way to help others in my community,” said Zhou, who was named the top honoree in World Languages this year by the Spokane Scholars Foundation. She also had top scores in three Advanced Placement tests and carried a perfect grade-point average, yet managed to find a way to make a difference for others. During last year’s presidential election, Zhou was only 17 and too young to vote. But she noticed that many older classmates were taking their rights for granted. “They don’t think their vote matters, and I wanted to help change that mindset,” said Zhou, who worked with other teens in Spokane Youth Votes, a group affiliated with the League of Women Voters. She also helped register voters in the city’s Mandarin community.
Fenton
Gass
Gehlen
Gillespie
Hainsworth
Henrich
Liu
Lund
McCollum
McGregor
Moe
Owen
Raske
Schroeder
Whitehead
Zhang
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Kaylee Collins Paige Collins Aidan Cooper Jillian Courneya Clara Cranney Daniel Crumley Cassidy Culley Justin Curtis Dallin d’Hulst Mason Daniels-Moyer Zaine Darrington Anna Davis Adriana DeHerrera Nathan DePaolo Hayden Delaney Dylan DiPasquale Betty Dickinson Yuliya Didenko Ajanna Dizon Uriah Dockins Evan Donovan Jalen Doss Renee Doughman Weston Downey Quentin DuMontier Anthony Ducharme Matthew Duchow Baylee Dunn Dakota Durr Cooper Dykeman Dominique Ellenwood Chance Emerson Justice Enlow Delaney Erickson Ryan Esperas Claire Featherstone Trevor Felchlin Summer Fenton Kyreanna Fiegel Samara Fierro Cadyn Finnerty Morgan Fischer Lauren Fleming Hailey Flower Jessen Forbush Elijah Frank Mitchel Freeman James Fujita Logan Gannaway Kami Gardner Madison Gass Veniamin Gavelovskyy Isabel Gehlen Liliana Gibbs Nicole Gillespie Giordan Gillon Evan Gonzales Graylon Gould David Grechko Titan Greenamyer Nicholas Greenwood Evan Griffith Kyler Grunert Brooklynn Hackley Lily Hainsworth Ashton Hands Riley Hands
Malireddi
Graduation
FERRIS HIGH SCHOOL
Duha Abdulrada Samantha Abramoski Matthew Adams Aaron Addison Tatiana Adolfson Ryan Ahmed Rahmah Al Sabahi Abdulrahman Al Zouabi Ainsley Albano Derar Alfarraj Kolin Almeida Yousif Alshaeer Romaim Alvarez Caleb Anastasi Hayden Anderson Isabella Anderson Alex Armstrong Harrison Armstrong Holden Armstrong Aiden Arneson Sky Auld Brooklyn Avery Ma Khin Aye Mason Backlund Kara Baker Sydnie Banks Trinity Barber Megan Barton Keaton Bascom Kalindi Baugher Jackson Bender Ethan Benefield Benen Bischoff Gabriel Black Darric Blockman Sophie Blomberg Lily Bradford-Baker Jodi Brandt Djavan Branting Sierra Bratrud Emma Breckon Teague Breneman Chanelle Bridges Graham Brower Jacob Brown Michael Bullock-Palser Michael Buntain David Burns Jr. Runar Camp Ashland Campbell Grace Carney Abigail Carpenter Payton Carroll Blake Carter Nicholas Chandler Gillian Chappell Irina Chernova Olga Chernyavsky Logan Christensen Joshua Christianson Rylie Chuitt Sonya Church Gabriella Clark Zachary Clough
Jim Allen can be reached at (509) 459-5437 or by email at jima@spokesman.com
Lourdes Tomi Hao Katelyn Harless Mya Hayes Layth Hayif Audrey Hedahl Zahra Heidari Kamryn Hendrickx Carson Henrich Anna Hensley Khonor Hill Zachary Hillhouse Alexis Hilt Peyton Hines Tierra Hinton Peyton Hirakawa Aidan Honea Isabella Hoots Morgan Houttekier Katelyn Hull Elijah Hunter Willington Ingram Zipporah Ingram Logan Innes Paige Jackson Griffin Jacobs Abbygail Jared Allison Jensen Emmeline Johnson Javier Johnson Rachel Johnson Brady Jones Samantha Jorgensen Ali Jumaah (Al Fartousi) Lena Kaer Gary Kalich Ndayisaba Kamanzi Brian-Lydell Karunaratne Ashlynn Keaton Noah Kepilino Alixandria Keplin Dylan Killmer Abigail Kimpson William Kirn Taki Knyaw Bridgit Kohlhauff Marly Kracher Conner Krise Dygert Marina Krivopustova Bennett Kucera Brianna Kvinge Rylie Law Milo Lawson Blake Layton Kelli Le Talia Leaver Caleb Lefcort Grayson Liebhardt Madisyn Lindberg Chloe Lingo Philip Lipatkin Suhang Liu Jackson Loftus Carson Loman Kenzie Loman Erik Long Alissa Lott Anthony Loyd
The Ferris High School commencement will be at 3:30 p.m. June 13 at Spokane Riverfront Pavilion, 507 N. Howard St. Principal: Ken Schutz Summa cum laude: Graham Brower, Summer Fenton, Madison Gass, Isabel Gehlen, Nicole Gillespie, Lily Hainsworth, Carson Henrich, Suhang Liu, Kendra Lund, Vishal Malireddi, Ainsley McCollum, Jay McGregor, Henry Moe, Emma Owen, Thomas Raske, Emerson Schroeder, Tanner Whitehead, Jiali Zhang and Rosie Zhou.
Kendra Lund Ka Phu Lweh Sa Nay Ma Fareeha Mahmood Malia Main Vishal Malireddi Vladislav Marchenko Charlie Markham Emma-Rose Marrow Margaret Martinson Hawraa Marzoog Sadie Mather Holly Mathia Amer Matinjanin Jared-Levi Maynard Emily McCaig Ainsley McCollum Macey McDonald Cassidy McGovern Jay McGregor Samantha McKeehen Sadie McMurtrey Cynthia McNamara Zoey Medina Shiyanne Melton-Kinghorn Jasmine Meredith Bethany Merritt Kaiton Meyer Henry Moe Mohammed Mohammed Uriel Morales Chloe Morgan Deacon Morgan Elijah Morgan Cole Morin Maggie Mowreader Abigail Moyer Arianna Myers Andrew Nava Preston Newcomb Christopher Nicolaas Logan Notske Kaitlyn Oliver Emily Olson Mohamad Omar Neroz Omar Cole Omlin Aidan Oos MacFadden Emelia Oudes Emma Owen Nathan Pacheco Bailey Pape Alexandra Percy-Ratcliff Alexander Pessemier Lilly Pierson Taylor Pitts
Jillian Pomeroy Samuel Powell Charlene Price Colton Price Austin Pugh Jack Quillin Skye Ramirez Tyler Raper Thomas Raske Darian Reilly Patricia Reum Lauren Rhodes Hailey Richards Thomas Richards Ian Riddle Kenneth Riel Austin Robbins Ivon Rodriguez Joshua Rolstad Dario Romero Jr. Reece Rosales Trevor Rubright Collin Ryan Aidan Sampson Alejandro Sanchez Matthew Sanders Isaac Schalk Raziel Schmidt Emerson Schroeder Savannah Schultz Alexander Schweigert Rebecca Scott Aidan Senske Alicia Seward Piper Shaw Kyla Sheehan Maura Sheehan Daniel Shevchenko Bradyn Shur Avery Sison Ainsley Skidmore Aaren Smith Annika Smith Cannon Smith Lily Smith Noah Snook Sonya Sparks Brendon Stephenson Hannah Stewart Justin Stirpe Katelyn Strauss Ashton Strobeck Tyler Stuart Megan Studebaker Michael Suominen Kiarra Talbot
Justin Tapak Remi Tapak Micah Tareski Eli Taylor Michael Teeple Landen Thiefault Sadie Thomas Avery Thurston Oxana Tirzili Angela Tokarenko Jacob Tonani Yevstafiy Topov Brynn Trach Hoai Nam Tran Kaelee Truitt Trevor Tuflija Nathan Turner Olivia Turner Timothy Ugrin Justin Ulrich Emerson VanDevender Garfield VanStone Grace Vanderlouw Trinitie Verduzco Austin Wagner Logan Wagner Tyler Waldo Monique Waleh Keelie Ward Bailey Warnica William Warren Marcellis Washington Sean Watson Elizabeth Welch Isaak Wenner Abbie Weston Alexander Whitaker Tanner Whitehead Ezra Wilhelms Meg Williams Shannon Willis Tristan Wilson Tristan Wilson-Furr Mason Witherup Laila Wood Kaylie Woods Connor Wordell Connor Wozny Lauren Wright Houaha Xiong Jiali Zhang Rosie Zhou
T10 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
MAKING ONCE-IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS COME TRUE
PHOTOS BY LIBBY KAMROWSKI/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Yalda Shirzai is North Central’s notable graduate from the Class of 2021. Shirzai moved from Afghanistan to the United States in 2018.
North Central senior came all the way from Afghanistan By Jim Allen
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
When a bomb killed dozens of people at a girls school in Afghanistan last month, Yalda Shirzai was overcome with emotion and one terrible thought. It could have been her. Instead, she and most of her family are in Spokane, where Shirzai has a chance at a future that’s being denied to many girls in her hometown of Kabul. Three years ago, Shirzai and most of her family were finally allowed to emigrate to the United States. Left behind were a sister and brother, who were given no chance to leave. “I think about them every day,” Shirzai said. However, from the day Shirzai arrived in Spokane early in her freshman year at North Central High School knowing only her native Farsi, she focused on learning the English language – and not just through books. “I watched a lot of YouTube videos,” Shirzai said. She also soaked in every other medium she could find. “We could see that she was extremely moti-
vated to catch up with her peers in language,” said her counselor, Macie Pate. “She never took summers off, went to the library every chance she got and has a real thirst to learn.” But Shirzai did more than that. She became a leader at North Central’s English Language Development program – “encouraging other ELD students to get out of their comfort zone,” Pate said. “She would help them learn how to get involved, and she was concerned how others were managing through the pandemic,” Pate said. She didn’t do it alone, said Sharzai, who praised teachers Cory Johnson and Chuck Gruenenfelder for making a difference. She also thanked nurse Terry Schillios, who aided her with paperwork, university applications and “supporting me in my education.” Shirzai’s hard work was recently rewarded with a full-ride scholarship to Gonzaga University, where she plans to major in pre-med. The scholarship came from the Act Six program, which serves mainly low-income families and first-generation college aspirants. Shirzai learned about the program during
visits to local universities, but had to be encouraged to apply. “To believe in myself,” she said. “I was really surprise to get selected,” Shirzai said. “For the first time I was sure I would go to Gonzaga.” Shirzai hopes one day to become a doctor – an almost impossible dream for women in Afghanistan. “I wouldn’t even have a chance to go to school,” Shirzai said. In areas controlled by the Taliban, girls under the age of 8 have been banned from the educational system. The Taliban also has banned employment of women. Fortunately for Shirzai’s family, her mother had found employment with the United States Embassy in the capital city of Kabul. The city wasn’t under Taliban control. However, the Shirzai family lived under constant fear that sympathizers would inform the Taliban, with retribution to follow. “We were very afraid,” Shirzai said. Shirzai can’t help but look back at the plight of women in her native country, especially as the United States withdraws its forces. “We worry all the time,” Shirzai said.
“
She never took summers off, went to the library every chance she got and has a real thirst to learn.” Macie Pate
North Central counselor speaking on success of Yalda Shirzai
NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Ali Abbas Holden Adams Isaac Adams Kody Adamson Lexi Adkins Angelo Aguilar Islam Ahmed Thomas Allbery Isaac Allen Luther Allen Farooq Alzuabidi Adam Anderson Jordan Anderson Justice Anderson Rylie Annis Evan Armijo Hasina Azizi Alexander Baker Audrey Baker Chloe Barnes Cannon Barnett Bryce Barrick Natalie Bassett Etinmet Batlok Austin Bauman Hayleigh Beaudry Lorelei Becker Calvin Beernink Kacey Berger Adriana Best Brylie Bevins Joshua Bickham Kahale Billianor Aliyah Blocker William Bolster Pascal Bostic Joseph Boucher Cheyenne Boviall Annette Bracken Brinlee Bristow Grace Bromley Cassidy Brown Mercedes Brown Alyssa Buckley August Bug-Wiltse Andreyas Bunten Jenna Burnson James Byrnes Rorry Carmel Gianna Ceniceros Janessa Ceniceros Corben Chapel Adeline Chapman Andrea Chason Sabina Cheban Cole Clancy Brett Clark Autumn Cline Elijah Cordero Elias Craig Gabrielle Crary-Ewing Luke Cronin Emanuel D’Orr
Anderson
Barnett
Kb. Frandsen Kn. Frandsen
Henning
Janke
Marko
Mazur
The North Central High School commencement will be at 4:30 p.m. June 12 at the Riverfront Park Pavilion, 507 N. Howard St. Principal: Steve Fisk
Summa cum laude:
Meek Alissa Dale Chace Dalton Patrick Darke Kirin Davis Meadow Davis Melody Davis Alexa Deatherage Luke Deerheim Kendall Delp Ryan Dennis Jared Devore Brent Dishneau Dariko Djatej Kendyl Dodge Lydia Dresler Kathryn Dunakey Kayla Eddy Levi Edwards Tílah Elizondo Tristan Erickson Colter Fernandes Bishop Finney Laci Flood Ethan Flynn Ella Fornof Adran Francis Koby Frandsen Konner Frandsen Abby Fredenberg Isaac French Sebastian Fuentevilla-Mesa Alexis Gagne Trystan Galloway Phoenix Garrison Winter George Brady Gies Gigi Gonzales Trenton Graham Tucker Graves Alexandra Gray Ramey Greene Inna Grishin Xavier Guevara Delilha Gutierrez Dane Hannum Natalie Hansen Ronald Hansen
Nolan
Rudy Ava Harrington Madison Harris Kaleigh Heath Hannah Heimbigner Amanda Heinje Hope Henning Danika Hoag Lindsay Holeman Jonathan Hollenbeck Lex Hopkins Hailey Hughes Allison Janke Corbin Johnson Deontae Johnson Sierra Johnson Maika Joseph Elizabeth Kennedy Chloe Kenning Marisa Kettner Friendly Kiosy Faith Kirner Caleb Kleinfelter Chloe Kyle Shayante Landreth Samuel Landron Austin Lashley Mayah Lasol Quin Lawrence Madison Lee Nathan Leeking Morgan Leighty Mackenzie Letsch Lucas Lewis Kendall Leyde Mason Lombardi Hailey Lord Andrew Lubben Bricon Lucht Emily Lyman Jackie Mallery Tristan Malone Anna Marko Sarah Marotti Mackenzie Martens Jalen Martin Myka Mateeff Olivia Mazur
Schons
Scott
Sherman
Lucy McCollum Reece McCully Lars McDermott Rory McDirmid Briawnna McHaffie Olivia McQueen David Meade Michaela Meek Sala Menasse Aiden Miesen Emilia Miller Haley Miller Dalton Mills Izabelle Mobley Mohammad Mohammad Salim Nasib Mohmand Mariah Morgan Imran Mushwani Ameena Nafea Izabellah Neal Keonna Neal Kinsley Nelson Timothy Nelson Kaila Newport Nathaniel Nickell Zion Nixon Prince Nizeyimana Parker Nolan Tristan Nomee Amelia O’Bleness Timothy Oas Alexius Palomares Nathan Parker Yoko Parks Sara Patrick Lucy Payne Atlas Payson Taylor Payton Jacob Perez Christien Pierce Nico Pirak Jacob Polley Zackary Potter Nicholas Potvin Isaiah Prado Caden Rantamaki James Rede
Wade
Alexandria Reed Emma Reed Reyna Richards Fatima Richardson Forest Richardson Brooklynn Richey Joseph Ritz Aunestie Robb Alyxus Roberts Chase Roberts Riley Rose Lilian Rosengren Marguerite Rosengren Kyla Roseth Kelly Rouleau Josiah Rova Emma Rowe House Aiden Rowley Skyler Royer Myron Rudolph Kiera Rudy Rachel Ruff Yermos Sabuni Logan Salonka Amber Sanchez AnaKaren Sanchez Olivia Sand Ranim Sarkas Rim Sarkas Kyara Sayers Matthew Schmidt Maddox Schoeffler Colton Schons Meilin Scott Antanius Shannon Hadeel Shaqhan Jacob Shelp Shyla Sherman Yalda Shirzai Alex Smith Derek Smith Annabelle Smolinski Illya Sokolovskyi Guadalupe Solis Venegas Micah Staley Malik Standley Aiden Stewart
Adam Anderson, Cannon Barnett, Koby Frandsen, Konner Frandsen, Hope Henning, Allison Janke, Anna Marko, Olivia Mazur, Michaela Meek, Parker Nolan, Kiera Rudy, Colton Schons, Meilin Scott, Shyla Sherman and Avalane Wade.
Caleb Stewart Alyssa Stokes Cameron Stout Kassie Sullivan Silver Swan Leif Swanson Konnar Taylor Tibon Tibon Tyler Tidwell Justine Tonasket Aiden Torngren Malikye Tracy James Truong Nathan Tucker Riley Tuell Heather Tyvan Heide Tyvan Catarina Tziquin Tahay Alexander Van Inwegen Jaela VanSickle Bridjette Vaughn Ethan Vota Owen Vowels Avalane Wade Amy Wahl Shabnam Walizada Ozzy Walsborn Thizzelle Walton Matthew Wambold Samantha Warren Madison Watt Kylee Weinkauf Natalie Wells-Dutton Veronica Wessels Justin White Tyler Wieneke Krista Wilcox Jaydrien Williams Emma York Steven Zaragoza Samson Zepeda
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T11
SHADLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL Shadle senior overcomes homelessness, works full-time job, enters Running Start, earns 3.95 GPA
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Senior Ana Hendry is Shadle Park High School’s notable grad for the class of 2021, photographed at her home in Spokane on April 26. Hendry is an unaccompanied youth who works full-time and maintains a good GPA while attending school.
Hendry beats odds by sheer will By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Shadle Park counselor Kitty Hennessey can’t help but get emotional when she talks about Ana Hendry. After all, this student beat the odds. Overcoming homelessness, working full-time to support herself, excelling in college classes through Running Start and maintaining a 3.95 weighted GPA. “Ana’s story speaks to her resilience and to the network of support a school can provide,” Hennessey said. “You wouldn’t know she was struggling as much when she came to us in the ninth grade.” Hendry is blunt. “I got kicked out of my home at the start of my sophomore year. I lived on the streets for a month or two until I found a place to live.” She may have had a roof over her head, but it wasn’t ideal. “It wasn’t a good place to be,” said
Hendry. “It was in the Valley. I had to catch the bus at 5 a.m. to get to school at Shadle.” Even so, she missed very little school. “But it was really hard to think about my future,” she said. “Things have always been hard in my life. It gets exhausting trying to survive and do it on my own.” She began to notice her situation was very different from how other kids were growing up. “I wasn’t raised in a cookie cutter home with nurturing parents,” Hendry said. Shadle became her safety net. “We got her set up with services and support and let her know no one was judging her,” Hennessey said. “I want to give a shoutout to every teacher at Shadle, because they were able to meet Ana where she was and help her become her best self.” “My teachers were really nice to me, and they understood what was
going on,” Hendry said. Part of that support came through Tracie Fowler who worked for Spokane Public School’s HEART (Homeless Education and Resource Team) program at Shadle at the time. She was able to help Hendry get STA bus passes, and after she left Shadle, she kept in touch with Hendry. When Fowler found out she’d moved in with a different friend and was struggling, she and her husband talked it over and decided to let Hendry move in with them. “It just seemed she was at a critical juncture,” Fowler recalled. Hendry agreed. “I wasn’t doing well,” she said. “I moved in with Tracie my junior year. Living there helped me make better choices.” And when COVID-19 hit, Hendry had a safe place to live and study. When her senior year arrived, she decided to get an apartment with some friends from work and do Run-
ning Start. Classes at SFCC gave her a glimpse of a wider world. “I love science. I’d like to study environmental or earth science,” Hendry said. She’s also trying to save money to buy a car and get her driver’s license. Fowler and Hennessey have no doubt this student will succeed at whatever she puts her mind to. “Ana has so much potential,” Fowler said. “She’s incredibly smart and hardworking, and committed to her own personal growth.” Hennessey agreed. “She just puts her head down and does what she needs to do,” she said. “She’s insightful and wise. I hope she sees herself as beautiful, smart and worthy of good things. She is so deserving.” Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com
SHADLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Keryssa Aguinaga Theophilus Alden Rylee Alexander Eliana Allen Sophya Allen Ava Anderson Lukas Anderson Michael Anderson Noah Anderson Sydney Anderson Jeremiah Arnold Raelyn Bachman Ethan Bacon Baylee Bankey Kenneth Barton Kane Battle Eugene Baxter Masen Bennett Taijon Bernier Tatum Bertholf Kaleb Billianor Ezra Bird Ethan Bjurstrom Jacob Blair Savannah Blanton Faith Blurton Anna Boka Joseph Boniecki Richard Boren Izzy Boring Abigail Botter Brody Bottrell Nicholas Bowlin Caden Bowman Vladyslav Boyko Joleen Brannam Celeste Bravo Madisyn Brayman Whitney Brommer Terra Bronson Christopher Bruceri Nathan Bryan Ezra Buck Denton Bull Owen Burgos Hailey Burnham Isaiah Byre Gabriel Cady Brayden Cannon Timothy Caples Higdon
Anna Carney Jose Caro Tom Carr Sydney Carrier Hailey Castro Heniu Ceaser Annalyn Chambers Dodd Rebecca Christian Brody Clark Gavin Clark Alexandra Cleveland Marina Cline Nicholas Comello Grantland Cook Arianna Copeland Jason Corey Olive Creed Caytlynn Crider Angel Crutchfield Delaney Cuddy Aubrianne Cupp Kyle Curran Brianna Curtis Elliott Curtiss Jace Daffern Makena Dashiell Kylee Davis Paige Davis David Dawson Elijah DeAngelo Robert DeLateur Snezhana Dedkov Zackary Delacruz Brendon Demmerly Yazmin Dennis Madeline Depner Ethan Diaz Baylee Diggles Logan Doyle Brooklyn Dunn Santiago Dunn Caden Duty Vaughn Eaglebear Jameson Elton Daniel Emilien Daxtin Ensminger Juan Escobar Paige Evans Jordan Farrell James Feuerstein Noah Flett Liam Flowers Spencer Fox
Graduation
The Shadle Park High School commencement will be at 1:30 p.m. June 12 at the Riverfront Park Pavilion. Principal: Julie Lee. Summa cum laude: Terra Bronson, Daniel Emilien, Bailey Komar, Boston Scioly and Ashley Solt.
Timothy Francis Caleb Frye Kaden Gabert Madison Galimanis Ashlee Gardipee Brittney Gauthier Gabriel Gilbert Zachary Glantz Tapenga Godley Dorian Gorman Nathan Goss Bailey Grace Alihna Grandos Alyssa Greene Kayley Greenleaf Emil Grigoryan Jazlyn Grimm John Guercio Carly Hainline Hannah Halbrook Dakota Hall Alexander Hammons Katrin Harding Michael Hauger Kayla Henderson Jackson Hendren Ana Hendry Zinnia Henjum Halle Hober Morgan Hoch Macy Hofer Juliana Hogan Gunner Holmes Cole Hooper Gabriel Hurst Richard Husk Hannah Hutchinson Shiloh Iaulualo Ryu Iverson Brianna Jacobs Elliot Jager Rachel Jeanneret Katherine Jeffery
Andrew Jensen Emma Johnson Emilie Johnston Holli Johnston Kaelyn Johnston Oakley Jones Madelynn Kailey Stacia Kartz Treston Kastelein Katie Keppler Grace Kessler Jamison King Riley Kirk Austin Kite Cole Kjeldgaard Paige Klein Nathanael Klimper Sheri Knutson Bailey Komar Brady Krahn Jack Kron Preston LaBute Logan LaFond Lauryn LaGrone Malaki Lake Ian Lamont Gabrielle Lee Mecayla Lee Oasis Leija Zoe Leija Chloe Lemon Hannah Lemon Marcus Lemon Trinity Lewis Conner Lintner Sophie Little Jacob Luciano Jaynee Lugtu Taylor Marler Caleb Martinez Dylen McCalister Devon McNickle Merissa Mead
Jasmine Melby Emma Mentser Dylan Mildren Alliah Miller Caidyn Minor Katie Montejano Alex Moore Ezekiel Morgan Cajsa Morse ElliMae Myron Carson Newell Jaylynn Noel Zachary Noggles Mckayla Norton Zayne O’Connor Jamie O’Lague Tysean Oliver Alexander Page Lyndon Paris Eleonora Parisi Dominic Pascal Audrey Patton Kassie Peoples Garrett Primm Ethan Pugh Evan Putzke Shevonne Ramos Tayla Remigio John Rhoades Carson Rhoads Herwel Rilang Cassandra Rios Lopez Katie Robideaux Aliyah Rodriguez Nicholas Roe Zachary Rogge Ryan Rose Trinity Roseboom Lily Rosema Nathaniel Ruffin Serenity Ruiz Dakota Runge Elias Ryan Heaven Samland Lou Sandbergen Yuwarin Sangbuakaew Jasmyn Saunders Gracie Sawicki Shayla Saxe Ryan Schmidt Sydnee Schulz Boston Scioly Stephen Shaw
Nathaniel Shelley Abigail Shodahl Tyler Shogren Martin Simeonov Ariel Smith Gage Smith Sandrina Smoldt Ashley Solt Brett Sparks Ryan Stegman Matthew Stewart Aiden Stober Alison Stone Skyler Straight Luke Strom Justin Stubblefield Michael Taylor Raegan Thomas Connor Thompson Devon Thornburg Brandon Tran Kyle Truini Jamison Tulin-Jensen Angela Turcios Mayah Valenciano Malaki VanCleave Caitlin VanGelder-Cole Michael VanGordon Isabel Vazquez Melanie Vieyra Cole Votava Brianna Waitt Caleb Walker Corbin Walker Constance Waltz Elizabeth Wearmouth Isaiah Webb Campbell Kayden Wheeler Jaxson White Lucas White Olivia Wicks Teanna Williams Tyrese Williams Joshua Willis-Donahue Misty Winningham Ty Winter Sophie Winterroth Makenna Wood Tamia Wynecoop Mirtha Zuniga Hernandez
T12 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
MICA PEAK HIGH SCHOOL / STEM AT SPOKANE VALLEY TECH STEM ACADEMY AT SPOKANE VALLEY TECH
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Micah Byers Chandler Carey Jason Castillo Ryan Chilson Mattie Craner Nicholas Dawson Trevor Donelan Alexander French Nathan Gauger Adam George Jacob Graham Greer Greenup Katt Hilfiker Ely Hogberg David House Kiara Jenkins Joshua Johnson Hailey Kinerson House Alyssa Kudrna Tyler Lambert Connor McGaugh Chloe Moore Cameron Phillips Reid Plowman Connor Porter-Aikins Samuel Profit Cali Ramos
Graduation
The STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 11 at Central Valley High School Stadium, 821 S. Sullivan Road. Principal: Camille Nielsen. Valedictorian: David House. Calvin Ruffner Andrew Schafer Samantha Seaboldt Alex Sindledecker Eli Stachofsky Taige Tews Landon Thompson Alex Tracy Ava von Ranson Rein Wehrman Sydney Westberry Cooper Wharton Kyle Wills Ian Wyatt
Shapes, math Wharton’s niche
COURTESY
Pixel Stephens has earned the respect and esteem of her teachers at Mica Peak High School. She is a member of the graduating class of 2021.
Stephens helps complete picture of her class COURTESY
Cooper Wharton is graduating with the STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech class of 2021.
STEM Academy senior envisions being happy working in electrical, mechanical engineering fields By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Every high school student is looking to find their niche, and STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech senior Cooper Wharton was fortunate to find his, even before his first day as a freshman. Cooper was still an eighth-grader at Greenacres Middle School when he attended an informal presentation by a Spokane Valley Tech representative, and he suspected then that was the place for him. A visit to the school for a welding, 3D printing and robotics night, and talking with teachers about the program and its small class sizes, sealed the deal for him. Virtual delivery for much of the past year has presented significant challenges in a hands-on curriculum, but Cooper credits his STEM instructors, particularly manufacturing teacher Mark Bitz, with putting together a kit system that has allowed students to do project work individually and with partners. Spokane Valley Tech resumed full-time in-person classes in early April, and Cooper said he was definitely ready for that. “Our faculty really stepped up when we were all online, and I chose to stay virtual for a while, but after my manufacturing teacher was fully vaccinated, I was excited to get back into the shop. I really wanted to try welding, and that’s not something I could do at home.” Cooper’s decision to attend STEM Academy was a natural for him: “I liked LEGOs when I was a kid,
and I’ve always enjoyed working with shapes and figuring out how things are put together. Throw math in there, and this has turned out to be exactly what I wanted. We even have a physics room now, and everything I enjoy about school is here. “I hope to be an electrical or mechanical engineer, so SVT has met all my needs. There are so many great opportunities here. I love to tinker with different things, working on one at a time and getting good at it, then trying other new things. There are so many engineering disciplines, and I think that I could be happy in any of them.” Cooper is active in the Skills USA club at SVT and is focused on the additive manufacturing competition, which helps participants better understand manufacturing applications and provides them with hands-on experience with the latest 3D printing technology. Two years ago, he and his partner qualified for the national finals in Louisville, and finished fifth. He also passed the Solidworks associate and professional certification exams by demonstrating his expertise in mechanical design. “Cooper is brilliant”, Bitz went on, “and whatever he decides to do, he’ll be successful. Last year, for example, he worked with me in preparation for the advanced placement physics exam and got the highest score you can get on it, a 5. And he’s so understated, he doesn’t even mention it.” Joe Everson can be reached at joseph.everson@yahoo. com
At Mica Peak 16-year-old senior gets learning environment she seeks By Libby Kamrowski
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Practically every staff member that passed Pixel Stephens in the hallway greeted her, unless she beat them to it. The brief conversations that followed branched beyond surface-level questions and were accompanied with a genuine listening ear. For a girl who “doesn’t consider herself to be good at socialization,” Stephens’ impact at Mica Peak High School is remarkable. The 160-student independent high school in the Central Valley School District aims to reinvigorate students who have been discouraged by traditional learning environments, and Stephens is a textbook success story of this. “She leads by example,” said Dan Oster, dean of student services. “Not so much by leading the parade, but by her behavior. That impacts the students and staff.” Stephens is universally described by those at Mica Peak as respectful, encouraging and kind; she doesn’t seek to cross the finish line first, but prefers to help engage peers. Despite having skipped second grade at Fernan Elementary School, which means graduating high school before her 17th birthday, the spunky teen prefers to connect and contribute. She started her education in Coeur d’Alene but found that the lack of challenge at times, coupled with characteristics of a
social outlier – autism and asexuality – resulted in a less-than-satisfactory learning environment. So, she bounced around to a few schools. Lake City freshman year, Central Valley sophomore year, then Spokane Valley Learning Academy, and then she finally struck pay dirt in the educational environment at Mica Peak. “This was the year I rebounded academically,” said Stephens, who is wrapping up the year with straight A’s. “I came here my junior year, and I feel I’ve been able to receive that kind of support while still being able to be challenged as a learner, because that’s very important to me. That’s really been the main contributing factor to my success.” Beyond academics, Mica Peak helped bolster her social identity. Coming out as asexual didn’t feel like a big deal once she was comfortable among a few friends. Her family was supportive, and now she is as outwardly open about being a member of the LGBTQIA community as she is being a person on the autism spectrum. Stephens lives with pervasive development disorder – not otherwise specified, but unless she told you, the only tipoff would be subtle accommodations allowed via a 504 Plan, which includes typed assignments and headphones to promote focus and prevent sensory overload. Even though these elements of the self-named teenager’s identity may not be outwardly
MICA PEAK HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Kaitlin Allen Alonzo Avelar-Miron Jeremiah Belt Jaden Brooks Sean Caffrey Maleah Carr Malia Criddle Laine Dagon Jaiden Dishion Serena Dormaier Deja Draper Hannah Ellenberg Raymond Fuller Audrina Gainey Benjamin Gallon Hunter Genne’
Samuel Givens Amber Gomez Renn Hall Michelle Hammons Christian Hance Izaya Hardt Jaxon Henry Catherine Hernandez Maggie Ingram Dallas Johnson Taylor King Jessica Krug Ashlynn Layton Natalie McIntire McKenna Meyer Craig Niccolls Isaiah Ostman Ryan Parriman Amelia Paulson-Pauley Cadince Pew
identifiable, she doesn’t fly under the radar as a whole. The Lady Gaga-loving teen doesn’t bow to “fast fashion,” as she calls it, but loves to thrift, evident in a sparkly sweater that peeked from underneath her hoodie. Even her style is another way to catch her in a passionate conversation. “Pixel’s abilities just blow me away all the time,” said Leslie Heffernan, a history teacher who had Stephens as a teacher’s assistant. “The fact that she’s so open in talking about autism, and I hope others see themselves in her and feel inspired to embrace their abilities, no matter what they are.” French and civics teacher Marcy James caught Stephens in passing to tell her how much she would miss her, but also to thank her for being the “file queen extraordinaire” who established an organization system in her classroom. “I felt like I’ve learned something from her,” Oster said. “She has a lot of character traits that are going to serve her very well as an adult.” It is clear that Stephens’ impact will remain even after graduation – and not only because Stephens and her mother, Karen, who are reigning champions of the school Cahoots bracket, won’t be there to make a clean sweep in the trivia tournament. Though she may not have definitive post-grad plans, she maintains an open mind and hopes to volunteer at the school in the future. Libby can be reached at (509) 459-5523 or libbyk@spokesman. com
Graduation
The Mica Peak High School commencement will be at 6:30 p.m. June 10 at Central Valley High School Football Field, 821 S. Sullivan Road. Principal: Kamiel Youseph Siena Ragozzine Grace Ruthruff Riley Savage Jordyn Schnebly Daniil Shelyukh Dominic Sigars Zoe Stephens Chase Stretch Parker Thomas Daven Townsend
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T13
TEC AT BRYANT / FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Senior Farley ready to take education to new level, become a teacher
PHOTOS BY LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-R
Benjamin Chadduck is Freeman High School’s notable grad for the class of 2021. This senior Scottie is heavily involved in FHS extracurriculars, including clubs such as FBLA and varsity tennis and cross country, and is the Freeman School District’s Joya representative.
A true Scottie
Freeman senior Chadduck took every opportunity he could to be involved, including FBLA, Joya board, annual blood drive COURTESY
TEC at Bryant senior Julia Farley plans to attend Eastern Washington University in the fall.
TEC at Bryant graduate earns high school, associate degrees amid undergoing surgery to correct curvature of spine By Nina Culver
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Julia Farley describes having a normal childhood until her sophomore year at The Enrichment Cooperative at Bryant, when things went a little sideways. What went sideways was her spine. Doctors discovered she had scoliosis of the spine, a curvature of the spine into either an S or C shape. “I had just had a growth spurt,” Farley said. She was set to have surgery to correct her spine, but the COVID-19 pandemic intervened and delayed her surgery by six months. She was finally able to get the surgery, which used two screws and two metal rods to straighten her spine, in September. “By the time I had surgery I had a 75-degree curve,” she said. “It was pretty bad. The spine twists in on itself and they have to go in and untwist it and then put in rods and screws.” She’s now 2 inches taller and, though recovery has been painful, it’s been less painful than the scoliosis. “I’m in a lot less (pain) than I was before,” she said. “Sitting super long in school was painful before surgery.” Through it all, Farley stayed on top of her school work, which includes Running Start classes through Spokane Falls Community College. “Julia is an excellent student,” said Bryant counselor Sara Duval. “She still managed to pull out amazing grades. Julia shows perseverance, determination and grit, all while smiling and never complaining about the circumstances she is handed.” Farley is also a positive, caring person, Duval said. “Julia is one of the kindest kids I have worked with,” she said. “Her compassion for others is admirable. Julia encourages others and tries to see the good in all around her.” Farley was born in Moses Lake, where her family lived until they moved here in time her freshman year of high school. When she was younger, she was homeschooled and then attended a public middle school. Bryant is in the Spokane Public Schools district, but Farley’s family actually lives about 40 minutes away. Farley said she chose the school because she liked the atmosphere better than what she found at larger high schools. “It was a lot smaller,” she said. “I got to know a lot of the students better.” Being in a smaller school has helped her explore, Farley said. “I took web design which is one class I don’t think I ever would have taken if I wasn’t at Bryant,” she said. After she graduates in June with an associate degree under her belt, Farley plans to attend Eastern Washington University in the fall to earn a degree in elementary education. “I just like working with kids and seeing how they learn and helping them through,” she said. She often helps her three younger siblings with their homework and took a class at SFCC that included teaching math to young students. “I think that kind of confirmed it,” she said of her career choice. Being a teacher just seems like a natural fit, she said. “I like being in charge,” she said. “I like taking things into my own hands.” Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com
TEC AT BRYANT
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Cameron Crea Daniel Edson Julia Farley Zephyr Garrettson Kael Hamann Alexis Hart Katie Klock Victoria Madrigal Jasper Ramsey Clayton Sanchez Michael Schrader Pashence Weaver Asher Weitz
Graduation
The TEC at Bryant commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 11 at The Bryant Campus, 910 N. Ash St., Spokane. Principal: Suzanne Smith
By Riley Utley
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Ben Chadduck, a senior at Freeman High School, does it all and loves it all, even though his four years have been anything but normal. “He’s truly a Scottie, he gets involved in just about anything he possibly can,” said Scott Moore, Freeman’s business education teacher and Future Business Leaders of America adviser. “And it’s not just for himself, it’s for everyone around him. He does whatever he can to help this school and to help others feel welcome here.” Chadduck’s list of involvement seems to be never-ending, and he likes it that way. He’s a four-year member of FBLA, which has included serving as the vice president and competing at nationals last year. He is the president of the conservation club, involved in his leadership class, and a barista at the school’s coffee stand, the Dawghouse. He’s on the Joya student board and helps with things like the blood drive and homecoming. He has played lacrosse and tennis and ran cross country, is about to become an Eagle Scout and is an artist. “When I got into high school I signed up for everything I could get my hands on – FBLA, conservation club – I got into National Honors Society and National Art Honors Society,” Chadduck said. “I’ve always wanted to be a business leader, that’s what I’m going to school for at WSU, for business, so it was right on track for me.” He has gone to state every year and went to the FBLA nationals last year
Benjamin Chadduck gives blood during a blood drive at the school May 18. He has participated in the annual giving all four years of high school. in job interview. He said he worked more than 20 hours with Moore to make his resume perfect for the competition. The effort paid off. He placed sixth in interview at the regional state qualifier and didn’t skip a beat when the state competition moved online, due to COVID-19 protocols, and qualified for nationals. This work ethic is also evident in his art: He’s been working on a sculpture of his own head for a few months now. “I’ve had lots of fun, and I love it,” Chadduck said. “I’ve been working on it for way too long, probably two or three months. I spent three weeks working on the hair alone because I had to carve every single hair. It’s awesome to be able to go up and sit down for an hour and just forget about everything else and all the classes and just use my hands and actually get something done and see it in front of my face.”
Chadduck said his biggest accomplishment is earning Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts; which he has been in scouts since first grade. He is the president of a conservation club, which, he said, is like “Boy Scouts without the badges.” Both Moore and he Chadduck himself noted his growth in confidence and self-assuredness over the past four years. At the beginning of his high school experience the shooting at Freeman happened, and then COVID-19 impacted his junior and senior years, but he hasn’t let that stop him. “I think probably the two big things that messed up my high school experience, the shooting, obviously, and COVID,” Chadduck said. “It separates you from people and it’s that elephant in the room 24/7. Whenever I meet someone new and I tell them I’m from Freeman I get those strange pity looks. At first it made me mad, and I didn’t
want them to think about me. But now I’ve learned to accept it and overcome it, and now it’s something that happened in my life, I can’t go back and change it so I just have to learn how to live with that, and I think that’s what I’ve been able to do.” Despite these challenges Chadduck has worked to make the most of his high school experience by serving his community and getting involved in any way he could. After graduation Chadduck plans to attend Washington State University where he will study business with hopes of concentrating in international business because of his love of traveling and history. “He’s a great example,” Moore said. “He shows how important it is to get involved in school and extracurricular activities and I think he wants people to be as happy here at school as he is.”
FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
Arnzen
Bessire
Chisholm
Crowley
Goldsmith
The Freeman High School commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 12 at the football field or parking lot, 14626 S. Jackson Road, Rockford. Principal: Renee Bailey.
Valedictorians:
Roibal
Simmerman
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Shay Albrecht Gracee Aldendorf Sorrel Aldendorf Paige Allen Sydney Arnzen Tyler Balkenbush Isabella Bessire Keely Boyd Peyton Brewer Amelie Broussard Branden Bykerk Andrew Campbell Colton Cayce Benjamin Chadduck Anna Chisholm Darian Cofone Mckenna Cottrell Triston Crist Ellis Crowley
Storro
Tippett
Tyson Delcour Natalie Dryden Levi Dutt Arielle Ebert Annalicia Emmingham Willow Ennis Ethan Flaig Hannah Flaig Amanda Flory Tyler Fuchs Zachary Garlick Jordyn Goldsmith Sara Groat Logan Haase Caiden Hansen Landry Hawley Isabella Hopson Gracie Jensen Joshua Jensen Andrew Knight Delaney Lamotte Michael Legkobit
Vigil
Werner
Josiah Lynn Emma Mackleit Jack Mackleit Mattea Mackley Fayth-Ann Mason-Whitehead Nathan McCormick Hunter Mercier Alyssa Morrison Ian Moser Jennifer Munn Mary Neale Emma Nees Christian Norman Landon Norris Paul Okert Elijah Pedersen Paysen Phelps Tucker Phelps Melinda Phipps Mareana Ponomarenko Hunter Poston Staci Pratt
Sydney Arnzen, Isabella Bessire, Anna Chisholm, Ellis Crowley, Jordyn Goldsmith, Elizabeth Roibal, Sarah Simmerman, Hope Storro, Katelyn Tippett, Elisa Vigil and Joshua Werner. Abigail Pylant Elizabeth Roibal Tristan Ruchert Henry Schafer Drew Schmick Nate Schmidlkofer Brooklynn Showalter Sarah Simmerman Guye Stevens Kyli Stokoe Hadlee Storro Hope Storro Maria Stuart Gabriel Tesch Katelyn Tippett Bailey Turner Nicole Vernon Lillian Vetter Elisa Vigil Tate Waite Joshua Werner
T14 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Focusing on studies became means to his goal
Central Valley’s Ortega balances duties as student, ASB president and supporting himself while aiming to get into good college By Nina Culver
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Isaac Ortega, a senior at Central Valley High School, has been accepted to Vanderbilt University.
Isaac Ortega is a classical high school graduate. He has a 4.0 GPA and serves as the student body president at Central Valley High School. He’s making plans to go to college. What makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable is that he has been on his own for the past two years. Ortega said his parents divorced when he was two. His father is from Mexico and his mother was born in California. Her parents emigrated from Mexico as well. Ortega lived with his father, but he said it wasn’t an ideal living situation. “It just wasn’t the safety for me or my brother,” he said. “I didn’t really feel safe there. There were times when I felt kind of neglected.” He filed for emancipation, and it was granted in October 2019. Both his parents signed the documents. Ortega said it was the first time he’d seen his mother in eight or nine years. Despite that, he said he doesn’t see growing up without his mother in his life as a hardship. “It’s all what you know and what you’re used to,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re missing.” He stayed with family members while he worked until he saved up enough money to get his own apartment, where he’s been living for the past seven months. Living on his own has its benefits, but it also has drawbacks, Ortega said. “It’s really cool, but it’s a lot of stress for a 17-year-old,” he said. One of the things he did in school that he’s proud of was breathe new life into the Diver-
sity Club. There’s always been different groups for students of color, but none of them seemed to last, Ortega said. “It was always rebranded,” he said. During his junior year he and a couple other students launched the club again and worked to recruit new students. The club was given the task of hosting the school’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day assembly. “I think it gave us a chance to speak about what being a student of color was like,” he said. Through it all, Ortega had one goal. He wanted to graduate from high school and earn his way into a good college. His grades are very important to him as he sees them as a means to achieving his goal. “School has always been the biggest thing,” he said. “I stayed true to the biggest thing to me, my education.” Ortega has been accepted at Vanderbilt University, where he plans to major in economics. Along the way, Ortega has impressed people, including teacher Leanne Donley, with his accomplishments. “It’s not grit, it’s not resiliency, it’s not determination,” Donley said. “It’s bigger than that.” Ortega has the ability to balance the important things and see where they fit, she said. “Not only is he academically intelligent, but he is wise,” she said. Ortega has big dreams, but Donley is convinced he can achieve them. “He wants to fix the ills of the world, and I think he will,” she said. Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com
CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Shane Abel Ava Abramson Sarah Adams Emily Agnew Kanela Aldan-Aguon Zainab Ali Al Abdullah Carson Allred Natalie Alva Julius Alvarez Andrew Amusavi Adam Anderson Dane Anderson Michael Anderson Raquel Anderton Julia Andrews Riley Anglesey Johana Arias Cooper Arnold Garrett Atkinson Jackson Atwood Avery Auth Gage Avery Ellie Baddeley James Badger Eli Bailey Ryen Bake Caleb Ballif Lauren Bambock Elise Bang Isabella Bankey Brooke Barnes Valeria Baron Christina Bays Ethan Bays MazieAnne Bays Malachi Beach Mason Beck Tailor Benson Noah Betts Bowen Beykirch Jennifer Bgatov Kylie Bianche Grace Bigner Kathryn Blackhart Brian Bolanos Amy Bosch Cole Bossard Olivia Bossard Elijah Bowdon James Bowers Tamera Bradford Christopher Branom Mohkam Brar Kaleb Bray Emily Breeding Jason Briones Hayden Britain Matthew Britton Eli Brook Amity Brookshire Ellie Brown Grace Brown Samantha Brown Samuel Brown Brandon Bruegeman Madilynn Bruno Lilli Brunt Ty Bryant Chloe Bryntesen Princess Buchanan William Buckholdt Riley Buell Madison Cagle Quanique Campbell Jayde Cannon Krystal Carlson Ashlee Carlton David Casillas Taylor Castleman Ashlynn Caudill Zane Chalich Danielle Chalpin James Chamberlain Kayla Chen Ryley Ciokewicz Emily Clark Jared Clark Ryan Clay Thomas Clemson Daniela Colocho Kylie Constance Alexandra Contreras Jared Counts Luke Cox Chloe Cramer Shealyn Crowley
Graduation
The Central Valley High School commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 12 at Central Valley High School Stadium, 821 S. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. Principal: Kerri Ames Valedictorians: Carson Allred, Avery Auth, Amy Bosch, Lauren Duer, Kenton Frederick, Shea Holmdahl, Hanna Michealis, Elizabeth Pauley, Rebekah Ross, Meera Turpin and Alexander Wirthlin. Isaac Crownhart Jayden Currey Elise Daines Noah Davaz Sylvia Davidow Brooklyn Davis Ashley De La Mora Alexa De La O November DeJulia Jonathan DeLao Nathan DeRuwe Hannah Dederick Aaron Degenstein Rhiannon Delvechio Isali Diaz Joelle Dickeson Kaleb Dion Tina Do Jerry Dolph Braeden Doyle Lauren Duer Thomas Dunne Mya Dziwenka Victoria Elliott Madyson Ellison Annon Elvidge Alyssa Emory Jenna Engel Natalia Escobar Maddison Evans Thalia Felice Benjamin Ferguson Jaye Fernandez Tyler Ferrell Andromeda Fierro Steven Filer Gabriella Fischetti Ally Fisher Payten Fitzner Shayanne Fletcher Zackary Fletcher Angelena Flores Derek Florianovich Bryce Folsom Haley Folsom Brandon Fontaine Tristin Fowler Annie Fox Kenton Frederick Abby Fried Mikayla Fristad Brianna Fudge Margaret Galeener Juan Gallegos-Martinez Tiara Garcia Katherine Gardner Parker Gast Riley Gavin Grace Geldien Evan George Kelsie German Andrew Gibbons Ethan Gilles Gavin Gilstrap Michelle Giroux Collin Gleason Lyudmila Gnatenko Kaylee Golly-Dirk Amy Gomez Caleb Goodin Caden Goranson Vladislav Gordeyev Kaycee Gores Kelsie Gores Shenoa Gosney Mark Gotishan
Allred
Ross
Auth
Turpin
Olivia Grabowski Hannah Graham Kaylie Greenan Travis Griffiths Keira Grob-Ellison Joseph Gutierrez Aiden Haddock Ben Hadley Mathew Haigh Casandria Haney Mellony Haney Emma Hanford Zachary Harris Morgan Hart Kaitlyn Hartshorn Zachary Harwood Meadow Hatch Trinity Hawks Elijah Hays Emily Henning Amaryce Hernandez Saul Hernandez Joseph Herner Nicholas Higginson Ari Hintz Jessica Hoagburg Teagen Hoard Jared Hoerauf Janessa Hoffman Charlise Hogsed Zachariah Holland Shea Holmdahl Lyndie Holmes Allison Hood Aiden Hoosier Parker Hormel Emma Horton Lauren Hoskins Brennan Hossack Evander Hottell Colin Howard Katie Howard Ryan Howard Zachary Hoy Sarah Humble Emma Hymas Caleb Jackson Michael James Kate Jensen Cambry Jeppson JoAnita Johns Abbigail Johnson Benjamin Johnson Katrianna Johnson Emma Johnston Joey Jones Kelsey Jones Parker Jongeward Warner Jude Willy Kalpakchi Logan Kane Sergey Kanyushkin David Karasyov Caleb Kartchner Clair Kaufman Livia Kent Taratel Khalid Alena Kholostov Genevieve Kienbaum Sarah Kinsolving Johnathan Kinzer Kolby Kiser Liana Kopets Rouvim Kopets Mary Kosednar Ella Kottkey Nathaniel Krafft Alexia Krogh Alina Kushnir Erica La Fontaine Edward La Rosa Ian LaBrosse Jaylee Lake Jordan Lake
Bosch
Duer
Wirthlin Benjamin Lamoreaux Kameron Lance Caitlyn Langsett Emily Larin Allie Lawhead Joshua Lawson Taylor Leach Johnathan Leavell Jonathan Lee Russell Legg Angeline Leppelman Ian Lester Grace Levins Abigale Lewis Isella Lindo Aspen Lockwood Sadie Logue Noelle Looper Michael Lorhan Zoe Lucas Elijah Lukes Kailee Lux Caleb Lybbert Cameron Lybbert Zechariah Mallah Emily Malloy Briley Markquart McKaila Markquart Trinity Marks Dabria Marquez Kaylee Martin Mady Martin Zachary Martin Alyssa Marvin Robert Matthews Shelby McAndrews Sophia McCauley Jonathan McClanathan Naleah McClellan Ashtyn McComas Jenna McCombs Gianna McCoy Duncan McDonald Maya McDonald Kiley McElroy Malachy McGreevy William McLean Buddy Joseph McMahan Kaitlin Melby Jack Melville Shelby Menga Hanna Michaelis Brayden Miles Alyssa Miller Jaedyn-Rialy Miller Taylor Milliken Kailey Minderman Alyssa Mitchell Andrew Monson Michael Moolick Cassidy Moon Maiya Moore Shawn Moore Avery Mortensen Harrison Mulloy McKenna Murphy Hunter Myers Trent Nauta Keegan Navrat Cohl Nelson Michael Nelson Tessa Neumann Kessi Newman Darren Nguyen Madison Nichols Luke Noakes Aaron Nolting Emiliana O’Brien Megan O’Brien Kelly O’Dea Lauren O’Neill Sophia Ocker Jaden Olmstead Moira Olsen
Frederick
Holmdahl
Isaac Ortega Elsa Owens Madeline Owens Garrett Packebush Dakari Pakootas Kyle Parkman Sydney Parkman Elizabeth Pauley Sarah Pecha Victoria Pena David Perekopsky Chelsea Perry Jadon Persicke Amanda Peterson Marie Peterson Xander Plumley Sariana Poshusta Shea Potack Savannah Pratt Khloe Queen Belal Rabia Al Ayouf Mariam Rabia Al Ayouf Trent Rabideaux Logan Radmaker Samuel Rahm Abigail Ramos Olyvia Ramos Yasmin Ramos-Climaco Payton Rasmussen Paulson Ray Thompson Joel Redo William Reese Spencer Reid Claira Reiman Lena Reimer Ashley Reis Noelle Renecker Anthony Reola Vincent Reola Brandon Reyes Micah Richards Jack Richardson Kayla Richardson Perris Richey Adrianna Rick Brieanna Riddle Krsna Riddle Chayse Roberson Carlos Rodriguez Jane Romney Arihana Roos Miriam Rosenbaum Tyler Rosenblit Rebekah Ross Amelia Rottrup Elijah Rowe Cameryn Rudd Jesslyn Ruddach Anna Sabins Megan Sachtjen Isabelle Sampson Julio Sanchez Lilli Sanders Vincent Sanders Isabella Santiago Carrie Sargent Jaden Sather Alek Savacool Stephanie Sawchuk Kyle Scarcello Hannah Schaefer Payton Schneckloth Kailee Schneider Carter Schnell Hunter Schock Dominick Schoener Carson Schoonover Ethan Schreiber Kamryn Schumacher Michael Schwarz Ethan Sears Nathan Shaber Riley Shanks Prateek Sharma Nathan Sharp Anna Shaurette Katelynn Shelton Luke Sherrill Brooklyn Shumway Brayden Shypitka Arionna Sicilia Ramanpreet Singh Gavin Sjothun Cameron Smith
Michaelis
Pauley
Gabrielle Smith Jacob Smith Jaidyn Smith Sydney Smith Giuliana Souto Kailyn Speziale Ryan Stacy Chassity Stanisich Damon Stewart Miles Stewart Parker Stewart Hailey Stuhlmiller Svetlana Susina Erika Sutter Alexis Sutton Grace Sutton Jorgen Swensen Timofiy Symonenko Nathan Szabrowicz Masaya Takasaki Dominic Talcott Andrew Tamayo Jacob Taylor Breanna Thomas Jeffery Thompson Jewlia Thompson Gracie Thorpe Taylor Tiffany Brycen Tobius Anatoliy Topov Nikita Totka Kolbe Troxel Dominic Truesdale Duc Truong Erica Tucker Peter Tupikov Meera Turpin Kami Twining Scott Twining Daniel Ulyanchuk Hunter Van Etten Sara Van Liew Aidan Van Marle Colton Van Note Tyler VanVlymen Koleton Vaughn Gabriella Vensland Naia Vince Cruz Sarah Vinson Zane Voelker Ryan Volmar Tiffany Von Tobel Angus WaitE Adora Wallgren Luke Warrick Lanis Webb Samantha Weirich Logan Weldon Emily Welp Katelyn Westegaard Madison Whitney Nelson Whybrew Kaylee Wilding Rylan Wilkerson Alyse Williams Branden Williams Chloe Williams Grace Williams Lindy Williams Dielle Willis-Valentine Alexa Wilson Elijiah Wilson Kaylee Wilson Alexander Wirthlin Nataley Wood Nelia Wood Rabekah Wood Christian Woodland Alissa Woods Carson Woodward David Worthington Emma Worthington Chase Woudenberg Alexander Wright Carly Wulffert Corin Yanke Jasmine Yaw Cooper Young Jacob Young Maci Young Chloe Zadra Jessica Zarecor Guozheng Zhang Logan Zimmerman
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T15
UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
“She’s pretty bright to begin with; but
then to have that honesty with what you know and don’t know, and to ask the questions, is unique.” Scott Cooley, AP calculus teacher
Introvert keen to dive into studies German-raised student embraces academic diversity By Libby Kamrowski
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Switching schools halfway through high school isn’t easy, much less moving to a country that speaks a different language. Add in a distance so great that Google Maps can’t even compute the precise mileage between schools, plus a pandemic, and you’ve got a recipe for a challenge. Sprinkle in some support, add a dash of “Dungeons and Dragons,” and there it is, one tough cookie named Emily Neff. William Neff, a retired Air Force master sergeant, thinks his daughter did well in the transition. “All she’s ever known is Germany,” he said. “She may be German, but because of her upbringing she’s fluent in English.” Although the 17-yearold left the U.S. at age 1 one and didn’t return until two years ago, she started learning English around third grade. Her father is from Arizona while her mother is a German native, and home was the rural German countryside in Biesdorf, a village in Rheinland-Pfalz. The private Catholic school of Sankt Josef-Gymnasium Biesdorf, Neff’s former high school, is attended by just over 500 “Schülerinnen” and doesn’t offer many extracurricular opportunities beyond athletics, so the 1,800-student body at University High School was a major change. “It did definitely feel more like I was one person in this big crowd,” said Neff, a self-described shy student. “But I didn’t
feel all alone or anything. It’s been a nice thing being with so many students here, I found a group of people to hang out with pretty quickly.” That group has been the gaming club at U-High which plays “Dungeons and Dragons.” But she doesn’t just play the popular fantasy role-playing game as a mage, she regularly leads multimonth campaigns as dungeon master. “COVID really put a damper on the social stuff, but the gaming club is her niche,” William Neff said. “She’s very passionate, so not only does she play (D&D), she’s taken on the role of dungeon master to take over the campaigns.” Neff is an introvert by nature but expressed gratitude to be received by a broader school community that was engaging and supportive. “It made school so much more enjoyable for me,” said Neff, who explained that teachers and counselors in the American education system take a more holistic approach to connect with students. Though Neff may be socially shy, she certainly is not shy academically. Neff has taken rigorous courses such as physics and even acing finals in AP calculus. “She’s honest with what she knows and doesn’t know, she doesn’t try to hide,” Neff’s AP calculus teacher Scott Cooley said, noting her inquisitiveness makes her stand out. “She’s pretty bright student to begin with; but then to have that honesty with what you know and don’t know, and to ask the questions, is unique.”
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-R
Emily Neff is graduating with the University High School senior class. Here she takes a portrait inside the school on April 27. Neff, who grew up in Germany, said she appreciates being able to take classes at U-Hi that she wouldn’t have had an opportunity to take at her high school in Germany. Graphic arts is one of them. Neff will attend Spokane Falls Community College in the fall but is undecided on a future field of study. Not having a solid path forward in higher education is not indicative of motivation, rather, she spent the past two years indulging in an academic smorgasbord to experiment
with interests that weren’t available in Biesdorf, such as architecture and graphic arts. The true north of Neff’s internal compass has been using her work ethic to experiment in different academic areas, and she’s closer to arriving at a career by eliminating options along the way.
“It’s nice to have a whole variety of courses,” Neff said. “It helped me find interests I didn’t know I had. I took a graphic arts course here, and I never would have gotten into it probably, if I hadn’t had the chance to do so here, and now I’m even considering it as a career possibility. I
love that so much.” Neff has plenty of time to decide what her future holds, but if she can navigate through this foreign country, she can navigate to success. Libby Kamrowski can be reached at (509) 459-5523 or libbyk@spokesman.com
UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Emily Acosta Laura Adams (Rowe) Jake Adolph Zachary Adsitt Brennen Ailie Matthew Alexander Austin Alteneder Alia Alvarez Faith Anderson Jesse Anderson Taylor Anderson Kyler Anstrom Cade Arlt Bruce Arruda Thomas Atkinson Ariana Avdicevic Jesse Ayers Dustin Ayton Conner Bailey Kasey Bailey Miles Barajas Morgan Barnett Victoria Barr Eleanor Beadle Isabel Bedolla Reggie Beetham Dylan Behrens Brandon Bell Xyia Bemis Benjamin Benane Claire Berg Samuel Bergam Bailey Berquist Abigail Boden Michael Bodholt Jakob Boehm James Boehm Fredric Bohm Nathan Boldizsar Reganne Bond Maya Boyle Brooklynn Brannon Hailey Brereton Peyton Brewer Joshua Shae Bridges Haley Britton Sydney Britton Amy Brown Joshua Brown Hudson Bruszer Sophia Burk Madison Burnett Zane Busch Brian Caldera Kylie Calvary Megan Campbell Marinly Chamberlain Trevion Chandler Eve Chapman Lauren Church Nycholaus Ciferri Claire Claeson
Jackson Clark Jessica Clark Taylor Clark Connor Cole Lindsey Coleman Jonathan Conklin Riley Conrad Jared Cool Taylor Cooper Hailey Cox Cyrus Cross Leena Cruz Cassidy Culvyhouse Isaiah Dalton Gabriella Daniel Brennan David Riley Davis Nicholas Dawley Duncan Day Connor Dehn Harley Deitrick Gabrielle Demars Liam Deonier Riley Devenish Sara Dillon Maruel Dolandolan Eden Dona Nicklaus Donahue Kyle Douglas Matthew Draper Curtis Drews Shawn Durfee Hunter Ebel Rylee Elliott Aiden Ellwein Hailey Epley Krysta Espinoza Taylor Espinoza Julianne Espiritu Carson Estes Hannah Farrell Moses Femino Kailyn Ferguson Makenzie Ferrell Scout Fey Hailey Fiala Elena Ficklin Corinne Fierst Devin Figart Dominic Figuracion Megan Fisher Ariana Fletcher Caitlyn Fletcher Eve Flowers Jo-Weh Flumo Abby Fountain Sean Freeman Jessica Froehle Hayden Frostad Andrew Frye Joseph Gabel Andrew Gadd Christa Gallant Brodie Garrett Cadence Garrett Austin Gerber
Paige Gharst Jacob Gill Sierra Gillam Mercedes Gillingham Hunter Glatzmaier Kiralei Godfrey Juliana Gonzalez Edward Gorkovchenko Robert Grandstaff Tyler Greenup Mason Gregerson Tanner Gregerson George Gregory Ryan Griep Faith Gropp Alice Gubler Dominique Guzman Hailie Hackett Emma Harmon Elizabeth Harned Veronica Harper Jack Harstad Jaymario Haulcy Sarah Hawkins Aimee Hawley Hannah Hayes Nathan Helmer Aubriana Henderson Evan Henthorn Calum Hill David Hinton Ruby Holschen Matthew Hoopes Ashley Howe Emma Howell Samantha Hubbard Brandon Humphrey Alexandra Hunt Allison Hunt Conner Hustad Shelby Irmer Tauzena Irving Katie Ivory Olivia Jackson Thomas Jackson Kobe Jayroe Christian Jensen Logan Jess Carlee Joppa Jacob Judkins Caden Kaiserman Matthew Kannapien Kyran Kekahuna Ashton Kidwell Nevaeh King Jadyn Kinghorn Michaella Klontz Ava Knighton Kyler Knutson Dylan Koch Timothy Korneychuk Hannah Kosmicki Josie Krum Veronica Kuropatko Colten Langley Maizy Lannigan
Matthew Lanum Connor Larsen Hannah Larson Jayden Lenhartzen Thomas Leonard Matt Lindsey Nathaniel Lippis Emily Lloyd Nathanael Lombardi Isaiah Lopez Taryn Love Victoria Love Julian Lowe Madeline Loy Maddyson Lund Garret Lundmark Dawson MacKay Katie Madera Triston Madison Colton Madsen Rachel Malcolm Jacob Mallonee Molly Manza Cannon Marshall Lindsay Marshall Austin Martin Ava Matos Ramirez Cole Matthews Teegan Maye Tavin McAllister Eric McDonald Kassidy McLuskie Savannah Medjo Preston Meents Harry Mejia Kiara Meland Sayla Merritt Curtis Messersmith Grace Meyer Caden Miller Alison Mills Megan Milnes Alexys Mohr Zackary Mohr Alice Mojilong Christian Morales Wesley Mortensen Hannah Morton Vincent Mugica Ethan Murdock Colten Murphy Gabriel Myers Emily Neff Kasey Nelson Sara Nelson Alinah Nepean Alexus Ness Anna Norris Ashlyn O’Kert Teran Oens Elija Orman Clara Orndorff Allison Osborn Skylar Osso Alec Owens Ryan Owens
Bryan Painter Kiah Paladichuk Amari Palmer Austin Parmenter Sofie Pearson Chloe Peck Josie Perrin Carson Phillips Matthew Phillips Corbin Pickel Mikah Picou Audrey Plett Bradford Powell Heidi Pranter Micah Presta Colby Quince Teo Quinn Mei-Li Rahman Cassandra Ramirez Griffin Rees Nathan Reighley Hannah Reinhart Cassandra Reynolds Kyleigh Richard Ayden Riegel Elijah Roate Makenna Roberts Jacob Robins Jack Robinson Gabriel Rodriguez Raymond Rodriguez Ilias Roland Angel Romero Angelina Rowland Jose Rubio Alania Russell Joseph Ryan Megan Sadowsky Brooke Saling Kyle Sater Kolbi Schell Bella Schneider Kevin Schroeder Grace Schwander Konen Scofield Ethan Sellers Alexis Sennott Ashtyn Senter Ashley Sessions Katerina Shafer Savanah Shafer Evelyn Shevchuk Austin Simpson Mia Slack Adrion Smeby Austin Smith Brayden Smith Carson Smith Jasmine Smith William (Edward) Sperry Lance Springstead Jaidan Stemm Turner Stephens Brenden Stewart Zachary Stewart Nolan Stone
Martin
Woolley
Graduation
The University High School commencement will be at 9 a.m. June 12 at University High School Athletic Field, 12420 E. 32nd Ave., Spokane Valley. Principal: Keven Frandsen. Valedictorians: Austin Martin and Isaac Woolley. Andrew Strader Anne Sweeney Samantha Sweeten-Rowe Lauren Taylor Bryce Tellinghusen Ethan Thomas-Davis Kiah Thorson Ashlyn Tidwell Braden Tobin Caitlin Todd Olivia Tolley Jadyn Trefry Lynnesse Turner Sierra Ullman Thomas Van Buskirk Austin Viall Aaron Victor Arianna Vielguth Mikaila Walker Olivia Walker Megan Wallace Samuel Ward Austin Warner Genesis Warner Caden Washburn Lauren Webb Taydynn Wentz Mikayla Weygint Isabella Wherity Justin Whitehill Sierra Whitesel Jack Wilbur Satinka Williams Bret Womble Isaac Woolley Hunter Wright Parker Yates Evan Zapalac
T16 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
EAST VALLEY ONLINE / EAST VALLEY PARENT PARTNERSHIP
MENDOZA-PEREZ A DEDICATED STUDENT EV Online senior puts in work on English skills, proves aptitude for automotive mechanics By Tommy Connolly
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Coming to the United States in high school is challenging enough but having to learn a whole new language on top of that can be an even bigger challenge. Ernesto Mendoza-Perez, a graduating senior enrolled at East Valley Online and the Skills Center in Spokane Valley, took this challenge head-on and has been flourishing ever since his arrival in Spokane three-and-a-half years ago. “The most difficult part was learning the language,” he said. “It is a lot easier to learn the language when you are little, so it was hard at the beginning.” Despite these challenges and obstacles, Mendoza-Perez has been able to advance quickly and has shown vast growth in learning the English language. “I have a teacher, Mrs. Vicker, who has helped me a lot,” Mendoza-Perez said. “I learned it a lot by hearing other people talk and have conversations, and I would listen to them and pick up words and phrases they were saying.” Not only has Mendoza-Perez managed to learn
English over the last threeand-a-half years, but he has also found his niche in what he wants to do for his career. Mendoza-Perez has a passion for auto body work, but he has never let this get in front of his core work for high school. “He has worked hard and has taken school very seriously,” Nicole Talbert, his teacher at East Valley Online said. “Even though his passion is with fixing cars, he brings the same amount of dedication to his core subject classes as he does to his automotive courses.” Although Mendoza-Perez has managed to flourish in his time in Spokane, it was not an easy adjustment. “It is so much different here than back in Mexico,” Mendoza-Perez said. Leaving your home country in high school was not an easy adjustment, but Mendoza-Perez has been open to learning new ideas and new ways of doing things, while still maintaining his identity as a proud Mexican American. Mendoza-Perez enrolled in East Valley Online this year in order to allow him more time to study automotive mechanics and to work. He has been enrolled in the Skills Center, colli-
sion repair program since he was in 11th grade, and has grown immensely in his time there. Mendoza-Perez always knew that he wanted to get into working with cars, and body work was what he found most intriguing about working at an Auto Body shop. “I really liked body work, and this program let me do that and work more,” Mendoza-Perez said. “Ernesto is one of the hardest working young men in the collision repair program,” his teacher said. “He is always looking for more information about industry processes and procedures.” Mendoza-Perez was drawn to working with cars after he came in to contact with a lot of them and became really interested in the process. From learning a new language, to learning through a pandemic, and getting the chance to work in the Skills Program, Mendoza-Perez has excelled and taken advantage of his opportunities to the fullest in Spokane. “We are so excited to see what great things Ernesto does next,” Mary-Hope Lakin, East Valley counselor, said.
EAST VALLEY ONLINE
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Amber Archambeault Nathan Barnett Maiah Bartleson Lauryn Berezay Zachary Bliss Ronan Bloom Anthony Calderon Cloie Collum Scott Cooper Drayven Crowe Kaiden Deaton Maryjane Devlin Matthew Donaghue Andrew Dust Abbey Fleck Olav Gulliksen III Trinity Halbrook Heather Hayes Kara Lynn Hoffman
Graduation
The East Valley Online Learning commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 14 at East Valley High School, 15711 E. Wellesley Ave., Spokane Valley. Principal: Matt Stevens Raven Holt Caleb Horton Colin Kramer Amiya Lightfoot Adam Mackay Megan Manuel Emma McDonald Zarek Mejia Ernesto Mendoza-Perez Garrett Mitchell Lela Motz Paladin Nelson Colby Pelfrey Corinne Phillips Sydney Pinyerd
Alyssa Pitcher Ashleen Rockstrom Zara Rogers Stevie Schubach Trevor Shaw Kimberly Shiflett William Smith Cameron Speer Justice Standon Kaiden Stern Nya Surginer Leah Swanson Angelina Titus Jett Webster Madeline White
COURTESY
Ernesto Mendoza-Perez is the notable graduate from East Valley Online. MendozaPerez has a passion for automotive mechanics and repair.
DRIVEN IN LOVE OF LEARNING
Growing up in large family leads EVPP senior to aspire to teach By Riley Utley
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Ariel Dillon is a firecracker, as her teachers say. She’s always ready, willing and excited to learn, and she hopes to eventually take this love for learning into her own classroom. “In class she does not back down from a discussion,” said Craig Schaefer, Dillon’s science teacher. “She leans into it with everything she has, in a respectful way. She’s not arguing for argument’s sake. She leans into it and pursues the truth.” Dillon is a senior at East Valley Parent Partnership. She will be the valedictorian of her class. Both Schaefer and Dillon’s counselor Mary-Hope Lakin expressed how self-driven Dillon is and how that is a main reason she’s found her success. This year Dillon decided she wanted to take on a new challenge, Running Start. “My biggest accomplishment was when I started Running Start this year,” Dillon said. “My first quarter I was in an intercultural communications class, it was like a 200-and-something class, and I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. But once I started I was like, ‘Oh, my
gosh, this is so hard, what the heck.’ It was so tough I didn’t know if I’d get through it, but I figured out how to do it. I liked it and after a while I got into the groove and realized I could do this.” She’s been taking American Sign Language along with English 102 and Psychology 101 this quarter. “She has been a total advocate for herself with Running Start,” Lakin said. “That was all her idea. She was the first in her family to do that. She’s done extremely well. She’s our valedictorian this year even with starting college a year early. Her goal is to become a schoolteacher and I think that’s a great fit for her.” Dillon said that her goal is to be a teacher. Her love from school and growing up in a big family and being one of the older siblings is what led her to this decision. “She comes from a family of nine kids,” Lakin said. “She’s the oldest girl, and the third-oldest in line. She’s kind of the second mother of the group. Especially now that she drives siblings all over the place because they are at different ages at different schools. She’s kind of mom’s co-pilot in a lot of ways. She takes that leadership and not only does it
EAST VALLEY PARENT PARTNERSHIP
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: COURTESY
Ariel Dillon is the valedictorian of the East Valley Parent Partnership graduating class. Dillon is the first in her family to enroll in Running Start.
Andrea Baumgartner Shana Bedwell Rose-Marie Chojnowski Daniel Croskrey
Ariel Dillon Dylan Drysdale Damaris French Jerry Koontz Veronika Kozhevnikova Hailey Lentz Nicholas Ragle Conrad Willems
in her own family but is a leader and a role model for the other kids in our school as well.” Her mentorship of her siblings and students has helped her flourish in her leadership and help her figure out that teaching is the career path she wants to pursue. “I had some really awesome teachers. I think they’re probably what inspired me the most,” Dillon said. “Not only that I feel like having good teachers in the world is really important because if the teacher genuinely cares about the student, I think it can really change a lot of kids’ lives. I’ve always wanted to do something to help people, but I didn’t know exactly what it was.” Her plan is to do another year at Spokane Falls Community College to get her AA and then to transfer into a four-year university, either Eastern Washington University or Gonzaga University, to get her teaching certification, she said. “I hope she finds success in everything she’s doing,” Schaefer said. “She’s built a great foundation for it in the way she cares for other people, she doesn’t shy away from anything and she excels at everything she does. I hope she continues down that path. “I would love to see her as a mentor for people in the future for whatever she does.”
Graduation The East Valley Parent Partnership commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 14 at East Valley High School, 15711 E. Wellesley Ave., Spokane Valley. Principal: Frank Brou. Valedictorian: Ariel Dillon.
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T17
EAST VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL EAST VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Conner Aldrich Mackenzie Allen Lakiya Anker Lane Applegate Jose Arredondo Samantha Bailor Emilyna Beason Rhiannon Bennett Sarah Biggs Miciah Bledsoe Jaydan Bohrer Erica Boik Emma Borgman Emily Botter-Hanson Carissa Brown Jayden Brown Madison Brown Kasen Buck Tyler Burghard Josephine Burns Kylee Burress-Wolcott Robert Champagne Carlos Chavez Jade Chernecke Kieran Chojnowski Marissa Cloud Issac Colarusso Caleb Combest Clare Conine Aiden-Mathew Constantino Mariana Coronel Denise Cousins Josephine Cunningham
Graduation
The East Valley High School commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 14 at EVHS Athletic Stadium, 15711 E. Wellesley Ave., Spokane Valley. Principal: Matthew Stevens
Valedictorians:
Kassandra Gartman, Andrew Korchemniy, Henry Stevens and Taylor Voelker. Corinne Daniel Isac Davis Noah Davis Caden Denmark Jacob Destito Teodoro Diaz-Gopar Joshua Doll Brianna Dybvig David Ealy Dylan Embree Tyler Etten Layla Ferguson Levi Fix Alla Florianovich Trevor Floyd Jaxon Forsman Davin Franklin
Gartman
Korchemniy
Hayden Garrett Kassandra Gartman Dairein Garvin Kai Gerber Keyonna Geter Danika Gifford Emma Glore Kristina Gotishan Sequoyah Gray Cooper Green Mataya Green Tate Gregerson Rebecca Grytdal Alexander Hagood Emma Harlan Hope Harrington Salecia Harris Taylor Harris Jaecynn Hart Julien Hart Devren Hautala Ethan Hawes Alexander Hawley Kacie Hayden Makayla Hayward Greta Helfenstein Nathanael Hicks
Stevens
Voelker
Edward Hivrenko Zachary Hjort Blayke Hutchison Nicholas Inhofer Carter Jamison Joseph Jensen Justin Jensen Jacob Jepsen Jessica Joklur Caden Katsel Coen Kayler Elizabeth Keith Dezirae Kiki Andrew Korchemniy Hanna Lamberson Jayden Lanphere Trevin Larsen Joelle Larson Brennen Lilya Casandra Lindley Patrick Lipinski Cayden Lopez Faith Lynch Isabella Magana Austin Martin Bryce Martin Marissa Martinez
Willow Mauch Layne McCandless Jazmine McGee Braelyn Mcmanus Logan Mejia Braydon Mertins Addison Meyer Emilie Miller Hannah Mohammed Michael Moll Elijiah Montgomery Darbee (Logan) Moore Sofia Morales Breonna Morando Oakley Morehouse Isabella Muchmore Landon Mundell Corie Nelson Hayden Ohl Xavier Perez Alex Petersen Corey Phout Kayleen Poe Olivia Quintana Sarah Rabe Kaden Rausch Tyren Redthunder Alexander Reich Gianna Robinson Kylee Rogers Natalie Romine Jaime Ross Brooklynn Rowland Aiden Ruchert Tiffnay Runkle Jose (Alex) Sahagun (Shaw) Victoria Sarioglo
Selena Scott Livia Sevciuc Quinlan Shaw Andrew Sheely Zakaria Simmons Eric Simon Gwendolyn Skeen Seth Skoien Tyler Smyly Destiny Stanek-Bolles Timothy Stark Henry Stevens Elizabeth Stowell Cassandra Swearingen Destiny Swope Skyanna Taylor Zachary Thornton Hailey Timmons Emma Todhunter Grace Todhunter Sanella Tsuber Nicholas Utrera Isidro Vargas Taylor Voelker Julianne Walker Kenton Wang Riley Weger Juliana Wiecks Chase Wiedmer Abigail Willey Makias Williams-Curtis Liberty Wilson Mason Windhorst Jasmine Wolf Trent Yeager Stephen Young Bailey Zwick
Champagne sees world through different lenses East Valley High senior carves filmmaking niche
By Connor Gilbert
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
For East Valley senior Robert Champagne, connecting with others is a naturally effortless endeavor, but it’s one he’s poured his energy into regardless. “If he’s passionate about something, he goes overboard on it,” said his mother, Shelley. “When he’s talking about something, he puts everything into it.” And if there’s one thing Champagne is passionate about, it’s film – a medium he’s learned to harness in a way that meshes his creativity with any sort of communication need for the school. Take, for example, Champagne’s “Weekly Week” series, which serve as part-weekly announcement and part-comic relief for the student body. He wrote all the scripts himself and edits the videos, which juxtapose school announcements with humorous situations such as a “Freaky Friday”-esque body swap with his co-host or a time loop that wreaks havoc on set. And any time the school had a need for a video – an explainer, content for an event or assembly, even a freshman orientation – he was the one teachers called, and he never disappointed. “He’s become kind of a face of information here,” said his leadership advisor, Kelli Hennessey. “Everybody knows who he is because they’ve seen him, and he’s just super down to earth. He’s just easy to talk to. “Students love the things he does. Teachers love the things he does. We have all been able to sort of come together over these things Robbie has done.” But if you ask him, he’s just grateful for the opportunity and that they have yet to ask him to cut a joke from the final product. Film, after all, is the way he sees the world. “I was always kind of introverted, and watching movies kind of became a way to see the world
through a different lens and to kind of connect with people,” he said. “And the older I got, I started to see more stuff and I started to relate that to the world around me, and it’s almost become like a second language for me ... I think as a result of kind of getting into this, I’ve learned to understand people in the world better.” He was voted ASB secretary coming into his senior year, and he says the exposure to a leadership role has emboldened him in a way he couldn’t have foreseen. It also taught him the value of cooperation, something no good movie or show can exist without. “I didn’t come in as a leader, and I think that’s a really important skill that I’ve learned just having a high school experience,” Champagne said. “You don’t actively seek that out. It’s just something that you fall into and that you learn. And I think it helped me grow as a person.” He’s also grown as a communicator, in more ways than one. His parents and teachers say he’s also a gifted writer – he won the English department’s creative writing award this year for his contributions to the school’s literary journal as well as his “Weekly Week” scripts, and he’s always working on a variety of his ideas for films, fleshing out scripts and concepts he hopes to come back to when he has the resources to make them a reality. Debate was a strength of his, allowing him to use his rhetorical skills in a setting that paired them with the ideas he is passionate about. “He’s never cared what anyone thinks,” Shelley said. “He does what he believes in and doesn’t back down.” Champagne is headed to Montana State University in the fall to study film at a program that ranks among the top 50 of its kind in the West with the goal of continuing to hone his craft while working toward becoming a director. That’s a
COURTESY
Robert Champagne, a notable graduate from East Valley High School, has been accepted to Montana State University’s film school. bold undertaking for most 18-year-olds, but those who know him believe in it just as much as he does. They’ve seen his abilities
firsthand. Hennessey said she made him promise to mention her in his speech if he wins an award for his work
at some point, to which he agreed. “It doesn’t have to be like an Oscar speech,” she said, just a little shoutout.
“And the thing is, I can totally see him doing that,” she added. “I absolutely feel like he’s a kid I’m going to hear about again.”
T18 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
MEAD HIGH SCHOOL
Chester challenges herself to improve
COURTESY
Alesandra Chester is described by her Mead High School counselor as an “outstanding” student. Chester will attend Gonzaga University in the fall.
Newcomer from New Jersey earns place at Mead High as track and field team captain and yearbook editor By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Alesandra “Allie” Chester saw a lot of the country during her family’s long journey from New Jersey to Washington at the start of her sophomore year in high school. “We were in shock at how friendly everyone was in Eastern Washington,” she recalled. The move was necessitated when her father took a job at Gonzaga University. “The East Coast is very fastpaced,” she said. “Here people would stop at the store and have conversations with us. It was a big difference.” She didn’t let those cultural differences slow her down when she enrolled at Mead
High School. “I challenged myself to get involved as much as possible.” Her enthusiasm and involvement made her stand out among her peers. “She was the first student that came to mind when I thought of outstanding students,” said Mead counselor Jody Harkness. “She’s a strong influence and positive leader in our school community. She epitomizes the true meaning of a humanitarian giving of her time, energy and aligning her moral compass for the greater good of others.” In New Jersey, Chester had been active in her school’s crew team. Mead didn’t have a crew team, so she looked elsewhere to find her fit – and her fitness. “I tried track and field and
joined the yearbook team,” she said. Track kept her in shape, while the yearbook team gave her an entry into Mead. “I got to interview people around the school, and it got me out of my comfort zone and built my confidence,” Chester said. She didn’t miss a beat academically, either. “Allie jumped into our biomedical program and did a fantastic job,” Harkness said. Science is her passion. “I was in a similar program in New Jersey,” Chester said. “I love science. A lot of it is based on what you see. You find the truth and facts, but there’s a certain amount of ambiguity.” Anatomy, in particular, capti-
vated her. “I’m intrigued by how all the parts of the body work together like a well-oiled machine.” She credits the Breakthrough class she took during her junior year as pivotal in bolstering her confidence and leadership abilities. Chester served as captain on the track team and is an editor on the yearbook staff. “I’m a peer coach in the Breakthrough class this year, so I get to give back what I learned,” she said, While COVID-19 rocked many students as they transitioned from in-person to virtual learning, and back again, Chester adapted to the changes with aplomb. “Not only has she weathered COVID, but she’s constantly trying to better herself,” Harkness said. Chester will attend Gonzaga University in the fall and has already signed onto the university’s crew team. She can’t wait to
return to her happy place on the water as part of a rowing team. She’s also looking forward to pursuing the sciences that so enthrall her. “I know I want to be in pediatrics,” she said. “I don’t know whether that will be as a nurse practitioner, physicians assistant or pediatrician.” Having made a cross-country move and adapted to a new lifestyle, she urges others to be open to the exciting possibilities scary changes can afford. “Just be yourself, “she said. “You’ll find people who like and appreciate you for who you are.” She’s certainly found that in the Mead community and beyond. “When you talk to her you just feel better about the world,” Harkness said.”When life throws her a curveball, she continues to hit it out of the park.” Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com
MEAD HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Kaveh Abghari Lukas Adair Daneisha Adams Eli Adams Emily Adams Aver Agloinga Eme Aguirre Jonathan Alder Joshua Allen Courtney Amann Trent Amann Jonah Amirkhas Thomas Anderson Alicia Araiza Greta Armstrong Nicole Arnold Melani Atha Gracie Atkinson Riley Ayala Andrew Babcock Jaden Baer Tanner Baker Kai Ballard Ethan Barker Samuel Barnes Alyssa Barnufsky Joseph Batchelder Alyssa BeMiller Matthew Beauchemin Cole Bennett Nicole Bennett DaNeja Bjork Vanessa Black Charlotte Bloom Elizabeth Bloom Nicholas Boblick Emma Boharski Gage Boldt Nathanael Borjas Corbin Bowman Matthew Bowman Amaya Brannon Joshua Braun Alexander Briles Jayme Bronson Dane Brooks Connor Brophy Annie Brose Victoria Brown Ezekiel Bruner Garret Burdick Gavin Burdick Grace Burrows Brooklyn Butler Jack Byers Elias Caballero Nicolas Caballero Ayden Cannon Anthony Cao Kyler Carlson Grace Carlton Mason Carter Hazel Chambers Alesandra Chester Parker Colliver Carter Conley Wyatt Conley Caeden Corigliano Joanna Cox
Hannah Crawford Moab Croft Phillip Dang Zada Danica Nyla Datig Chase Davey Raquel Davidson Taylor Davis Adams Tyler Davis Devin Dean Angelo Decaro Levi Decker Joshua Demant Halli Densley Vincent Deubel Brennan Devaney Augustus Dinsmore Colby Dixon Bruno Donoso-Tapia Emma Downing William Downing Grace Dudash Kyla Duffey AJ Dufner James Dugenet Marc Dugenet Mara Duncan Jessica Dundas Jayden Dunivant Hayley Dye Haden Eastman Madison Ediger Joshua Eggleston Mateo Ekholm Jackson Ekstrom Nicholas Elliott Rileigh Elliott Spencer Elliott Kinsey Ellis Taylor Emery Kylie Engebretson Lindsey Engles Niklaus Erb Tristan Estridge Bryan Evans Jamie Evans Amy Everett Aleena Fischer Bree Fischer Ethan Fleck Connor Fletcher Lauren Fontana Hannah Ford Xavierra Foster Zakyla Foster Jamela Foutch Patrick Fricano Nalani Funkugub Quinn Gamon Torrin Gaspard Kasia Giesa-Saito Caden Gillis Abigail Godwin Travis Goldman Alexandra Gonzales Michael Gonzales Alissa Goodnight Jordan Goodwin Kayla Gooler Brian Goss Jeremy Gradin Ethan Granat Carson Gravatt
Arnold
Beauchemin
Bloom
Braun
Cannon
Corigliano
Davidson
Demant
Dugenet
Ediger
Evans
Ford
Holbrook
Iverson
KennedyGibbens
Koehler
Leale
Lewis
Lorenz
Macauley
Magers
Mattox
Meidl
Morasch
Parker
Piacquadio
Prescott
Rutherford
Sapelkina
Selden
Starley
Starr
Sudderth
Thompson
VanLandingham
Volz
Ward
Whanger
Workman
Zvonar
Graduation
The Mead High School commencement will be at 5 p.m. June 18 at Union Stadium, 12509 N. Market St., Spokane. Principal: Jeff Naslund. Valedictorians: Emily Adams, Nicole Arnold, Matthew Beauchemin, Charlotte Bloom, Josh Braun, Ayden Cannon, Caeden Corigliano, Raquel Davidson, Joshua Demant, Marc Dugenet, Madison Ediger, Bryan Evans, Hannah Ford, Jillian Holbrook, Quincy Iverson, Gabriel Kennedy-Gibbens, Sophie Koehler, Madison Leale, Britney Lewis, Lane Lorenz, Dominick Macauley, Camryn Magers, Jordan Mattox, Emma Meidl, Jonathan Morasch, Morgan Parker, Lydia Piacquadio, Mekynzie Prescott, Cassondra Rutherford, Llona Sapelkina, Gabriel Selden, William Starley, Natalie Starr, Megan Sudderth, Emma Thompson, Hadley VanLandingham, Alisa Volz, Paulina Ward, ElsaVaughn Whanger, Bailey Workman and Lucia Zvonar.
Merissa Gray Kyle Grentz Evelina Grychana Jennifer Guevara Alvarez Krista Guthimiller
Joshua Guzman Crystal Ha Joshua Hackworth Elijah Hainline Alexandre Hajjar
Tanzy Halliburton-Link Elliot Hammond Finnegan Hanley Benjamin Hansen Hannah Harvey
Blaine Haugen Joshua Healy Parker Helgesen
See MEAD, 19
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T19
NORTH STAR GSL / MEAD HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOL SWAPS, MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES DON’T STOP NORTH STAR GSL SENIOR FROM SUCCESS
HOUSTON ‘A DREAM STUDENT’ By Allie Noland
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
With a passion to persevere and a willing mind to learn, Kristina Houston is proud to be graduating high school from North Star Guided Student Learning . High school wasn’t easy for Houston. She struggled through battles with mental health and switching schools multiple times, but her love for learning helped her push through. “High school is hard,” Houston said. “I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere until I went to Mead Alternative. The teachers are really good at bringing their students together and went above and beyond to make their students comfortable.” Her freshman year at Innovation High School wasn’t the best fit. Houston switched to Mead High School at the beginning of her sophomore year and then quickly switched to Mead Alternative School. Houston found her home and comfort at Mead Alternative. Karina Berven was Houston’s adviser there. This was the first time that Houston felt the necessary support needed to find a successful education plan, resources for her future and accommodations for mental health issues. North Star is part of the Mead Alternative learning program. Alternative school let Houston’s strengths shine, and it didn’t go unnoticed. “Kristina was a dream student,” Berven said. “You don’t often, at that age, get students who just want to know everything. She was thirsty for knowledge, and she always asked the best questions.” Houston has a desire for furthering her education because she thrives on learning, according to her teachers. Next year, she plans to attend Washington State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology. “I am nervous for the future, but it’s super exciting,” Houston said. “Washington State University is my dream school.” Terri Inman was the one to help Houston find a path to her dream school. As Houston’s senior year teacher at North Star GSL, she has seen Houston grow as a student and as a person struggling with anxiety. Alternative school has been a suitable method for Houston’s learning style, and it has allowed her to manage her anxiety. Public high schools are large. Social pressures can build up, and for some, the focus is taken away from learning and put on how to get through the day. Houston’s switch to alternative school got rid of the distracting pressures. “The classwork at these public schools wasn’t hard,” Houston said. “The hard part was the social aspect.” Houston has had a lot of barriers put up in front of her, but her strength and natural drive to do well has helped her step over them, one by one. “She is a veracious learner, and she really has pushed through a lot,” Inman said. Houston moved out on her own this year and even started working 22-30 hours a week while being a full-time high school student. She said that this was the best option for her because she has more independence and self-motivation to get her school work done. “She has always put her best into juggling quite a few things on her own,” Inman said. “She’s going to be successful, and she fought incredibly hard for it.” Outside of school, Houston is always looking for a reason to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, whether that be reading a book in the sun or going on a walk. She also has a love for mixed media art; layering paints and collaging magazine clippings lets her express her
MEAD
Continued from 18 Evelyn Helton Joshua Henrichs Abigail Herbel Augustine Hernandez Connor Hewson Avery Highfill Ainsley Hill Sadie Hill Sirius Hill Jillian Holbrook Camryn Holden Dylan Howells Joshua Huffman Matthew Hunter Jordynn Hutchinson Zoey Islas Quincy Iverson Nickolas Jabaut Peter Jalbert Skyler James Savannah Jarvis Cory Jenkins Jazmyne Jenness Maeghan Jimno Andrew Johnson Benjamin Johnson Brady Johnson Dylan Johnson Sydni Johnson Alyssa Jolly Sydney Kahabka Maiya Kanoff Cody Karuza Gabriel Kennedy-Gibbens Gabriel Kimberling Ethan King Sophie Koehler Hunter Kosek Tanner Kosek
COURTESY
Kristina Houston is the 2021 notable grad for North Star GSL. creativity. Managing living alone, working almost full time, dealing with anxiety and completing high school is no easy task. Houston’s diligence and intelligence has allowed her to turn situations around and to persevere. “I am going to be so sad to see her go, but I am going to be so happy to see her fly,” Inman said.
Andrew Kovac Samantha Kowzan Alexa Kreuziger Wit’who’wit Krous Jordan Kuhnkey Andrew Kuttner Joseph Lacy Andrew Lambert Matthew Larson Madison Leale Britney Lewis Gavin Lies Calvin Lindsey Cynthia Long Jaxen Longsworth Ronin Lopez Lane Lorenz Nicholas Lukich Miah Lund Gavin Lynch Colton Lyons Dominick Macauley Talon Mackey Kaela Madden Camryn Magers Alisa Malova Gina Mantese Alyssa Mantifel Riley Margulis Zoe Masteller Marisa Mastenbaum Aleksandr Matsyplyuk Jordan Mattox Brisbane McBroom Kallie McCaughey Jammare McClave Elizabeth McEuen Rachel McGee Parker McKeen Jaden McLane John Medrano Emma Meidl Eddie Mendez Jonathan Meyers
Abigail Miller Courtney Miller Marlee Miller Kade Missamore Benjamen Mitchell Jonathan Morasch Nate Morrison Alina Moses Brendan Mullins William Mullins Gavyn Mulvey Ryan Murbach Katherine Musa Allison Neel Alexis Nelson Lee Nelson Matthew Nelson Nathan Ness Dylan Newman Gracelyn Newman Kylie Newman Jaydan Nguyen Nathan Nguyen Kiyanna Nguyen-Jones Levi Nicodemus Hope Nitta Torin Noone Aranza Noriega Ashlyn Norris Jacob Ojennus Dante Onyett Onyongo Opiew Madison Oswalt Abigail Otteson Hadley Palm Morgan Parker Madison Patrick Hannah Peacock Molly Pearson Maya Peck Matthew Peffer Rachel Perry Tayler Pfarr Alexander Phillips
NORTH STAR GSL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Brodie Bachman Joseph Oliveri Berg Justin Bowling Hailee DeShazer Lenore Hartwig
Lydia Piacquadio Tristan Piper Dillon Potts Elizabeth Powers Caleb Pratt Olivia Predisik Mekynzie Prescott Hayden Pritchard Erick Quintero Kameryn Ragan Morgan Reel Isaiah Reid Logan Rice Tiana Richie Trenton Rickard Jonah Rieder Madison Riggs Abby Riley Faith Riley Abygayle Ripley Chase Ripley Cambry Robbins Deshaun Rockstrom Blake Rodriguez Trajan Rogalette Jeffrey Rogers Noah Rosser Izabella Ruckhaber Sarah Ruckhaber Cassondra Rutherford Alex Ryan Aymen Saadoon Mercedes Sampson Shelby Sandefur Ilona Sapelkina Brian Schadt Cadence Schoonover Olivia Schultz Mirielle Schwab Skyler Scollard Cole Seay Kevin Selby Gabriel Selden Nicholas Sergott
Kristina Houston Anika Marbach Austin Morehart Sean Mulcahey Brian Rickel Grace Sands Kaelie Schorr Kiera Smith
Hayden Sessions Caleb Shawen Brooklyn Shepard Lauren Shepard Alexander Sicilia Tylor Simbler Edward Simpson Emmanuil Skirda Elleona Sletten Arrianna Smith Brayden Smith Donovan Smith Joshua Smith Tianna Smith Abigail Sonnichsen Elias Soto Glenn Soto Hailee Speir Dominik Sretenovic Riley Stansberry William Starley Natalie Starr Parker Startin Jacob Steele Vanessa Stevens William Stockett Eli Storer Jorie Stotts Reba Strand Elaina Stratton Cullen Strom Megan Sudderth Darah Swan Garrett Tangermann Savanna Tarmann Nicholas Terrill Mikah Thies Ty Thomas Wayne Thomas Alexandra Thompson Emma Thompson Joseph Thompson Sam Thompson Tyson Thompson
Graduation
The North Star Guided Student Learning commencement will be at 6:30 p.m. June 17 at Mead High School Theater, 302 W. Hastings Road. Principal: Nick Edwards
Daniel Tollefsen Alison Tregellas Isaak Turner Sophia Monica TurningRobe Chase Utley Braedyn Vail Hadley VanLandingham Kalei VanSickle Drew Verburg Victoria Veter Abiba Vita Alisa Volz Kaitlyn Wagner Nathan Walker Conor Waller Paulina Ward Eric Weaver Emily Webber Brenden Wedekind Stephen Wellein Alyssa Weller Hannah Wells Sam Wenkheimer Elsa Whanger Morgan Whapeles Alijah Whitman Corbin Wilson Cynthia Wilson Sydney Wilson Alexus Wood Heather Woodard Jessica Woodd Calvin Word Brynn Worden Bailey Workman Cody Wray Colin Wyma Brody Yearout Braeden York Donovan Yunk Lucia Zvonar
T20 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
MT. SPOKANE
MOTHER’S LEGACY GUIDES BALLANTYNE
Mt. Spokane senior became Lilac princess, changed college goals – all inspired by mom By Nina Culver
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Lauren Ballantyne was having a mostly unremarkable high school career at Mt. Spokane High School filled with classes and slowpitch softball games until one day in October 2018. Ballantyne remembers the day clearly. Her team was playing a game that would determine if their slowpitch team would go to the state championships. Her parents promised to be there, but they never came. After the game was over, her father showed up and took Ballantyne straight to the hospital. Her mother had just been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. There was little warning other than a terrible headache, Ballantyne said. The tumor was the size of a lemon when it was discovered and her mother had surgery to remove it, but it rapidly grew back. “It was very immediate, which was weird,” she said. “We had 10 months while she was fighting it.” Her mother died in August 2019, four days before Ballantyne began her junior year. “She was the definition of a light,” she said. “She could just light up a room with her smile.” The two had a close relationship. “They called me Debbie 2.0,” Ballantyne said. “We were very, very similar.” Though Ballantyne has maintained her grades and continued on, she said losing her mother was tough.
It also made school awkward, because people were hesitant to talk to her about it. “I knew that everybody knew, but no one wanted to talk about it,” she said. Ballantyne said she thinks many of her fellow students just didn’t know what to say, but she said she likes talking about her mother. “It’s more of an honor to be able to share her legacy,” she said. School counselor Melissa Allen said Ballantyne has an “incredible ability to deal with adversity and choose a positive path. Lauren has turned devastating loss into something positive time and time again.” Allen said Ballantyne has continued to do well in school despite the turmoil at home. “She is an outstanding student,” she said. It was Ballantyne’s mother who inspired her to compete to become her school’s Lilac Festival princess. “In high school my mom was part of the Montana state Junior Miss,” she said. “She had the pretty dresses and tiaras.” While Lilac princesses do wear pretty dresses and tiaras, Ballantyne said she wanted to compete because she saw it as a way to serve her community. She was selected to be a princess in December and said she has enjoyed going to various events and learning more about the community she’s called home since she was born. “It’s just kind of being a bigger role in the community,” she said. “I really like
COURTESY
Lauren Ballantyne, who graduates with the Mt. Spokane High School class of 2021, plans to attend Gonzaga University in the fall. to be able to talk to other young girls about it.” She and her mother volunteered together, including at Rising Strong, a family-centered drug treatment and housing program run by Catholic Charities. “I watched little kids while their parents went to AA meetings,” she said. “I would
just play with them and get their minds off what was happening.” Before her mother got sick, Ballantyne was considering a career in engineering. But her mother’s experience convinced her to follow another path and study medicine. “After my mom was di-
agnosed, I knew that I wanted to help people,” she said. Though she plans to study medicine, she does not plan to be involved in cancer treatment. “Doing oncology might be a little too much,” she said. Ballantyne will begin classes at Gonzaga Univer-
sity in the fall, and memories of her mother won’t be far from her mind. Though she misses her mother, Ballantyne said she’s glad her mother is not in pain any more. “I wish she was still here, obviously,” she said. Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com
MT. SPOKANE HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
Anyan
Baskett
Borst
Buth
Cong
Degenhart
Figueira
Gularte
Haley
Haynie
Hessami
Hill
Isern, C.
Isern, E.
Ketola
Knutson
McMurray
Miller
Murphy
O’Rourke
Pearson
Peterson
Scarlett
Smith
Tripp
VanWert
Walker
Whitmire
Zandt
Zavala
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Kaveh Abghari Abby Ainsworth Abed Al Shaar Sione Alington Tiare Allen Wyatt Almquist Shahad Alzubaidy Seth Amend Maryam Amiri Peter Amram Jr Jorian Anderson Ayen Anei Gabrielle Anien Nancy Ankien Sam Anyan Katelyn Asay Kortney Aukerman Nick Aukerman James Babb Bethany Baird Kyleigh Balcom Lauren Ballantyne Hunter Barton Carson Baskett Alexis Bault Kelsey Bergmann Ryan Binder McKenna Birch Grace Bishop Maisie Bissell Emily Bonanno Anastasia Bond Riley Bonser Derek Borst Sierra Bos Hailey Bown Ellie Brandhagen Eliza Bravo Esmeralda Bravo Abigail Brown Anthony Browning Ian Buchanan Madison Bughi Grant Bunney Lindsey Burke Carson Bush Riley Buth Jillian Cantrell Jack Cappel Jolene Carlson Layken Carr Rhyan Chapman Hannah Cihal Graham Clark Landon Clegg Brianna Clemons Grant Cloer Cayden Coffield Samantha Collins Brandon Colman Joseph Colon Alexander Cong Heather Conrad
Ryan Costello Jovan Cozzetto Joshua Crary Nathan Creasey Kiara Cruz Sarah Dahl William Dalebout Amaya Daniel Ethan Daniels Jeremiah Davis Laura Davis Terra Davis Ethan DeWitt Hadly Dean Tyson Degenhart Benjamin Dehle Ray DelPizzo Logan Dillon Christi-Anne Discenza Samuel Doshchik Alyssa Dozier Hannah Durheim Jack Durheim Jared Eckberg Olivia Edginton Ryle Emmett Joel Estabrook Jennifer Facer Jordyn Falkner Dane Feist Lydia Fender Kaden Ferguson Shay Fetters Meghan Fettig Zachary Fewkes Kahealani Figueira Ryder Fleming Sydney Fleming Morgan Flesland Leah Forester Emily Freeman Serena French Athena Fry Brenden Fuller Brian Garcia-Mora Joel Gash Caitlin Gasperin Isaac Giddings Hudson Gilbert Trenton Goblick Ryan Gockley Osman Goni Benjamin Goos Kingston Grey Cadence Gruener Claire Gularte Colton Gundlach Sophia Gurdyumov Rebecca Haley Harley Hall Warren Hamilton Robert Hammond Ky Haney Hannah Hanley Rianna Hansell Jonathon Hansen Brennan Hardin
Andrew Hay Allison Haynie Jillian Headley Tyler Hedy Hailey Hegwer Richard Heichi Lyndsey Heinz Caleb Hendrickson Sophia Hessami Chase Heuett Hana Hill Elizabeth Hinckley Aaron Hintze Dylan Holden Sierra Hoseid Jahid Hosson Casey Howerton Reagan Huggins Bergen Hughes Ethan Hunt Jaelynn Hunt-Osburn Alexis Hunter Alexander Hydzik Trevahn Ignacio Rayne Irish Charlotte Isern Erika Isern Conner Jackson Gillian Janda Alaina Johnson Ellie Johnson Turin Johnson Amelia Johnston Marcus Johnston Jobina Joklur Jeran Jordan Carter Julien Audrey Kanally Anna Kaprian Austin Keele Jessica Keen Conor Kellogg Madison Kelly William Kern Kristen Ketola Grace Kiilehua Eugene Kim Colter Kincaid Nadia Kincaid Carly King Majd Klaib Heather Kleven Emily Knoll Colton Knopik Sarah Knutson Seth Kober Malaya Kontonikolas Emme Lamb Sarah Lamonica Jaden Lanzone Joshua Larson Spencer Larson Sawyer Lasby Isabella Lawrence Aliviah Lewis Caitlyn Leyde Ethan Leyde
Kallie Liljenquist Derick Littrel Bradley Long Jimmy Lucas Max Magee Marcus Magera Isabella Mahlke Natalie Makortoff Connor Marll Halle Martin Max Martin Peyton Maxwell Hannah McCann Owen McComas Hannah McCready Tanner McCullough Keagan McMurray Kinkade McMurray Connor McRae Brennen Meseberg Taylor Miche’ Ian Mickelson Carter Miethe Cooper Miethe Ellie Mikiska Gavin Miller Aaliyah Moe Diana Mongkeya Zanysha Montgomery Alli Moran Joseph Morton Greta Moses Carson Moyer Hannah Mundel Kylee Munro Alison Murphy Trace Nash Gracey Neal Aidan Nelson Duy Nguyen Uyen Nguyen Daniel Nixon Zane O’Harvey Paige O’Rourke Taliyha Ocampo Christian Oster Ashlyn Ovnicek Abraham Pace Tyler Palmer Jehkiah Palomino Donella Parent Joshua Pauletto Jordyn Timothy Payne Kaitlyn Payne Nathan Pearson Thomas Pearson Denny Pefley Kailey Percival-DeFord Connor Peterson Avery Brian Plank Rylie Popple Celestrial Diamond Post Isabella Pounder Drew Prudente Sebastian Prudente Alyssa Pukitis Sarra Puzankova
Elizabeth Quesinberry Ethan Rabe Logen Randol Kylie Rankin Abigail Reed Jacob Reid Kelsey Reid Madison Reisenauer Ella Richardson Laeya Richardson Nakoa Richardson Rachel Rickards Marlina Roadrik Brady Arthur Roberts Blaine Rochelle Justyne Rockstrom Trevor Rounds Nolan Ruegsegger Craig Runge Collin Rydman Tyler Ryoppy Michael Ryser Anthony Saley Nicolas Salkin Kevin Sant Tyler Sauer Braedon Larry Saulibio Nicole Savage Yelyzaveta Savchenko Linsey Scarlett Ella Schauer Xander Scherer Jared Schnug Jordan Schroeder Brooklynn Schultz Emalie Sears Tylar Sewell Katelyn Shaw Sydney Shaw Thomas Shea Eva Shipton Grayson Shogan Regan Siclair Jaimyn Sides Nolan Siegel Rain Sigler Kilo Simpson Kobe Simpson Brynna Singer Aidan Sloan Deacon Smith Devin Smith Rachel Smith Sophia Smith Krista Snyder Clarissa Solorzano Grady Spangle Caleb Spilker Emily Spolski Hardy John Sprague Carson Spurlock Logan Steven Emory Stevens Sebastian Stiles Sydney Stockwell Raurie Strang Rachel Stumm
The Mt. Spokane High School commencement will be at 8 p.m. June 18 at Union Stadium, 12509 N. Market St., Mead. Principal: Darren Nelson Valedictorians: Sam Anyan, Carson Baskett, Derek Borst, Riley Buth, Alexander Cong, Tyson Degenhart, Kahealani Figueira, Claire Gularte, Rebecca Haley, Allison Haynie, Sophia Hessami, Hana Hill, Charlotte Isern, Erika Isern, Kristen Ketola, Sarah Knutson, Kinkade McMurray, Gavin Miller, Alison Murphy, Paige O’Rourke, Nathan Pearson, Connor Peterson, Linsey Scarlett, Rachel Smith, Avery Tripp, Tessa VanWert, Hunter Walker, Teagan Whitmire, Samantha Zandt and Camila Zavala. Sharon Tablong Megan Taylor Lauren Terry Jalen Thomas Linzee Thompson Gavin Threlkeld Hayden Timberlake Dawson Todd Monalisa Toilolo Juji Sarena Toney Ethan Daniel Torhjelm Cierra Torosian Cloe Towry-Meier Avery Tripp Auburn Tupper Gina Twenge Molly Tyrrel Gracyn Ulias Connor VanHook Tessa VanWert Kiera Vermeal Sydney Vogel Macy Volk Hunter Walker Ty Walker Dylan Wall Parker Wall Caleb Wallace Lili Wallingford Andrew Waters Samuel Weaver Tanner Wedde Cooper Weiland Cameron Wellman Dallin Wells Alyssa Welton Kaylee Werther Braden Westermann Jaeger Wheaton Ilsa White Teagan Whitmire Kailey Whitney Tyler Whitney Angelique Starr Wicker Calen Wiechert Ella Williams Stevie Williams Brayden Wilsey Jacob Wise Natalie Worley Charles Wray Timothy Yasinsky Abriana Yeaman Kayden Younker Sara Zackious Ashley Zamora-Alvarez Samantha Zandt Camila Zavala Jada Ziegler
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T21
FIVE MILE PRAIRIE / NORTH STAR SCHOOL
Self-discipline helped Enders adjust at school Five Mile Prairie senior rises to meet rigorous workload By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Megan Enders is the notable graduate from Five Mile Prairie School. She says she enjoys helping others.
FIVE MILE PRAIRIE SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Amaya Anderson Josalyn Baggaley Megan Enders Margaret Fairborn Lance House Anthony Kuzmenkov Samuel Levitski Edward Lukin Anna Mikhailenko
Graduation
The Five Mile Prairie School commencement will be 5:30 p.m. June 17 at Mead High School, 302 W. Hastings Road. Principal: Nick Edwards Valedictorian: Margaret Fairborn Yuriy Minayev Darya Pankova Michael Savin Ruppel Julia Tsarevskiy
Julia Vistorovskaya Emma Wenski Enessa Yurkin
Fairborn
Megan Enders entered Five Mile Prairie School as a freshman after being wholly homeschooled. “I wanted something to transition into between now and college, and this really helped,” she said. Enders said her father is a helicopter pilot and flight instructor in the National Guard. “My dad’s service impacts all aspects of my life,” she said. “His deployments last nine months to a year. My mom decided to homeschool my older sisters and me because my dad was gone so much.” In fact, her father is currently in Saudi Arabia but plans to be in Spokane for her graduation. At first the transition from homeschool to classroom setting proved daunting, but Enders quickly found her way. “The biggest thing is the workload is pretty large because you’re only there two days a week,” she said. “I learned a lot of discipline to get the work done.” Her teachers were amazed at how quickly Enders acclimated. “When Megan entered Five Mile, she found it to be very challenging,” said teacher Linda Warren. “She felt the workload was rigorous, but she was up for the challenge.” Indeed, she soon became someone other students could turn to if they needed help. “School comes naturally to me, and I have a pretty big work ethic,” Enders said. The staff at Five Mile appreciated her classroom demeanor and leadership skills. “She’s an incredibly stellar student and a great leader,” Warren said. “If anything got negative during
classroom discussions, she’d redirect it to the positive. She puts everyone at ease.” Warren recalled how Enders came alongside a struggling fellow student. “Megan mentored her and wouldn’t give up on her,” said Warren. Enders downplayed her role. “I did some tutoring and volunteering in the younger kids’ classes, and I really enjoyed it,’ she said. “Five Mile has amazingly supportive teachers and staff,” Helping others is second nature to her. “I have a passion to help people where I see a need,” she said. While taking Running Start Classes at Spokane Falls Community College, that passion found direction. “She took a sociology course and fell in love with the field,” Warren said. “She’s leaving her options open, but she sees herself in an administrative position in a nonprofit organization.” When her college classes moved online in spring 2020, Enders adapted quickly. “It was probably easier for me because of my homeschool background,” she said. Enders plans to attend Eastern Washington University. “I’m passionate about social justice issues, particularly mental health issues,” she said. Whatever her ultimate career path entails, Warren is confident her student will accomplish her goals with humility and poise. “I think she’s on her way to do exactly what she wants – working in a nonprofit,” Warren said. “She’s so strong and she knows where she wants to go.” Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com
NORTH STAR SCHOOL
Graduation
The North Star School commencement will be at 5 p.m. June 16 at North Star School, 13120 N. Pittsburg St., Spokane. Principal: Nick Edwards
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Haiden Garrett is the 2021 notable senior for North Star School.
COURTESY
Isabella Alvarez Mcah Baker Shayla Billing Nathaniel Edwards Luke Esco Haiden Garrett Jarin Garza Carter Leat Merial Lopez Lindsey McElfish Lane Miners Alexis Niggemeyer Kaylie O’Dell Jordan Phillips Jeter Schuerman Kelton Titchenal
NORTH STAR’S GARRETT ‘A TRUE RENAISSANCE WOMAN’ By Riley Farmer
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Whether it’s rock climbing, remodeling her family home or learning the piano, North Star School senior Haiden Garrett can do it all. The lifelong homeschooler has developed a smorgasbord of talents and interests throughout her years of study at the North Star School home school program. “She is a true Renaissance woman,” North Star School Director Ginny Cronin said. “She is such a vibrant, effervescent, enthusiastic learner.” Garrett, who has been homeschooled in the Mead School District since fourth grade, is a perfect representative of the kind of lifelong learner the program hopes to nurture. Under the supervision of Cronin, whom she
meets with once a week, Garrett has studied a college-level literary course that includes classics such as ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch. Her unique schooling experience has given her the opportunity to examine and learn subjects on a deeper level than her peers, Cronin said. Garrett has gotten the chance to explore a huge number of different interests outside of the normal classes offered at public schools, including Chinese summer classes at Gonzaga and private piano lessons. She has also been an outstanding student outside of North Star, and is working on her associate’s degree from the Spokane Falls Community College, where she will graduate with honors this June. Garrett has taken piano lessons since the third grade, though she
has had to give it up since she started her classes at SFCC. One of the benefits of her program is it let her dive deeper into the classics, where she learned Latin. In more recent years, she and her sister have expanded their repertoire of languages when they took a Chinese summer class at Gonzaga University. Besides the chance to dive deeper into languages and the classics, Garrett has also learned more technical skills. Last semester, she took an introductory course on computer coding through North Star, adding to her already long list of accomplishments. For Garrett, learning is a lifelong process. Once she started homeschooling in the fourth grade, Garrett knew there was no going back. Homeschooling has given her so many different options to find
her path that Garrett said she couldn’t imagine not being homeschooled. “I feel like you get a lot more in homeschooling because you’re constantly in school,” Garrett said. Even when she is outside the classroom, Garrett epitomizes the idea of being a lifelong learner. When Garrett’s family moved to the Mead School District, Cronin remembered the whole family worked together to renovate their house. “They bought a house that was a shell, and the family came together to finish it,” Cronin said. Practical life skills have always been a part of Garrett’s life, and she has also repaired her family’s car and motorcycle. But Garrett said the technical skills she learned could be applied to the rest of her life.
“It’s more just if there’s a problem, you’re going to learn to fix it,” Garret said. “It wasn’t necessarily a hobby, it was just at the time something needed to be fixed.” Garrett will move from fixing cars to fixing people when she finishes her associate degree and moves on to the University of Western States in Portland. Garrett plans to finish school there and become a chiropractor. Garrett said she decided to be chiropractor because it was a great job, but also because it can let her live a life outside of work. “I look at what is important in my life, and, yes, school’s important, but it’s also spending time with my family, it’s hiking, it’s enjoying the Inland Northwest,” Garrett said. “I enjoy things outside of school, and I don’t want everything to be about that.”
T22 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
CHENEY / THREE SPRINGS
Graham chooses to fight for herself
CHENEY HIGH SCHOOL
Benson
Butikofer
Emert
Senior begins to see self as family, friends do – loved Evans
Hinrichs
Gerber
Johnson
Spakousky
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Kale Abbey Madeline Abendroth Allison Adams Dulcie Adams Isabelle Adams Anthony Aguilera Ashton Akers Katelyn Alderson Honey Amor Devin Anderson Lacey Anderson Andrew Austin Dezeriah Baker Draven Baker Tatiana Balakirev Shyanna Baldovinos Koltin Baldwin Terrell Ballard Evelyn Barlow Karl Barsness Kieran Beechler Brent Belsby Brady Benson Makenna Benson Lydia Bleeker Miles Blomgren Hunter Bowers Alexxis Bowes Faith Boyle Brady Brennan Austin Brown Henry Browne John Buob Joshua Buob Alan Burgos Seth Burris Dusten Butikofer Aunnica Byrd Mylesiah Campbell Aiden Carver Gabriela Chaparro Rhyan Clark Emily Clausen Jonah Coffin Clayton Cole Mayson Cowan Zerayah Coy-Rayson Stuart Crawford Hendrix Cronin Kady Cullen Sarah Culps Caitlin Cunningham Marisa Daceus Jackson Dalton Tommy Daniels Megan Darvis Hannah Davis Tiahnni Davis Sofia Day Juan DeJesus Ortiz Caleb DeLaCruz Elizabeth DeLaCruz Kellen DeWeese Rachelle Dean Alexys Deatherage Aubree Dennstaedt Hunter Despino Anna Doberman Kylee Dobson Joza Dow Brian Dreis Gregory Duncan James Ehrgott Emily Ek Mohamad El-Aarag George Emert Eti Ena Carl Enburg Emma Evans Malea Farrell Gabriel Faught Karina Flores Kayla Fortune Erik Garcia Aislin Garza Cameron Geary Megan Geissler Charles Gerber Sophia Gerckens Alanna Gillingham Jessie Gladden Ainsley Glennen Addison Gonzalez Ariana Gonzalez Daniel Gonzalez Esteban Gonzalez Sara Graham Kodeyak Greene Damin Gregg Devon Grover Horsley Emily Hackett Joseph Haggarty Thomas Haggarty Lindsay Hagreen Daniel Hall Danielle Hall Moriah Hallin Peter Hampson Skyler Hanson
By Arielle Dreher
Hanson
Richardson
Stark
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Showalter
Thornburg
Graduation
The Cheney High School commencement will be June 11, 5 p.m., at Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights. Principal: Troy Heuett. Valedictorians: Makenna Benson, Dusten Butikofer, George Emert, Emma Evans, Charles Gerber, Skyler Hanson, Lauren Hinrichs, Charles Johnson, Anna Richardson, Jackson Showalter, Mayah Spakousky, Avery Stark and Jaela Thornburg. Dalton Harriett Cade Harris Colbie Hayes Kindel Heilman-Barrett Lisette Hernandez Ciera Herres Tylin Hertel Dawson Heuett Breanna Hewey Robert Hill Caden Hillebrandt Jade Hines Lauren Hinrichs Addison Hinton Colton Hodgen Isabell Hoffman Colby Holt Lizabeth Hotchkiss Jessika Howard Jason Inman Haruka Inoue Skylynn Iverson Johnathen Jacobsen Marisity Jagim-Kern Aine Jessel Charles Johnson Isaac Johnson Seth Johnson Steven Johnson Benjamin Jones Elissa Jones Jake Jongeward Liliia Kaban Henry Kallem Andrew Kennedy Skiler Kennicutt Bruce Kibet Isabella King Zachary Kirwin Charles Knapp Peyton Knox Emily Knudtson Evelina Kozhokaru Quintin-Paul Kraft Anthony Krallis Ashley Krehbiel Ruby Kropidlowski Callie Lamb Ethan Lambert Samuel Lambert Juliet Lauber Colin Lazzar Logan Legault Lian Leith Victor Lepekhin Chloe Lerch Aliyah Lien Andre Lien Kaylee Lienhard Brennan Lomax Connor Lomax Kayli Lucas Feliciano Luna Larry Lyman III Brandon Lynch Jacob MacKinnon Marion Mager-Reeser Ty Mansfield Thai-Je Mason Martin McCray Cassandra McDaniel Jordyn McFarland Benjamin McGourin Dylan McGrath Moira McLaughlin Dennis Medvedev Megan Memea Lizbeth Mendez Daniel Mihailishin Caleb Miller Jocelyn Miller Anna Minka Alexis Mitchell Marlena Mizzoni Alexander Moskalenko Clayton Murray Maya Nally Joslyn Nesheim Kevin Nesterov Calista Netzley Wesley Nicol Gavin Noblin Lauren O’Callaghan Adelyn O’Dell Merlina Oei Kyla Olson Layne Olson
Alexander Oltmer Anthony Olvera Cruz David Opiyo Esteban Ortega Duncan Otoupalik Sydney Owen Savannah Palanuik Alek Payne Grace Payne Sierra Peone Hannah Pieratt Lynn Port Ryan Port Kiley Power Christian Ragland Eve Reese Ashly Reichow Aeris Remacle Sierra Richards Anna Richardson Trinidad Richardson Ryan Rieckmann Jordan Riley Alex Rodrigues Ethan Rogers Javiera Rojas Nunez Ryan Romanyszyn Alexander Rose Natalie Royse-Wake Luke Ruby Nathan Russell Belen Sanchez-Gonzalez Halle Sargent Hope Schneider Beckett Schoenleber Paige Schultz Theresa Schulz Ian Schwendiman Blake Seubert Brandon Shaffer Kolten Shaw Jackson Showalter Joshua Sikkema Sulamita Sinyakov Jacob Smith Tarrah Smith Mayah Spakousky Jamie Sprague Jasmine Sprague Avery Stark Tyler-James Steele Daniel Stepchin Erik Stevens Corrina Storkson Dmetri Strait Dylan Straley Hunter Sullivan Cole Sumerlin Sawyer Swain Jennifer Swisher Farah Tariq Tyler Testa Jaela Thornburg Jace Tillman Brynn Tobler Maria Tonarelli Michael Tonarelli Gennessee Torres Jairo Torres Veronica Turko Evan Utter Trevor Vallance Sara VanAusdal Marissa Vasquez Van Vega Miranda Venarucci Kyle Vietzke Bae Vilandre Jeremy Voight Sonny Voss Xinyi Wang Justin Ward Makyla Ward Michael Ward Jayla Washington Shailah Webley Rylan Welling Skyla West Phoenix White James Whiteley Cole Williams Sean Wilson Jase Winner Sarianne Winters Lauryn Woller Brayden York-Akiu Vladis Zetchov
THREE SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
The Three Springs High School commencement will be at 2 p.m. June 12 at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford Road, Airway Heights. Principal: Catheleen Scott. Valedictorian: Jasmine Rison. Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Amelia Bennett Jakob Bernsdorf Jasmine Braun Asahel Chavez Isaic Cochrane Shyla Courchaine Amanda Fetters
Taylor Kichler Jordayah LaValley Kamryn Mashtare Taylor Mashtare Maxwell Minnick Tyson Park Jasmine Rison Molly Scherer Anthony Sullivan Brooks Wolfley Connor Yerkes
Rison
For Sara Graham, high school has been a journey, at times tumultuous, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Graham will graduate this spring with a nearly perfect GPA from Cheney High School, and she recently got vaccinated so she can attend University of Montana in the fall. She plans to complete premedical undergraduate courses that will prepare her for a master’s program in occupational therapy. Volleyball is Graham’s sport of choice, and she played setter for the Cheney High team for most of high school, including a shorter four-week season early in 2021, thanks to the pandemic. Despite the COVID restrictions and phases the team had to go through, Graham was incredibly thankful to be able to be a leader on her team and finish her high school volleyball career alongside her friends. Graham’s story includes some real challenges, however, when just a few years ago, she might have found herself having a panic attack in the classroom. She struggled with depression and anxiety in her freshman and sophomore years, and while volleyball was a good release for her, it wasn’t enough. She tried to end her life twice, the first time landing her in the psychiatric unit at Sacred Heart Medical Center for a week, the second time, found barely conscious surrounded by family. It was then, lying on the floor with her family around her that she decided to make a change. “That was when I decided, ‘OK, Sara, it’s time to fight. It’s time to pick yourself up and fight for yourself because I have family members, parents and other people fighting for me right now, why not help those people fighting for me?’ ” she said. “Why aren’t you fighting for yourself Sara?” Today, Graham is open and honest about her past experiences, acknowledging the role her support system as well as counselors and the right medication played in getting her back on track. “It has been a night and day difference,” she said. For Graham, if sharing her story can help others who are feeling similar to how she was, she wants to assure them they are not alone and encourage them to reach out. She said everyone’s feelings are valid, and she has learned not everyone experiences those feelings and emotions the same way. “A lot of my friends are scared to say they’re depressed to me, but our depression looks different,” she said. “Everybody’s feelings look different, so don’t compare or say your rock bottom looks different than my rock bottom.”
COURTESY
Sara Graham, a member of the Cheney High School graduating class this year, says she hopes sharing her past experience with depression can help others. Graham credits her family, friends and support system at Cheney High School for helping her get through her tough freshman and sophomore years. She recalls her teachers working with her to catch up on assignments if she got behind and encouraging her to keep going. Graham said her volleyball coach was also her role model, seeing her through her best and her worst times. By junior year she was thriving, playing varsity volleyball as the setter for the Cheney High School team, and aside from a concussion that took her out of play for a while, things were going well. Then the pandemic hit. At the time, Graham felt like she couldn’t catch a break, but now she’s grateful for the pandemic and the perspective it gave her. “I think COVID was such a true blessing in disguise because it made me realize who I am when I’m by myself and who I am with – you have a choice of who you want to be around,” she said. “I figured out my true and genuine friends who care about me and my decisions.” Graham would encourage others who are struggling like she once was to be willing to put the time in and reach out to others for help when they need it. “Keep fighting; keep pushing for your own life and know your own worth,” she said. Arielle Dreher can be reached at (509) 459-5467 or at arielled@spokesman.com
Courchaine credits individualized education at Three Springs School made room for athlete to juggle schoolwork, sports activities with full-time jobs By Stephanie Hammett THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
After moving to Three Springs High School in her sophomore year, Shyla Courchaine began to thrive, falling in love with science, history and physical education. Before Three Springs, Courchaine struggled with undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia for years. But with the individualized education plan she was able to receive through the school, she finally had the help she needed. “I’m so proud of her,” Courchaine’s mother Candice Birchell said. The 18-year-old Courchaine will graduate from Three Springs with her classmates on June 12 at Northern Quest Casino & Resort. Courchaine has always enjoyed athletics and the outdoors, having started playing softball when she was only 8 years old. So, when she moved to Three Springs, joining the softball team and taking up various other sports came naturally. Tiffany Lockwood, Courchaine’s club softball coach, shared her ongoing admiration for Courchaine’s motivation over the years. “Shyla is an incredible young lady,” Lockwood said, praising Courchaine’s personal drive and her instinct to encourage the players around her. “She is an excellent lefty and a power hitter for sure. Great team player and athlete and I would always welcome her on my
COURTESY
Shyla Courchaine helped lead the Three Springs High softball team to state tournaments. Courchaine plans to study business, starting at Spokane Falls Community College. team.” On her softball team – which has been to many state and regional championships – she played pitcher and right field, but “I can play anything,” she said. She also enjoys trapshooting, riding motorcycles, hunting and fishing among other outdoor activities. Since she turned 16, Courchaine has fit her school work around full-time jobs, hostessing alternately at restaurants like Denny’s and Texas Roadhouse. She said that while hostessing wasn’t her end goal, she has always enjoyed the social aspect and getting to know the regulars. This past year, her job working as a COVID-19 scanner at Northwest Specialty Hospital
in Post Falls offered enough downtime to allow her to finish her coursework early. Post-graduation, Courchaine is looking forward to being an adult, being able to work and, hopefully, being able to enjoy a little more free time. She has several paths open to her. Fascinated with biology and the human body, she once considered a career in medicine. But more recently Courchaine has had her sights set on earning a business degree at Spokane Falls Community College and continuing to play softball. Stephanie Hammett can be reached at (509) 459-5013 or at stephanieh@spokesman.com
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T23
MEDICAL LAKE HIGH / MEDICAL LAKE ENDEAVORS
Davis’ excellence on mat provides success in and out of school By Justin Reed
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Imagine a tendon or ligament ripping from the pelvis and taking a piece of bone with it. Then, less than two years later, how about a tear of a knee ligament and meniscus? Two harsh injuries, two long rehabilitations. Despite losing two of his high school seasons due to injury, Medical Lake’s Ethan Davis said his setbacks were only a precursor to the successes he is striving for at his next stop, San Francisco State University. “Ultimately, I want to leave my biggest impact in college wrestling more than high school because obviously it’s the biggest stage where you have to perform and the more memorable it is,” Davis said. “I want to prove that I can be effective and successful at the next level.” Since the seventh grade, Davis had Matt Leenhouts as his wrestling coach. Leenhouts has seen Davis grow in all facets of his life – he also saw the debilitating injuries, specifically the injury to his hip. “You know, I had concerns,” Leenhouts said. “I mean, it was a pretty serious injury his sophomore year, and I truly, we didn’t know if we’re going to have him back.” Davis’ talent was never the question. Leenhouts always believed him to be the best wrestler in the state. If he could just make it back, even at 70%, he would be in good shape. It was time for Davis to get to work – something he is well-accustomed to. “Athletic-wise, he’s just nonstop,” Leenhouts said. “He studies the craft of wrestling and constantly seeks to improve, and always wants to get extra work in.” During his recovery from his injuries, he was introduced to Tanner Davis, a physical therapist and sports performance trainer. Tanner Davis is a former Division I wrestler who helped lead Ethan Davis toward a life of working out on a consistent basis. Another influential member of Ethan Davis’ inner circle was Donnie Santos, owner of Gas House Gym. Ethan’s plan is to move into business and marketing, so he and Santos talk business and, of course, bodybuilding.
By Joe Everson
Madilyn Lee Wiertalla doesn’t see anything particularly noteworthy about a high school path that ended with graduation from Medical Lake Endeavors, a small student-centered alternative program made up of about 40 students from Medical Lake and surrounding communities. Transferring from the traditional high school to Endeavors wasn’t Wiertalla’s idea, but when it was proposed to her as an alternative that might give her a greater chance of success than the more customary route, she was quick to agree to it. “I had no idea what I was doing or what I wanted to do,” she said, “and I missed a lot of school. I was missing a couple credits after my freshman year, mostly because I just went to school when I felt like it. I had some health issues, too, and I didn’t want to put in the effort that it would take to do better. “I started out going more at the beginning of sophomore year, but that didn’t last long, and when the principal and my counselor had a meeting with me about my attendance and ways to resolve it, Endeavors sounded like a better idea.” Because she has trouble focusing in large
Graduation
The Medical Lake High School commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 12 at Northern Quest Events Venue, Airway Heights. Principal: Chris Spring Valedictorian: Jayden Tactay
Tactay
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
COURTESY
Ethan Davis is graduating with this year’s senior class at Medical Lake High School. Davis’ triumphs on the mat were instrumental, but that didn’t blind him to his schoolwork, nor his personal decisions. “He has always maintained excellent grades, his homework is the priority, the choices he makes, and what he does, he’s dedicated 100%,” mother Amee Davis said. “He always surrounded himself with good people,” dad Blake Davis said. “That’s why I’m proud. He has great judgment. He knows what his path is, and he surrounds himself with people who can help him get wherever he wants to go.” He also had the guidance from
two older sisters who helped provide good judgment and motivation. That motivation helped push him to finish high school early in January, so he has been able to focus on rehab as well as studying for a test to become a certified personal trainer. Now as he heads to the Bay Area, he is preparing for the transition from Medical Lake to San Francisco. “I am pretty confident in the individuals who I already know down there in San Francisco,” Davis said. “I think I’m going to have
a pretty good team behind me to be successful as far as exploring the area and just being successful transitioning into adult life.” His time as a Cardinal helped build him as a person and provided him with his foundation to be comfortable with a move down the West Coast. “There are a lot of individuals who helped me develop as a person,” Davis said. “And I think if I do have any challenges leaving, it’s going to be just not having them out the back door to talk and seek advice from in some sensitive situations.”
Alternative route at Endeavors opens doors for Wiertalla THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
MEDICAL LAKE HIGH SCHOOL
classrooms, she said “this was different because it was much smaller.” Students at Endeavors have the option to study using traditional methods or online. They range in age from 14 to 21, with schedules built to accommodate their needs. That perfectly suited Wiertalla, who after three semesters at Medical Lake High School was overwhelmed by the task in front of her if she hoped to graduate on time. With her family in the military, she had moved to Medical Lake from Okinawa in the sixth grade and experienced numerous social problems in middle school. Those issues continued during her freshman year, and trying to ignore them obviously wasn’t working. “I just wasn’t able to focus in high school,” she said, “but as soon as I came to Endeavors, most of those problems disappeared. I was welcomed there right away, and even though I was in a different school, it’s so close to the high school that I still got to see my friends. “Teachers here are able to care about every student individually, and not just their big classes,” she said. Wiertalla met every day with Keith Dunlop, her mentor. By her junior
Anna Aaby Ellie Acord Bradley Ayers Nayelli Barnes Sala Beavers Jessica Beecher William Benson Tashaun Berish Abigail Bolles Cheyenne Bridges Carson Brown Violet Brown Logan Burket Elijah Butcher Kaycee Cain Shevaughn Cannefax Kyler Castro Aeden Charbonneau Lucy Chicoine Quintin Collins Chloe Cook Ethan Davis Breanna Deitschman Cameron Dickey Masie Dorcheus Alex Dunay Preston Dyess Natalee Earley Mayah Eberhardt Jacob Edison Nicholas Ehman Colton Ellis Oscar Figueroa Ashley Fisher Keziah Flaherty Jon Foley Aiden Foutz Kenneth Geary Tyler Gibby Kirsten Gilbert Aden Gollehon Alexander Gonzalez Jonathan Gralapp Savanah Greené Lillian Groom Tirzah Grubaugh Joseph Hamblin Ashton Hamilton-Becker David Hammac Oscar Harris Paige Headrick Benjamin Henry Alyssa Houk Joseph Howard Jonathan Hudson Tucker Hughes Madeline Jacobus Ashlyn Jones Michael Kaulig Brent Keith Riley Kerin Edward Kincaid Madelyn Kubes Chandler Lear Jonah Lindsey Vincent Long Haley Lopez Kyle Marsh Emma Maxwell Wyatt McCallum Trista Merritt Victoria Miller Madison Munden Nathaniel Munoz Madison Murphy Aidan Niblock Julia Odom Jake Olmstead James Pennington Skyler Peterson Jordan Provoncha Kristoffer Pruett Rj Puckett Jeremiah Pullom Rachael Ransier Christian Ream Raina Reyes Camille Riesgaard Corbin Roberts Zachary Rolstad Hailey Rombach Calvin Ross Shyla Rutkowsky Mariah Ruzanski Mijai Ryans Natalie Salinas-Sanders Andrew Sawyer Jared Schimpf Braden Schonbachler Natyzha Scriven Sean Shaima Elizabeth Shcherbina Laci Sica Abriel Slater Isabella Smith Grant Spangler Trent Staples Jaynie Stone Wahker Stout Joshua Straka Savannah Sutton Kaylee Swenson Jayden Tactay Asia Tague Jace Taylor Mia Thompson Thomas Threadgill Gabrielle Town Maris Tuck Jordan Tuke Colby Vail Henna VanDingenen Jacob Wagner Joshua Wagner Sawyer Williams Samantha Wolfe
MEDICAL LAKE ENDEAVORS
COURTESY
Madilyn Lee Wiertalla is a 2021 notable grad for Medical Lake Endeavors. year, she had made up most of her missed credits, and she finally started thinking about her future. “It’s been my dream for a long time to join the military, and I hope to enlist in the Air Force next year,” Wiertalla said. “I have a lot of family history in the military, and one of the big things that kept me from quitting was that
I knew I needed to graduate to enlist. I want to be a jet engine mechanic.” Dunlop said Wiertalla’s graduation is a testament to her hard work and belief in herself. “She wasn’t making great progress when she first came to us,” Dunlop said, “but something clicked for her, and she started to feel successful.
She really started shining when we had to go totally online last year. “Madilyn really manages her time well, and she flourished in the remote program. Seeing that she could earn credits at her own pace really motivated her.” So, as it turns out, her path has been pretty noteworthy after all.
Graduation
The Medical Lake Endeavors commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 12 at Northern Quest Casino, 100 N. Hayford Road, Airway Heights. Principal: Lyra McGirk
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Trevor Board Isabella Diomede Isabella Meloche Justin Senter Max Simonsen Gabriel Smith Madilyn Wiertalla
T24 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
GRADUATION Thursday, June 3, 2021
‘Love Dad’ and basketball
Lakeside High’s Kenyon Spotted Horse racks up accolades while keeping father’s memory near By Laurel Demkovich
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
On the basketball court, Kenyon Spotted Horse’s shoes carry a special message: “Love Dad.” After his father died four years ago, Lakeside (Plummer-Worley) varsity basketball captain Spotted Horse wanted to find a way to honor him, so he wrote on the shoes he plays in almost every day. Since he started playing basketball in kindergarten, the 18-year-old senior has consistently been a leader on his team. But it’s how he carries himself off the court that makes him what principal Jennifer Hall calls “the highlight of Lakeside.” “He encompasses resiliency,” she said. After his father died, Spotted Horse said he struggled to focus on school and basketball – a sport he had been playing since kindergarten. He missed a week of practice to travel for his father‘s funeral. Before his first game back, Spotted Horse said he was getting dressed and broke down crying. His friends comforted him. “This game is for him,” they said. Spotted Horse went on to score more than 20 points during that game. Along with the message on his shoes, Spotted Horse has a tattoo on his forearm: a feather with a basketball that says “Dad.” Basketball has always been a way for Spotted Horse to process any hardship, said Hall, who has known him almost his whole life. She calls it his “counseling.” “I’ve never known Kenyon to not play basketball,” she said. “He lives and breathes basketball.” For Spotted Horse, the game has taught him about leadership, teamwork and communication, and it’s brought him his closest friends. His favorite part of the game is how challenging and competitive it can be. He’s quickly risen through the ranks, receiving honors such as being selected an Idaho Player of the Year, state MVP, all-league team member and others. But Hall said he has never let the awards in basketball go to his head. “There’s so much to admire about him,” she said. “I find him inspirational every day.” Spotted Horse said he struggled to stay motivated and complete his school work after his father died. His mother, teachers and friends started pushing him. “Now I am where I’m at now,” he said. After graduation, Spotted Horse plans to play basketball for a community college and eventually make his way to a university. Right now he’s looking at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana. Before then, Spotted Horse will walk across the stage in his cap and gown to accept his diploma. “I’m most excited to look at my family during graduation and know I made them proud,” he said. Laurel Demkovich can be reached at (509) 416-6260 or at laureld@ spokesman.com
PHOTOS BY LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-R
Kenyon Spotted Horse is photographed on his home court at Lakeside High School. The senior has no shortage of athletic accolades, including being named an Idaho Player of the Year in basketball. A tattoo on his right arm shows “Dad” and a feather with a basketball.
“
There’s so much to admire about him. I find him inspirational every day.” Jennifer Hall
Lakeside High School (Plummer-Worley) principal
LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL (PLUMMER-WORLEY)
Graduation
The Lakeside High School (Plummer-Worley) commencement will be at 2 p.m. June 5 at Miller Court at Lakeside High School (PlummerWorley)., 1150 E. St., Plummer, Idaho. Principal: Jennifer Hall Valedictorian: Kria Peters
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Jasper Abuan Alberto Arroyo Hailey Espinoza-Garcia Christian Fulton Jayson Hall Darren Higgins Ann Matt Duane Morrell Kria Peters Peters Hannah Powers Aaliyah Shot with Arrow Melodie Sjostrom Christopher Skwanqhqn-Matt Kenyon Spotted Horse Tierra St. Pierre Tyshea Twoteeth
Kenyon Spotted Horse has played basketball since he was a young boy. “He lives and breathes basketball,” said principal Jennifer Hall.
T26 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
WEST VALLEY
“
I’m proudest of her resilience. For her to do the things she’s done and maintain the mindset she has is truly exemplary.” Dusty Andres,
Gabrielle Andres’ father, about his daughter’s handling of her mother’s death
‘Resilience’: West Valley dance team captain navigates grief; bound for UW pre-med By Maggie Quinlan
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Gabrielle Andres – valedictorian, West Valley High dance team co-captain and University of Washington bound pre-med student – has been learning to appreciate the little things during her senior year. “She never had a day in high school during which her mom wasn’t either fighting cancer or had passed from it,” said Dusty Andres, Gabrielle’s father. “I’m proudest of her resilience. For her to do the things she’s done and maintain the mindset she has is truly exemplary.” When Dusty Andres thinks about moments his daughter impressed him in the last year, he doesn’t mention academic accomplishments. He thinks of how she handled Christmas. Her mother died in spring 2020. December brought the first holiday season without her mother, who would usually go all out decorating. Dusty Andres worried about letting his children down. Instead, Gabrielle Andres and her brother, Toby Andres, took on the mantle. “They made it special like their mom would,” Dusty Andres said. “She took on that role of ‘How can I make this holiday special?’ and in this case it was kind of for me. The pride on her face when they pulled that off was incredible.” While navigating her changed family, Gabrielle Andres maintained a 4.0 GPA, co-captained her school’s dance team and spent 50 hours per week at Spokane Elite Dance Studio. Andres is a dancer through and through, her coach Jodee Cahalan said, possibly more than any other student Cahalan has taught in 20 years of coaching the dance team. “She’s the embodiment of a dancer. You can instantly tell that she’s a dancer. She walks like a dancer. She holds herself like a dancer,” Cahalan said. “She sort of magically brings out the best in others – people who are in class with her, people who are in studio with her – she’s a very generous leader and teammate.” While Andres has been competitive and strived for perfection since childhood, Dusty Andres remembers, the last year meant readjusting when things didn’t go to plan. Her school’s dance team couldn’t practice in person for months. She applied to Harvard University and took it in stride when she didn’t get accepted, her father said. At the University of Washington, Andres plans to study pre-med. She considered going into oral surgery before her mother’s fight with cancer, but now she sees herself becoming an oncologist. Andres said COVID-19 seemed to create some further divisions among her high school class, but more than that she noticed peers being more understanding. She said her classmates who lived through the pandemic have matured faster, accepting that the difficulties in other students’ lives might not be readily visible from the outside. “I think COVID has created a lot of problem-solvers and made people a lot more resilient,” Andres said. “For one, we’ve had, like, eight different schedules come out through the year, and I think people are a lot more adaptable than they would’ve been a couple years before COVID.” Andres’ advice for younger teens is to appreciate the small things in high school, from football games to practicing in person and going to a physical classroom. “I didn’t do that as much as I should have. I was so focused on testing and SAT scores and amazing grades that I didn’t get to revel in the experiences I had,” Andres said. “Live in every moment just because you never know what’s going to be taken away from you, and you never know when is going to be your last chance to do something.” Maggie Quinlan can be reached at (509) 459-5135 or at maggieq@spokesman.com
HEATHER NORMAN
Gabrielle Andres is a valedictorian with this year’s West Valley High School graduating class.
WEST VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
The West Valley High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 14 at Avista Stadium, 8301 E. Buckeye Road. Principal: Ryan Mulvey Valedictorians: Gabrielle Andres, Briella Bell, Alexandra Burger, Lea McGlothlen and Hannah Schultz.
Bell
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Kaylon Acord Diana Alba Dominic Allen Anthony Alvarado Rafael Alvarado Alexa Aman Julianna Amante Colin Anderson Eli Anderson Gabrielle Andres Allie Andrews Maggie Andrews Jared Anselmo Axel Arana Carly Bale Vivian Beamis Mason Beauchamp Briella Bell Keldan Bell Kyle Bouvier Emma Bowman Payton Browning-Peterson Katelyn Buffkin Alexandra Burger Evan Burghart Trinity Burke Carter Campbell Kennedy Cargile Kayleigh Carson
Burger
McGlothlen
Lauren Carson Bryce Cassell Tanner Cassell Andres Chavez Joseph Clark Tristan Clark Melanie Clure Isiah Cockrell Krystal Collins Aaliyah Coward Samantha Cox Isaiah Crane Megan Crewdson Avery Crouse Cheyenne Dallman Steven Danielson Gracelyn Davis Treden Davis-Reed Dominic Davison Alex Davydenko Taylinn Dawson Sergio De La O Meghan Denny Nevaeh Denson Zoe Dice Mason Dobney Jackson Donaghy Jaelyn Dorgan Sarah Duncan Rylan Dunlap Lilly Elam Malachi Emery-Clark Jack Estey
Schultz Levi Evey Taylor Fancy Spike Geschke Hargurleen Gill Bailey Glenn Dallas Gohl Sabian Gray Joel Harding Isaac Hatcher Hannah Hawk Joslyn Henderson Jade Hendricks Alexzander Hergert Tristian James Herndon Trentin Hobbs Tristan Holdren Makayla Honey Ethan Hoskinson Ty Hudgens Zekiah Hunt Alicia Hutchins Virginia Hyatt Liam Hyde Kiandra Johnson Rylee Johnson Caleb Jones Cory Jones Gavin Jones Kanyon Kaiser Mary Kaschmitter Sophea Keener Ana’Kayla Kessler Esther Killinger
Kennedie Krieger Karma Kruger Nolan Langford David Larsen Adam Leeberg Aaliyah Lents Peyton Lewis Taryn Littleworth Chloee Lochten Teague Lowe Ian Maidhoff Cameron Majka Mahkhi Massengale Damon Maurer Sage McAllister Finn McCabe Lea McGlothlen Bryce McGowan Rylan McInelly Raven McLaughlin Alex McOmber Macy McPhee Michael Melkonyan Julissa Mendez Korri Miknavich Ashley Miller Holly Mitchell Alexander Mittelstadt Madison Moloney Cyrus Morrow Jackson Munns Christina Nguyen Samantha Nguyen
Thy Nguyen Tien Nguyen Angelia Norby Austin Nuxoll Aliza Palmer Ronald Palumbo Aiden Parker Brooklyn Patton Colton Pelfrey Heather Penniman Micah Petersen Karli Petruso Emma Price Piotr Proniewski Faith Quentin Jayson Race Alejandra Ramirez Ishmael Ramos Danyelle Randall Alyssa Reynolds Almir Ridic Johnathan Rieger Alexis Rigsby Morgan Riojas Hannah Rodrigues Athena Rudd Benton Russell Ashley Ryan Alexander Salazar Erin Sanchez Olivia Schell Morgan Schott Hannah Schultz
Jacob Schultz Shelby Scott Zoe Simpson Kira Smith Aliyah Somes Jaden South Gabriella Sowl Chase Steubing Palmer Stocking Mark Stone Ryan Stone Bryce Swim Donaven Talley Diego Tercero Ryan Theisen Callaghan Thompson Nathan Thurber Nicholas Toole Camille Tremblay Mikaela Turk Aubree Vandine Michael Vargas Blaine Vasicek Daisy Williams Alyssia Wilson Sophia Witt Madeline Wittren Riley Young Riley Zielfelder
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T27
SPOKANE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL / DISHMAN HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
FOR IAN ALVARADO, TRANSFERRING TO SPOKANE VALLEY BECAME THE FIRST STEP OF MAJOR TRANSFORMATION By Justin Reed
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Ian Alvarado is the 2021 notable grad for Spokane Valley High School.
Class of 2021
SPOKANE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
Expected to graduate are:
The Spokane Valley High School commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 10 at Fox Theater, 1001 W Sprague Ave. Principal: Eric Jurasin
Jin Albright Ian Alvarado Ashley Anderson Journey Baer Alliyah Baker Levi Blevins Layla Buckholz Andrey Cherkashin Devin Christopherson
Ian Alvarado was stuck. Growing up with the wrong crowd around drugs and gun violence – neither of which he took part in – molded Alvarado into a person he didn’t recognize. He didn’t like to share his feelings. He would force a smile and bottle up his negative emotions. Unfortunately, that mindset led to attitude crashes and eventually to a damaging sophomore year, which he said was the worst of his life. Alvarado leaned on his family, but it wasn’t until he met his half-brother Indy Heyer when Alvarado finally turned the proverbial corner. Heyer is the one who recommended Alvarado transfer to Spokane Valley High School which he did before the start of his junior year. It didn’t take long for Alvarado to get acclimated and thrive at his new school. “As soon as he kind of got his feet wet, he became a leader, super quickly,” said SVHS teacher Derek Durrant. “He started making a ton of friends and really has just become the face of our program (Phoenix Media Team). He’s, always in the front doing excellent work. And he’s just a great kid.” His mother Edna Alvarado was thankful for her son’s new school and the path it sent him on. “I see him a lot more focused, a lot more happy,” Edna Alvarado said. “More centered, more sure of himself.” Alvarado is a rising film producer who spends time outside school recording and editing video. The project-based learning at SVHS helped cultivate his passion for film. Edna Alvarado said his passions flourished there due to “the fact that they actually pay attention and take the time to get to know the student and to encourage them individually.” “And we struggle with family issues and nowadays, teenagers are more
Dustyn Clark Trinity Cobbs Trinity Contos Kenneth Cooper Chloe Crenshaw Michael Daniels Stela Dragomir Nevaeh Felker Kyle Gipson Ayla Graham Zachery Gunning Hailey Hixson
Alex Hollingsworth Alyia Johansen Dayjia Krebs Renata Kuneva Jadyn Laughlin Aleena Lovins Maksym Makrasnov Alexis Mason Aaron May Takotah Mayberry Devin McAhren Shelby McNinch
vulnerable,” Edna Alvarado said. “So I felt like having that close relationship with some good teachers and counselors gave him that stability.” Recently, he has been recording and editing virtual showings for a real estate agent. Principal Eric Jurasin said via email that Alvarado “has the passion and potential to make powerful changes in our world through his filmmaking,” and he hopes that Alvarado “achieves his dream to do so.” Shifting that passion into other projects has led Alvarado to dive into community projects, specifically SVHS’s community partner AquiPor and speaking during an Alliance for Innovative Education Redesign event. He wants to help AquiPor grow into a larger, more impactful organization to help with stormwater filtration. Alvarado has learned about drinking water cleanliness and its accessibility. “And hopefully everyone else in other places, will take AquiPor more seriously also,” Alvarado said. As part of the AIER event, Alvarado shared his personal experiences, which his principal applauded him for, after showing courage and integrity. While not in class, Alvarado is the captain of the West Valley varsity soccer team. His soccer passion comes from his grandfather and his mom’s husband. After graduation, Alvarado plans to work for a drywall company while working to complete a two-year degree. “(I’ll miss) his personality, his ability to make friends with everybody and his ability to just chat with somebody who he doesn’t even know and become friends with them very quickly,” Durrant said. “He is an extremely good listener. He hears people and then communicates his thoughts really well.” Justin Reed can be reached at justinre@spokesman.com
Matthew Moshan Matthew Nelson Deanna Netro Keira Nolan Breeana Norris Ashley Olinger alexsandr Parker Kyree Peralez Cole Reiner Owen Roberts Janette Rudnitskiy Roman Semeniuk
Jordan Sheets Ka’sean Smalley Salem Solomon Lindsey Standingeagle Gaven Sterling Devin Szep Woods Ian Tobler Violetta Tsiribko Gideon Valdez Jasmine Webster Deshira White Skyler Wright
Senior Noah Gregg thrives at Dishman Hills, enrolls in nearly every class available By Dan Thompson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Noah Gregg walked through orientation at what was to be his high school the next four years and came home with a face filled with shock. “He said ‘I can’t,’ ” Carissa Gregg, his mother, recalled. “‘I just can’t.’” So Noah Gregg didn’t, and by choosing Dishman Hills instead, he proved something to himself, his mother and his teachers. “He has proven that freshmen can come in and thrive,” Carissa Gregg said. Usually students don’t spend four years at Dishman Hills like Noah Gregg has, said Rebecca Alberts, a teacher there. Gregg’s situation is so unique that he has basically taken every class Dishman Hills has to offer, to the point where staff members were ready to create independent study courses for him. “He’s passed every class,” Alberts said. “We were running out of unique classes to offer him.” Gregg said he was seeking a smaller school environment, and when he attended orientation at University High, “it was just too many people there.” So he talked to his parents, and he enrolled at Dishman Hills. Gregg’s initiative has come to be a defining trait, Alberts said. “He is an amazing kid,” she said. “He works hard in all his classes, and even if he doesn’t like a teacher or a subject, he is still going to give his all to it.” Dishman Hills follows a halfday model, meaning students attend classes either in the morning or afternoon. That leaves other time for them to explore potential vocations and interests. If any of those opportunities offered were anywhere near what he was interested in, Alberts said, Gregg signed up and was going. “At first I had no clue what I was even going to do. I was thinking either military or mechanics or something,” Gregg said. “But I went to all the other trade schools to try some stuff out because the teachers recommended it, and that got me going.” One such opportunity was to learn welding, and Gregg said
LIBBY KAMROWSKI/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Dishman Hills High senior Noah Gregg recently won a Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce scholarship for OXARC’s welding program. he has taken to it. He said he enjoys the hands-on nature of the work and potentially sees it as a career. “I think it’d be a great fit for me,” Gregg said. “There are a lot of different jobs (in the field), a huge variety.” He is already in line to start at OXARC’s welder training program, and Carissa Gregg said she has requested a project from her son: a fire pit that looks like the Death Star from Star Wars. Alberts said she was happy that Gregg was accepted into the OXARC program as a culmination of the hard work he has demonstrated the last four years. “Noah being here from the beginning, from the first day of his freshman year, really shows everything someone could accomplish if they took us up on all those opportunities,” Alberts said. “It really shows what you can do if you take a school up on everything it has to offer.” Dan Thompson can be reached at danthompson06@gmail.com
Graduation
DISHMAN HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Thomas Allen Sophia Bassuer Taylor Baty Samantha A. Beeman Myah Bell Alrick Belton Leron Bosse Nathaniel Boysen Zari Broten Shelby Brown Nicholas Cowee Kianna Davis Zandra DeGenstein Khloe DeTillion Kalen Dixon Elizabeth Dornack Jaden Ellison Talon Epefanio Ava Ferguson Jack Foster Breylan Gentry Jamari Gosenberg Kyra Grace Emilee Graybeal Noah Gregg Derrick Gupton Lauren Harshberger Grace Harvey Kira Hewitt Megan Holbrook
Courtney Hopper Emma Huettl Sarah Kilmer Allison Kysar Lyric Langley Ethan Lebret Nikita Leksunkin Madali Leppert Brayden Lindor Matthew Litwin Jala Lome Mateo Mariani Victoria Mattson Gavin McArthur Gavin McLeod Maya Melton Dalton Merrill Jaden Michlig Savanah Mikoski Kaylee Miller Caitlin Moore Nadia Morales Briannah Nelms Owen Nichols Jacob O’Blenness Patience Olson Anna Ota Dakari Pakootas Jayce Pakootas Deion Paz Jada Peters Ashton Powell Trinity Powell Abigayle Rhoades
Morales
The Dishman Hills High School commencement will be June 9 at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Principal: Lauren House Valedictorian: Nadia Morales
Clifford Rogers Nicolas Rubiano Lily Russert Noah Saldivar-Hayes Abigale Sather Piper Sayler Tucker Scarlett Cheyanne Slack Madison Sonsalla Garrett Stamper Nature Stratton Madison Streeter Aylissa Swan Destiny Swedberg Kaleb Terpko Cody Weber
T28 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
RIVERSIDE / LAKESIDE
Riverside’s Echo Mansell is ready to start life post-high school By Natalie Rieth
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Echo Mansell shines brightly in academics, artistry, athletics, leadership and, most notably, in her ability to radiate positivity. “I’ve seen her in tears, I’ve seen her struggling and I’ve seen her mad as can be, but she’s always turned around and been positive, which is one of her strengths, no question,” said Chris Holquist, Mansell’s tennis coach and art teacher at Riverside High School. Mansell is a graduating senior at Riverside High School. She has maintained strong academics, is an integral leader and member of her school’s tennis team, and has taken part in volunteer opportunities and multiple jobs, amid overcoming homelessness, family addiction and abandonment. This year, she received an integrity award for her work in BioMed class, in which she excelled with an exceptionally high grade and displayed a fiery passion for activities and academic curriculum of the course. Mansell will continue pursuing her love of science at Washington State University in Pullman, where she plans to study criminology after partaking in a gap year. Attending WSU has been Mansell’s dream since sixth grade, she said. “A bunch of my family members went there,” Mansell said. “I just love the idea of being able to go
COURTESY
Echo Mansell is Riverside High School’s notable 2021 grad. away and start my life.” Mansell received her letterman jacket after playing tennis all four years of high school, in addition to playing volleyball for three years. “But really, it’s just about
making friends,” she said of sports. “It teaches you integrity, being honest, teamwork and the connecting with other players. It’s just an awesome thing to get involved in.” Mansell has loved the
Graduation
RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Taylin Johnson Anthony Jones Makenzie Jones Heather Kesti Devin Kline Hunter Kranches Davin Languis Abigail Larkin Preston Lundgren Echo Mansell Kiernan Martin Sydney Martin Dylan Maurer Kaylynn Mcclimans Hannah Mccullough Ashley Middaugh Claire Miley Christopher Miller Wyatt Moeckel Ryle Mullen Madison Oneto Caullin Paladino Tailor Pelt Jacob Phillips Maxwell Ramsden Tyler Reamer Madison Reeves Whitney Reiber Krujer Rosenthal Angel Ruiz Alexander Sandhofer Emily Santos
Expected to graduate are: Joshua Arce River Arrand Amanda Barksdale Joseph Bass Christian Bastible Jaedon Betker Jaxon Betker Shelby Bogetti Gage Bos Jett Boswell Kayla Bowe Alissa Bowerman Benjamin Brown Hayden Burnham Burke Davis Riley Distad Alexia Everett Matthew Galindo Parker Gallinger Gage Garrison Candace Gibson Mckenna Gibson Ethan Graham Shelby Green Robert Harkleroad Iii Jade Helm Zachary Hensley Jayden James
connections she has been able to make with fellow teammates, coach Holquist and players from outside schools who share like-minded interests. “We’ve built that rapport,” Holquist said. “I trust
Stime
The Riverside High School commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 11 at Riverside High School, 4120 E. Deer Park-Milan Road in Chattaroy. Principal: Clint Hull. Valedictorian: Aliviah Stime. Samantha Santos Tyler Scantlin Kylie Sevshek Aaron Simon Sven Sjolund Trinidi Snyder Camden Sparkes Maddilynn Stehlar Aliviah Stime Jonathan Sturtz Corrie Teel Jordan Teel Elijah Toombs Miriam Turney Joe Ueno Luke Utter Hunter Vandoren Matthew Vonasek Angelina Vosahlo Aidan Weyand Blake Winkler Layton Zoyer
her as a leader on the court, and I trust her as a leader in the classroom as well. It’s been a great connection to have as a teacher.” Beyond her leadership on the court, Holquist is thrilled to have seen the
way Mansell’s artwork has evolved in technique and creativity over the past few years as her art teacher. She enjoys creating art with acrylic paint and is enrolled in the senior studio art class. “Art has been a good outlet for me throughout high school because it was kind of my safe space in a way,” Mansell said. “I knew when I walked into art, I was the most accepted that I’ll ever be in school. Even with me doing great in other classes, it felt better in art.” She said her favorite completed piece was an album cover that she painted to illustrate 12 music albums that have personal significance in her life. In addition to her current senior studio art class, Mansell has taken all of the school’s levels in art classes (1-4), ceramics and independent art, with Holquist as an instructor. Although Mansell cherishes her high school years, she said she is ready for the challenge and responsibilities that come with the college experience. Growing up with the same group of students her whole life, she is thrilled to take on life outside her hometown. “It will be nice to get out there and meet new people, experience new types of friendships and to practice self-discipline,” Mansell said. “I’m pretty good at that already, but college is a little different. I’m sad I’m going to be graduating, but I know it’s going to be good for me.”
RIVERSIDE ACHIEVEMENT CENTER
Class of 2021
Graduation
Expected to graduate are:
The Riverside Achievement Center commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 11 at Riverside High School, 4120 E. Deer Park-Milan Road, Chattaroy. Principal: Clint Hull
Daniel Backlund Sean Baumann Mariah Birkland Krystal Cato Gabrielle Cristadora Haylee Cuthbertson Jaiden Debusk Diamond Futchkov Sylvia Gray Zachery Knight John Salcedo Joseph Schanbeck
Kylie Tibbitts Dylan Troup
RIVERSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR PROGRAM
Graduation
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Naryah Lund William Nagle Xiana Pablos Hailey Simpson Brayden Toner Titus Warner
The Riverside Independent Scholar Program commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 11 at Riverside High School, 4120 E. Deer Park-Milan Road, Chattaroy. Principal: Kristine Marshall
LAKESIDE SENIOR KEEPS UP WITH STUDIES, WORKS WITH KIDS WHILE LIVING WITH HEART DISORDER By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
The blink of an eye. A heartbeat. That’s how quickly Jack Sleeth’s life changed. During a seventh-grade PE class, Sleeth was running with his best friend, Amber, when he went into sudden cardiac arrest. His only memories of that day are the ones told to him by friends, teachers and family. “I guess I bent over, and then fell,” Sleeth said. “Thank goodness Amber was with me. She saved my life. She checked for my pulse and called for help. I’m pretty sure my teacher and my principal did CPR while waiting for the ambulance.” The previously healthy teen was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disor-
COURTESY
Jack Sleeth is the notable graduate from Lakeside. der that is sometimes inherited. “My mom and my sis-
LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Juan Aguayo Logan Allen Lily Allred Emma Ames Logan Ankenman Raina Ashley Brett Bacon Daniel Baerman Gage Barnard Aidan Bausman Aggie Bennett Hunter Blank Cameron Bleth Noel Brecto Chloe Brunner Roy Campbell Maison Carroll Xavier Case Nina Chittum Mason Christen
Autumn Christie Alyssa Conley Trevor Crabtree Justice Cravens Kaleb Daly Madison Daly Hannah Davi Marissa Davis Anya Deakins Hunter Dean Jordan Denigan Lucas Downey Dawson Dunlop Nathan Dury Faith Eickstadt Garrett Ellenson Jorden Findlay Nathan Flynn Anna Fuller Isabelle Gallagher Christina Gibson Hunter Glynn Makenzie Grimes Aiden Hammond Kyara Hansen Jackson Hembree Naomi Hertz Braiden Heydt
ter got tested after I collapsed,” recalled Sleeth. “They both have it. My
Zachery Higbee Evan Homen Mariah Hood William Hood Gage Howe Mark Hughes Kyler Hunsaker Justin Johnson Macy Johnston Canyon Kaufman Lane Keck Janessa Kelly Jamie Kennedy Karynn Kohlieber Kailey Larson Samantha Larson Sydney Larson Carly Lauritzen Maximus Lavin Ian Lawcock Lauren LeTourneau Dakota Lloyd Danielle Logan Robert Losser Sylas Maier Jaelyn McCleskey Stormy Meier Jenna Mitchell
mom and I got pacemakers, but my sister’s heart is stronger.” He returned to the classroom determined to make the most of every interaction and opportunity. “My district is amazing,” he said. Nine Mile School District teachers and administrators feel Sleeth is the amazing one. “He has such a great attitude,” said Lakeside counselor Linda Mitzlaff. “He doesn’t live like his life’s precarious. He’s got a great sense of humor and always has a smile on his face.” Sleeth said he has learned to live with the diagnosis. “It’s difficult as far as being scared of something happening again,” he admitted. Even so, he has kept up with his studies and works in Spokane Public School’s Express Program. The pro-
gram offers before- and after-school child care. “He has a heart for kids,” Mitzlaff said. In fact, Sleeth said he has always wanted to teach. “I like kids, and especially kids with special needs,” he said. “They inspire me.” Prior to the pandemic, Sleeth was slated to be in Lakeside’s Teaching Academy, and work with kids with disabilities. He was disappointed that class, like so many other things, had to be canceled. But the pandemic did more than derail Sleeth’s educational plans. “I got COVID in January,” Sleeth said. “That was really scary.” He was thankful he recovered quickly with no lasting problems. “I wish more people had his demeanor – his love of life,” Mitzlaff said. “His teachers describe him as
Brooklyn Nelson Jordyn Newman Hope Noranbrock Kelli O’Leary Jobe Oakley Alyssa Osti Madison Ourada Daniel Peluso Katelynn Perry Ethan Pippin Benjamin Porter Zackery Powers Trevor Purcell Benjamin Reich Maya Ried Autumn Roeder Ainsley Ruberg Dawson Semtner Travis Simpson Jack Sleeth Connor Smeltzer Gabriel Sossaman Emma Spence Gracie Stockert Lane Stockert MaKaylie Stockert Hayden Stueckle Jamison Talley
outgoing, responsible, kind and a curious learner.” She envisions this student as an educator, whether he pursues a degree or not. Indeed, Sleeth said he isn’t interested in higher education at the moment. “I love the social aspect of school, but I want to go ahead and live my life,” he said. “I feel like I see life as more of a precious thing. I know how easily it can be taken away.” He plans to continue working in the Express program and hopes to become a site director. “A lot of people ask why me? I ask why not me?” said Sleeth. “Lots of people die from cancer, but I’m still here. My life did change in seventh grade, but I think it changed for the better.” Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com
Graduation
Whitmer
The Lakeside High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 11 at Riverfront Park Pavilion, 507 N. Howard St. Principal: Brent Osborn Valedictorian: Kathryn Whitmer
Colby Tareski Madison Tareski Austin Taylor Cole Tenny Tara Tolliver Violet Tomson Oliver Trudeau Kathryn Whitmer Trace Wynecoop
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T29
T30 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN / NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL
Northwest Christian’s Zachariah Johnson takes leadership skills to Washington Army National Guard By Cindy Hval
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
COURTESY
Zachariah Johnson is the 2021 notable graduate for Northwest Christian.
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Logan Barnett Avery Bowman Miriam Breithaupt Jacob Butcher Chiara Carey Aubree Chaney Eden Clemmer Jessica Coriell Isaiah Covey Emma Culbertson Benjamin Drake Konstantinos Fexis Brady Gerstenberger Grace Gilbert
Carey
Culbertson
Esther Graham Zachariah Johnson Naomi Knudtson Integrity Larson Elijah Lewis Yutong Li Owen Lindsey Micah Littleton
Maystrovich
Swanson
Adam Loranger William Lyerla Samuel Manina Michelle Maystrovich Faith McConnell Makenzie Nelson Timothy Pebles Mackenzie Quinn
Chloe Rainbow Nickolas Ramey Colby Raver Maile Rocha Megan Roots Elizabeth Sander Olivia Sandvik Alison Shaler Jonathan Story Taylor Swanson Cody Taylor Isabella Tibbetts Izabelle Tucker Brooke Vickrey Livia West Ian Wright Mac Young
Zachariah Johnson will be missed at Northwest Christian. His teachers appreciate the example of hard work, service and leadership that he’s modeled for fellow students. “Zach is super motivated and really focused,” said teacher Chris Wells. “He’s always on the go.” Indeed, Johnson vividly remembers his first job. “I was 7 when my neighbor hired me to pull weeds and pick berries for their organic berry farm,” he recalled. “I used the money to buy more Legos.” He understands luxuries must be earned, and he takes nothing for granted – including the opportunity to attend NWC. “My aunt and uncle, Angie and Irv Zakheim, paid my tuition so I could to go to Northwest Christian,” he said. “I’m so blessed.” Last year during the pandemic, he and his friend Graham Clark, launched their own business. “It was at the start of corona(virus) and jobs were scarce,” he said. “I needed the income to pay for my car insurance and gas.” Previously, he’d worked as a lifeguard, and taught swim lessons at the YMCA and Spokane County parks. His mom showed him the Nextdoor app, where many people had asked for help with home and yard tasks. Soon, he and Clark were weeding, mowing and doing lawn care for dozens of customers. “I ended up hiring seven of my friends, because our wait list grew to two to three weeks,” he said. “In the beginning we both worked 70hour weeks.” When school resumed, they cut their workload to 50 to 60 hours per week. Last month, the friends launched an upgraded version of their business. “We now do sprinkler systems, concrete work, and landscape work,” Johnson said. “I’ve always been somewhat of a country boy – I learned how to do a lot of stuff.”
He attributes his work ethic to his friends. “They say you’re like whoever you hang out with, and all my friends are hard workers.” Wells admires his student’s entrepreneurial drive. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he owns seven businesses at 30,” he said. “He’s great with people and a good communicator.” Despite putting in long days at work, he still kept up with schoolwork, and served as captain of the cross country team during his junior and senior years. While he enjoys fitness and working out, the cross county captain doesn’t like running. “I actually hate running,” he said. “But I love my coaches and the team, and it turned out I had a bit of natural talent.” He’s no slouch as a student, either. “Zach’s very intelligent and a top-performer in all of his classes,” said Wells. Johnson shrugged off the praise. “I’m not a 4.0 student,” he said. “But I’ve been given a major opportunity to go to Northwest Christian and I don’t want to slack off.” Wells said the staff appreciates Johnson’s positive attitude. “When personal issues or setbacks happen, he uses them to spur him on to be better,” he said. Johnson has enlisted in the Washington Army National Guard and is excited about serving his country. “The discipline I’ll get in the military will affect every aspect of my life in a positive way,” he said. “Plus, I’ll get paid to do pushups.” After basic and AIT training, Johnson will attend Eastern Washington University. He’s already signed up for the ROTC program. “Not to be cliché, but I love America, and I feel like I owe it at least one enlistment,” he said. “My personal belief is that I’m called to protect those who can’t protect themselves. I’ve always wanted to be a soldier, and now I am one.” Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com
Graduation
The Northwest Christian High School commencement will be at 3 p.m. June 5 at Turning Point Open Bible Church, 11911 N. Division St., Spokane. Principal: Christopher Wells. Valedictorians: Chiara Carey, Emma Culbertson, Michelle Maystrovich and Taylor Swanson.
Bouncing back after brain surgery NWC Homeschool grad loves cowboy persona, intends to work on ranch after recovering from another procedure By Laurel Demkovich
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Any time Theo Turner goes to class for Northwest Christian Schools’ home-schooling program, he does so in a full cowboy outfit. He’s always dressed with a boots, jeans, a button-up western shirt. If he can wear a cowboy or baseball hat, he will. For his senior work study, he shadowed a cowboy. For a presentation, he brought in a rope to demonstrate his roping skills. It’s something that’s always been a part of his life and even beforehand – his mother rode horses while she was pregnant with him. But Turner’s passion as a cowboy and his senior year were disrupted briefly in February when he had his fifth brain surgery to remove a malformation in the blood vessels, or arteriovenous malformation, in his brain. Despite an ICU stay and six-month recovery, he didn’t let it stop him for long, returning to school shortly after to finish his work and prepare to graduate. He has plans to work on a ranch as a cowboy following graduation. “(The surgery) really hasn’t affected me,” Turner said. “I haven’t let it affect me.” When he was about 18 months old, Turner had his first brain surgery to remove malformed blood vessels, which can disrupt normal blood flow and oxygen circulation. After his first surgery, he was paralyzed on his right side, his mother, Arwen Turner, said. But he worked through it, and despite some weakness, no one would know just by looking at him. “Theo’s a miracle,” she said. “He’s overcome it all.” Since then, he’s had four more surgeries, and he’s recovered every time.
Shortly after his surgery, his literature teacher Melodie Workman said he came back to class completely prepared, as if nothing had happened. He’s overcome everything with “overwhelming character,” Workman said. “He’s one of the most resilient people I have ever come across in my life.” Symptoms of the surgeries include headaches and memory loss, two things that could make schoolwork difficult. But with patience and some accommodation, Turner still completed his work. Courtney Manuel, senior leadership teacher, said she offered some accommodations for Turner post-surgery, but for the most part, his logic hasn’t been affected much at all. “And he asks for help,” she said. “You don’t see many 18- or 19-year-olds ask for help.” Turner said throughout everything, school has helped him a lot, especially his teachers and friends that are so supportive. His work as a cowboy has also helped. When he was younger, he rodeoed before getting into roping and 4-H. He said he’s always loved horses and has been interested in the cattle industry. He puts fences in, births cows, hauls hay and helps sick calves. Manuel, who oversaw his senior work study as a cowboy, said Turner has always had a good relationship with animals. “It’s always been a safe place for him to go,” she said. For Manuel, she’s been most impressed with how Turner has kept his faith through all of the hardships. Being able to face hardships without faith wavering is a huge part of their Christian program, she said. Arwen Turner said she has to have faith that things are going to be OK, and her son has proven they will be, having beaten many odds. “Even if it’s not always comfortable for us, it’s going to be OK,” Arwen Turner said. As he looks toward his next steps as a fully committed cowboy, Theo said, “I’m excited to get out and explore and see what I can do and what I’m capable of doing.” Laurel Demkovich can be reached at (509) 4166260 or at laureld@spokesman.com
COURTESY
Theo Turner is a graduating senior from Northwest Christian Homeschool.
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL
Expected to graduate are:
Class of 2021
Isaac Boblet Irene Huseland Malachi Kaiser Naomi Turner Theoador Turner
Kaiser
Graduation
The Northwest Christian Homeschool Program held a commencement ceremony May 15, 1-2:30 p.m., at Crossover Church in Mead. Director: Ruth Wagley Valedictorian: Malachi Kaiser
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T31
ST. MICHAEL’S / UPPER COLUMBIA / VALLEY CHRISTIAN
She wanted to put down roots
Adopted into Spokane military family, Biller felt at home for three years at the boarding school By Dan Thompson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Familiar with moving and accustomed to her family’s home in Rhode Island, Simonne Biller told her parents that she was ready to just be in one spot for a while. Biller’s father served in the Air Force, and moving around was part of the job. It led them across the country every few years, and another move was inevitable as Biller prepared for her sophomore year of high school. But for both of Biller’s parents, Spokane was home. So, she asked her parents to see if they could find a school here. “I don’t want to move anymore,” Biller recalls telling her parents then. “Just put me in a high school and just be done with it.” St. Michael’s Academy in Spokane ended up being that school, and the move proved to be a good one for Biller, a graduate there this spring in a class of five seniors, of which she was the only boarding student. “I didn’t necessarily want to go to a boarding school, but it was a school I could finally stay in,” said Biller, who remembers living in at least four states: Rhode Island, Texas, Maryland and Oklahoma. “I don’t remember a lot of the places because I was young.” Biller was born in Haiti and was adopted when she was nearly 4 years old by Jenifer and Jeffrey Biller. Even as the family crisscrossed the country, they often returned to Spokane to visit family. That family has been a big support during her time at St. Michael’s. Biller said visited grandparents on weekends as she adjusted to living in Spokane. “I’ve loved pretty much everything,” said Biller, who also enjoys skiing and volleyball. “I almost feel like it is a calling for me to live here.” Casimir Puskorius, a pastor and teacher at St. Michael’s, said Biller’s eagerness to learn, as well as her unique story of adop-
ST. MICHAEL’S ACADEMY
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Simonne Biller Amy Drahman Katrina Gilchrist Mari Heaton Regina Ochoa
Heaton
Graduation
The St. Michael’s Academy commencement will be at 12:30 p.m. June 5 at Mount St. Michael, 8500 N. St. Michael’s Road Principal: Sister Michael Marie Valedictorian: Mari Heaton
tion and moving around the country, stood out to him the last three years. “She is just completely engaged in learning and is willing to learn,” he said. “She brings a great spirit.” The Billers had originally thought they would move to Spokane once Jeffrey Biller retired, his wife said, but upon retirement, he accepted a position at the Air Force Academy in Colorado and moved the family there. When Simonne Biller first moved away for school as a sophomore, it was a big adjustment for her mother, who was still at home with three younger children. Simonne Biller also has an older sister. “It’s tough,” Jenifer Biller said of sending a child to boarding school. “I think I cried for the first three days. Simonne was a huge help to me.” However, when St. Michael’s moved instruction online in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Simonne Biller moved back in with her parents, until
COURTESY
Simonne Biller was a boarding student at St. Michael’s Academy and graduated this year in a senior class of five. Her secondary education goal is to become a certified court reporter. school resumed on campus last fall. After high school, Biller said she plans to enroll at Green River College in Auburn, Washington, where she wants to learn to be a court reporter. “I’ve been really interested in the law, not necessarily being a lawyer,” Biller said. “Law and justice are something I really wanted to focus more on, to learn more
about.” It will be one more move for Biller, but she’s become used to that. Her mother said it has taught her something else, too. “She’s been an independent girl since she came home from the orphanage,” Jenifer Biller said. “She’s wanted to be the boss of her own life.”
Faith leads Upper Columbia senior Tom Asaki in school, beyond By Orion Donovan-Smith THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Tom Asaki understands why people make assumptions, but in his four years at Upper Columbia Academy, he’s appreciated the opportunity for students to get to know each other on a deeper level. “Going through life, you have to make assumptions about people, to understand them,” he said. “Just wait a little bit and let yourself try and figure me out a little bit more before you start making those assumptions, because I feel like my personality is pretty unusual.” The 18-year-old, who was born in New Mexico but grew up mostly in Moscow, Idaho, said his time at the Seventh Day Adventist boarding school near Spangle has helped him explore an eclectic range of interests. “I’ve grown older, obviously, and there’s a lot that goes into just learning things,” he said. “The mechanics of social life, and also learning: What do I like? What do I dislike? Choosing to be me rather than what’s popular all the time.” Above all, Asaki said, he likes writing – creating fictional worlds and complex, 3D characters. He’s also fascinated by science, and those interests align in the way he crafts stories. “When I write, I try and understand what I’m writing. I don’t just try to put the words sort of like a Band-Aid over something I don’t understand,” he said. “I want to understand it, and science is a great way to understand a lot of the things around you. And if you want to create a world, understanding the science in this world is a good way to start.” Joe Hess, vice principle for student life at Upper Columbia Academy, said Asaki has made an impression in his time at the school as a good listener who earnestly wants to help others. “He’s very genuine,” Hess said. “When you stop and talk with him, you know he’s going to take it seriously. He wants to see how you’re doing and how he can be of help.” Another thing he learned in his high school years, Asaki said, was to worry less about maintaining a 4.0 GPA and focus on learning. “I’m less afraid of academic failure than I was going in,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ve per se overcome it, but I don’t think
UPPER COLUMBIA
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Bianca Aguilar Thomas Asaki Kytanna Ballard Alexander Battaglia Elliot Bodnar Mikayla Brenton Chloe Bryant Emma Busto Mark Christensen Ryan Coon Lauren Curtis Zachary Damm Zachary Davis Abraham Ellis Lahav Kirk Everett Eros Figueroa Makena Fleck
Joshua Ford Luke Ganson Annika Geschke Ryan Gimmaka Aubrey Glover Kendra Goertzen Carly Haeger Dongju Han Lorelei Harbour Rachel Hare McKenzie Haskin Alexander HeydenSeaton Dylan Hill Daniel Holloway-Cook Juliana Hughes Elizabeth Jimenez Evan Judge Christopher Kime Hannah Knipple Kyler Kramer Peiteng Li
COURTESY
Tom Asaki is a notable 2021 graduate of Upper Columbia Academy. I’m completely paralyzed by the idea of not doing good enough all the time – or what I deem ‘good enough.’ ” His mother, Melanie Thongs, said she has come to appreciate her son’s approach to learning. “He cares more about true understanding than he does about grades,” she said. “It’s a matter of personal integrity for him, and a little bit of annoyance for me, but that’s the way he chooses to work that particular aspect of life, and so I respect that.” Thongs and Hess said Asaki’s decision to go to Upper Columbia, more than an hour from home, is a testament to his determination and faith. For Asaki, that faith is about more than just his commitment to God. “We have faith in God, but also we have faith in each other,” he said. “If I trust somebody, that means I believe in them. And so I think faith is an everyday thing. I choose to believe in God. I choose to believe in the people around me.” Like the decision to attend Upper Columbia Academy, Asaki said his college choice was guided by that faith. He plans to attend Walla Walla University, also an Adventist school, where he intends to study astronomy and engineering while continuing his writing. Orion Donovan-Smith can be reached at (202) 853-2524 or at orionds@spokesman. com
Graduation
The Upper Columbia Academy commencement will be at 10 a.m. June 6 at the Athletic Field, 3025 E. Spangle Waverly Road, in Spangle, Wash. Principal: Eric Johnson Kaitin Martsching Kathleen Meza Gabriel Moller Faith Montes Xochilt Morales Rios Jared Moran Madalyn Nichols Graham Oakley Chantelle Olbekson Ashley Olson John Palacios Joshua Penhallurick Evan Pierce Rebekah Reynolds Natasha Rogers
Alyssa Ruud Ian Schroetlin Richard Scott Emilee Shearer Caleb Shirinzadeh Madeline Stone Missy Surdal Hannah Thornton Abigail Threadgill Joah Van Doozer Colby Villa Alden Wilfley Arthur Willett Muyin Wu Samantha Young
COURTESY
Caleb Malen will be studying video production at Eastern Washington University in the fall.
Valley Christian’s Malen works toward video production degree By Dan Thompson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Caleb Malen doesn’t consider himself an artistic person, but with video production, it’s different. “It’s reactive, it’s like … an art I can actually do,” said the Valley Christian School senior. “I’ve always been a little better with technology. I’m usually the one people call on for that.” Many people have – for all sorts of reasons. Malen has produced videos for his church, and others for a dance studio, and for a real estate company. He said he has also filmed weddings and has directed a short film. The variety of styles has given him the chance to experiment with different forms of storytelling, to which he has been drawn since he was a kid. Paul Malen, Caleb’s dad, remembers when his son became interested in stop-motion video production in elementary school. “He had a short attention span when he was a kid, and somehow he started watching LEGO stop-motion videos, and so he started making them himself,” Paul Malen said. “We’re talking 4- or 5,000-frame videos.” They were so good, Paul Malen said, that Caleb made one for a talent show at school in third or fourth grade, and then they played it at their church. In the years following that, Caleb Malen gradually learned how to use different cameras and editing software as well as lighting and
audio equipment, trying to learn as much as he could about every aspect of production. “Just from the get-go, he’s always been interested in film,” Paul Malen said. “(I would ask), ‘Where’d Caleb go?’ He’d be downstairs making these thousands-offrame movies.” Like his father did in high school, Caleb Malen has also been a runner during his time at Valley Christian, competing this season in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. He was also the team captain this season. “It’s a nice stress reliever. It’s fun,” Malen said of running. “It’s really driven by my competitive spirit, because I am very competitive.” Yet he is also a good mentor to younger students, something that is especially important at a small school like Valley Christian that has anywhere from eight to 16 students in each high school grade, said teacher Michael Drick. “He’s very dedicated and wants, always, to get better, and wants to know what it takes to get better,” Drick said. “He’s a pretty driven kid, in all aspects of life.” Drick said his son, an eighth-grader, looks up to Malen because “he’s an unassuming leader. He doesn’t look to lord (his) leadership over others.” This fall, Malen plans to start pursuing a video production degree at Eastern Washington University, though he also plans to keep producing videos for the cli-
VALLEY CHRISTIAN
Graduation
The Valley Christian commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 5 at Dishman Baptist Church, 315 N. Argonne Road, Spokane Valley.
Superintendent:
Derick Tabish
Valedictorian: Miina
Efta
Efta
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Feitong Angel Zhang Grace Bruno Miina Efta Taylor Gropp Caleb Malen Jonathan Moore Emma Pappas John Snook Aaron Tabish
ent base he has already built up. His goal is to eventually produce videos full time as a freelancer. He also helps run audio for services at his church, Calvary Chapel Spokane Valley, and he has dabbled in live productions, too. “Video kind of dominates every aspect of my life,” he said. “I try to do a little bit of everything.”
T32 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
GONZAGA PREPARATORY SCHOOL / THE OAKS CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
From Puerto Rico to Spokane with love
Lopez joined his father to attend Gonzaga Prep, seek more educational options; now heading to GU on full scholarship By Jim Allen
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Life has been a tough climb at times for Nicolas Lopez. However, Lopez got a boost during his four years at Gonzaga Preparatory School, and now he has a full ride to college. Better yet, he’ll be staying in the city he first saw only four years ago. “I’ve really come to love Spokane,” said Lopez, who plans to major in economics at Gonzaga University. Lopez’s path was long and even painful. Born in Colorado to a French father and Puerto Rican mother, he later moved to Chicago. His parents divorced when Lopez was in the second grade, and he spent the next seven years with mother in Puerto Rico. It’s a land of sunshine and scenery, but with few opportunities. By then his father had settled in Spokane and told him about Gonzaga Prep – “an education I wasn’t going to get in Puerto Rico,” said Lopez, who dreamed of becoming the first in his family to attend college. Lopez arrived in Spokane in the summer of 2017. Lopez embraced his new school and the community, turning out for wrestling until he dislocated a shoulder, volunteered as a peer tutor and worked on the yearbook staff.
COURTESY
Nicolas Lopez is a member of the Gonzaga Prep senior graduating class this year. “He is neither a flashy guy, nor one who is loud in a ‘Hey, everyone, pay attention to me’ kind of way,” said his counselor, Brian Spraggins. “He is simply a very sincere, polite, respectful young man who offers a ready smile and the authenticity of being himself – comfortable in his own skin,” Spraggins said. Lopez found inspiration from former
GONZAGA PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Makaylah Albrecht Samantha Allbery Isabella Amador-Navarrete Summer Ambute Lily Anderson Spencer Appel Julian Arias Liam Arnold Cora Ball Jacyn Bamis Jayne Bamis Avery Barnett Tyler Bassuer Grace Batkoff Aedon Benson Robert Benson Travis Bergman Olivia Berube Charissa Birdtail Siri-Amelie Birrer Jayden Blewett Rebekah Boyd William Brasch Jonah Brown Olivia Bruce Katelyn Bumbeck Jordan Bunning Liam Butte Naly Cao Joshua Centenari Andrew Chan Melvyn Chery
Mariah Cloke Timothy Cobb Maeve Collins Benjamin Conner Duncan Cooper David Cornwell Timothy Craven Christopher Croft Joseph Davidson Madeline Davies Adalgisa De Caro Antonio De Felice Lucia DeCaro Cole Deac Vincent Decker Steven Deibert Zachary Denker Adelyn Derzay John Doerschlag Sydney Dombrowik Carter Dominguez Isabella Donohoe Aiden Dougherty Erin Dougherty Grace Ducharme Evan Duchesne Kaitlyn Dugger Claire Eckhardt Joseph Ellingson Cole Emery-Murphy Adam Feryn Joseph Few Crysta Finnigan Hodges Flemming Christina Flynn James Franz Nicholas Frazier
G-Prep teacher Rick LaBelle, who taught religious studies and also led the school’s rock climbing club. “He was a really big part of my time at G-Prep,” Lopez said. However, the pandemic hit the Lopez family hard. After his father lost working hours, Lopez got a job at REI – a natural stop for an outgoing kid who also loves the outdoors.
Graduation
The Gonzaga Preparatory School commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 6 at the school’s Bullpup Stadium, 1224 E. Euclid Ave. Principal: Cindy Reopelle Valedictorian: Andrew Nordhagen Madeleine Fridenmaker Andrew Garcia Tyler Gates Garrett Gores Aidan Green Alice Groffman Grace Groshoff Jacob Guerrero Kaya Guerrero Christopher Hafer Ciara Hagan Holly Harget Parker Hatzke Emma Henderson Adam Herzog Bradi Hester Christian Hilburn Colin Hogan James Holman Daniel Hughes Jonathon Hughes Jackson Hult Aine Hurley Patrick Husband Lisa Huynh Ayla James Joseph Jarrard Sharmanda Jean-Francois
Nordhagen
Soleil Jeffery Skyler Jordan Jonathan Juarez Olivia Kaiel Mckenzie Kalua Brendan Kelly Colin Kelly Grace Keyes Rex Kibbe Thomas Kimmel Shannon Kinney Kaylene Kristofferson Matthew Kuester Hailey Landkammer Kyah Le Kate Lelewski Blake Lempka Ana Lillie Shobhin Logani Nicolas Lopez Carissa Managhan Owen Manfred Avery Martin Caitlin Martin Sergio McEvers Mason McGregor Shannon McGuire Jacob McIntyre
“I don’t know how personable I am, but I enjoy being around my peers,” Lopez said. “He has a keen mind and a giving heart,” Spraggins said. Lopez also is modest. “I really like learning about the way things work, and I really like biology and chemistry,” he said. “But I’m not as good in those subjects as I thought I was.”
Julia McIntyre Daniel McKeirnan Hannah Meany Zaynie Mellgren Natalie Miller Vanessa Miranda Brock Molenda Rebekah Moran Mason Morris Erika Mortvedt Bridget Murphy Madeleine Murphy Lydia Myers Luke Nave August Nelson Alexander Neyman Curtis Niblock Tamara Njagi Grace Nollette Andrew Nordhagen Meghan Nulf Alaina O’Connell Brendan O’Rourk Kaitlyn Olson Aliah Orellana Kimberly Orellana Jaden Ortega Jack Ou Lukas Overbeck Cameron Owens Hope Patterson Luke Perko Natalie Perrier Teresa Pham Callah Preti Caitlynn Rathbun Connor Reagan Janessa Riordan John Robertson Jordan Robideaux Jillian Rose
Zachary Round Caden Rubright Mason Ruiz Elizabeth Sabata Ryanne Saccomanno Kellen Sanders Katherine Scelfo Sarah Schlegel Andrew Schmidt Campbell Seibold Lily Semerad Olivia Sestero Thomas Shields Anna Shortell Kristyn Simpson David Siwinski Jackson Smith Joseph Smith Payton Strait Shixuan Jacob Sun Caiden Sundin Benjamin Tafoya Avery Tee Julian Temple Timothy Thompson Kaitlyn Toland Mitchell Torre Enrico Torres Anthony Turner Hanson van Loben Sels Cassidy Voelker Aidan von Buchwaldt Brandon Vue Joseph Warren Garrick Watkins Miles Watson Harrison Wells Braeden Welsh John Wieber Allia Wing Owen Zwyer
TO DIERDORFF, LEARNING IS ADVENTURE Senior earns distinction throughout academic career at The Oaks Classical Christian Academy By Pat Munts
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Ruth Dierdorff ’s love of science started early in her life when she read a “Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle Camp. She was fascinated by the concept of time travel as the three main characters traveled through space and time to save the father of two of the characters. Fast forward to 2021 and the end of her senior year at The Oaks Classical Christian Academy and Dierdorff is still fascinated by science and math, especially physics. In the fall she will attend the University of Arizona majoring in general physics. “I am interested in astrophysics, but I want to explore other areas, too. The more we know, the more we don’t know,” she said. According to Lynn Gibson, her college adviser at The Oaks, Dierdorff ’s fascination with all topics of science makes her distinctive among her 20 senior classmates. During her freshman year, of her own volition, she entered the Eastern Washington Regional Science and Engineering Fair with a submission: “Wavelength, Velocity, Frequency, and Power: A Study in Light Affected by Different Media.” In her junior year, Dierdorff found out about the Washington Aerospace Scholars Program, a seven-month online course sponsored by the University of Washington, The Museum of Flight in Seattle and NASA. At the end of the program, her academic achievements in the program and overall accomplishments earned her a
coveted spot in a weeklong intensive internship and team-building experience that focused on planning a mission to Mars. Dierdorff ’s experiences also have a practical side. She was part of the Wagstaff Engineering’s first Production and Manufacturing Academy in Spokane. Her team designed, built and marketed cornhole game boards using techniques learned during the program. Dierdorff ’s character and academic achievement have been noted by the faculty at The Oaks Academy. For two of her three high school years she received the Faculty Award for “academic excellence and exemplary character.” It is the highest honor the school confers. During each year of high school, Dierdorff has also attained summa cum laude for her high GPA. She was named a commended student in the National Merit Scholarship competition. “The teachers at The Oaks go out of their way to make it a great place to learn. I love the teachers because they love their subjects, and the students pick up on that,” she said. Dierdorff ties her love of science and math into other areas of her life. She plays flute in the Spokane Youth Symphony and hopes to play in an ensemble or take some music classes at the University of Arizona. She sees many parallels between physics, math and music. According to Gibson, “she explains her affinity for singing and playing musical instruments (flute and piano) as ‘numbers becoming music’; and her love of dance (ballet and modern) as ‘numbers be-
coming movement.’” The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t kind to her, her family or her friends. When everything went into lockdown, studying at home was dispiriting. “I missed my friends and the discussions we used to have in class,” Dierdorff said. The Oaks returned to in-person classes at the beginning of September, so Dierdorff was able to go back to most of her activities and friends for the school year. In her family, Dierdorff is sandwiched between two older sisters and a brother and one younger brother. All her older siblings are deep into their college studies in chiropractic science, fine arts and nursing so there is a little rivalry going on between them. As a family, they spend their time together backpacking in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area, the North Cascades and other areas of the Northwest. Last summer they were training for an 11-day hike on the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic caught up with the family, and they had to settle for hiking only part of it. With everyone home because of the pandemic, they all pitched in to build a fire pit in the backyard. Again, Gibson said, “In reality, Ruthie loves to learn, and she loves to think. She enjoys the adventure of it. Her academic results therefore do not tell the best story about ie. The best story is that she has an inner voice that compels her onward into discovery.” Pat Munts can be reached at pat@ inlandnwgardening.com
COURTESY
Ruth Dierdorff, a graduating senior and valedictorian at The Oaks Classical Christian Academy in Spokane Valley, plans to major in general physics at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
THE OAKS CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Ruth Dierdorff Evelyn Dykstra Abigail Farley Isaiah Guillen Ellyssa Harken Zachary Kapelac Suhyeon Kwon
Sujin Kwon Cecily Lambert David Love Samuel McEachran Noah Palpant Anna Sattler Esther Schumann Camille Sorensen Dulcinea Stutzman William Stutzman Daniel True Mia Welch
Graduation
The Oaks Classical Christian Academy commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 12 at Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard St., in Spokane. Principal: Charlie Dowers Valedictorian: Ruth Dierdorff
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T33
LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL
Greer’s singular focus: Get a full education
Liberty High senior puts her all into her classes as well as sports, school bands By Greg Mason
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Madison Greer made it a point throughout her time in high school to make sure she leaves without any regrets. That’s part of the reason the 18-year-old – a three-sport athlete who’s played in the school band since she was in seventh grade – took part in so many activities through her time at Liberty High School in the Spangle area. “I want to be involved in everything I can because I don’t want to look back and think, ‘Well what if I had done this,’ because there have been times where that’s happened already,” Greer said. “I don’t want that to happen way in the future when I really can’t do anything about it.” Greer is a National Honor Society member, was involved with National FFA Organization events for three years and was nominated a 2021 Spokane Scholar in world languages by the Spokane Scholars Foundation. She said she’s looking forward to taking what she’s gleaned with her to Eastern Washington University where she plans to start her career track toward becoming a pharmacist. She’s mapped out the next few years of her life, hoping to get her prerequisites done at EWU to attend pharmacy
LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Emma Kathryn Bartels Jacob Biegert Amelia Brown
COURTESY
Madison Greer, a talented athlete and student at Liberty High School, is graduating this year. She has laid out a plan for the next few years to attain her goal of becoming a pharmacist. school, ideally at the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. To support herself, Greer said she hopes to work part time as an emergency management technician, taking classes this past fall to start working toward her certification. “When I was little, I guess every little kid looks up to all the older kids around them and wants to grow up as soon as possible. I guess I just take that a little bit further,” Greer said. “When I was younger, I would imagine what wedding dress I would want to have, what kind of house I would want to have
Hadlee Brown Austyn Crain Maizy Feltwell Carson Fisk Trace Gale Kalem Gardiner Delaney Goodwin Madison Greer Hayden Hardt Sara Hartman Aaren Harvey Annika Hennington Joshua Hircock
and where I would want to live. I guess I’ve just refined that as I’ve gotten older.” Greer said she’ll particularly value the leadership and teamwork skills she picked up from her high school sports career, during which she played basketball, softball and volleyball. The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging during her junior and senior years. Particularly with softball, Greer, who earned a spot in the starting lineup by the end of the sophomore year, was looking forward to a full year as a starter in her junior year only for the season to get canceled. The squad did end up
Danner Holling Austen Hubbard Kylee Hubbard Kyle Johnson Logan Kettner Jared Kimball Logan Kroll Faith Moczulski Olivia Morgan Hannah Nemnich Diana Nikolaychuk Cole Ottmar Cassin Pittman
Cole Prince Van Ricker Austin Roberts Tanner Schenk Noah Seivers Jonah Shrode Logan Smith Carson Tee Jesse Turner Natalie Voigt Evan Williams Autumn Wright Carter Young
playing a truncated season this year, albeit without an opportunity for a shot at a state title. “I’ve been super, super happy that I’ve gotten the season we are getting even though we’re not getting a state or getting bigger games with more fans allowed,” Greer said. With music, meanwhile, Greer – the clarinet section leader – played in the pep, concert, jazz and marching bands. The juggling act with her activities was apparent with the 2020 basketball season during which Greer and her fellow Lancers won the State 2B championship. Greer – fresh off
the court – would turn around to play with the pep band for the boy’s basketball games. “I think looking back on it now, I probably just would have enjoyed the moment of being at state with my team,” she said. “Learning to find time for all of (these activities) has definitely been something that’s been difficult, but it’s definitely something that I think has been helpful.” Morgan Pendon, Liberty High School’s music director, said most student-athletes he’s taught that were also involved in band have typically relaxed after their games. “Madison is one of those students that has a super special place in my heart because she started here when I did,” Pendon said. “Everything that our program has become, I credit that to the students like her that have been here to see that transformation and being a part of it. Our music community at Liberty has become a lot more vibrant, and it’s because she’s been here this entire time.” Both Pendon and Liberty High School Principal Aaron Fletcher described Greer as an incredibly dedicated student. “She’s always willing to help, always has a smile on her face, never complains and just works extremely hard at everything in the classroom and in the band room and on the athletic fields,” Fletcher said. “I don’t know if you can really put words to it, but I’m just happy and proud of what she’s accomplished, and she’s worked extremely hard to make every day the best day she can.” Greg Mason can be reached at (509) 459-5047 or gregm@ spokesman.com.
Graduation
The Liberty High School commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 5 at Liberty High School, Spangle Waverly Road, Spangle. Principal: Aaron Fletcher. Valedictorian: Olivia Morgan.
Morgan
T34 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
INNOVATION HIGH SCHOOL / ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL
Learning to ‘navigate independently’ Wanting a change of direction, Amari Troutt took initiative to attend new Innovation High; earns Act Six scholarship to Gonzaga University
By Emma Epperly
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
When Amari Troutt decides she wants to do something she does it, no matter what the issues are that come her way. Like when she was in seventh grade, struggling at a new school and decided she needed a change. Troutt applied to the PRIDE Schools system without telling her family. “I told my family once we got the call that I got accepted,” Troutt said. The move was a success for Troutt, who enjoyed the student-led approach to high school. Now, four years later, Troutt is graduating from Innovation High School and headed across town to Gonzaga University on a full-ride scholarship as an Act Six scholar. Troutt had planned to attend a Historically Black College in North Carolina but was surprised when after a rigorous threemonths-long application process she was selected to the Act Six scholar program, that focuses on leadership during scholar’s collegiate career. “There were so many, like, qualified kids, and I didn’t think I was going to get it,” Troutt said. “It took me a long time to finally realize that I was going to Gonzaga.” Troutt’s grandparents, whom she calls the “backbone” of the family, have strong ties to Gonzaga with her grandfather, James Troutt, working for the dean of admissions after his retirement from the military and her grandmother, Peggy Troutt, an alum. The scholarship made Troutt’s dreams of double majoring in sports management and kinesiology a reality. Since watching Thunderstruck, a 2012 basketball film starring Kevin Durant,
Troutt has wanted to become an athletic trainer. “My plan is to go into the NBA and potentially either be a manager or an athletic trainer,” Troutt said. To gain more experience, Troutt contacted the president of the Lilac City Legends, Michael Bethely, and asked him to mentor her. Blethely was so impressed he offered her an internship. One day, Troutt hopes to build an athletic facility that’s affordable and offers kids access to physical therapy and athletic training. “My goal is to go into there and hopefully make sure kids, especially at the high school level, have access, and it’s all affordable,” Troutt said. Troutt’s inspiration for the facility is her athletic younger brother, Malachi Troutt, who didn’t have many resources when it came to athletics. “We’re two years apart in age and one year apart in school,” Troutt said. “He’s like my best friend.” Even in school, Troutt has found support for her athletic trainer dreams in health and fitness teacher Dario Romero. Romero, who played football for the Miami Dolphins, said, he immediately hit it off with Troutt and saw her confidence right away. “What I most admire about her is that she is courageous enough to not follow the crowd. She has this confidence and a very mature perspective of the world,” Romero said. “She has always had those leadership qualities but just needed a litCOURTESY tle bit of a push.” Over the last few years, Romero said Amari Troutt, a notable student at Innovation High School, aims to become an athletic he has worked with Troutt to give her an trainer for professional athletes. “understanding of how to attain a goal and fight through adversity.” Innovation High was to “navigate inde- Emma Epperly can be reached Troutt agreed that one of the biggest pendently.” at (509) 459-5122 or at emmae things she learned during her time at “The sky is the limit for her,” Romero said. @spokesman.com
Graduation
Alent
Christensen
Dickinson
Lee
INNOVATION HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Riley Akin Kennadi Alent Carson Anselmo Marnach Morgan Baker Elias Baldwin-Bonney Caely Bassen Elliott Beadle Morgan Beitey Grant Binns
Kimberly Bisono-Rosa Freya Boniface Alyssa Cady Anthony Casserino Elizabeth Chase Emily Chitwood Joshua Christensen Caily Conley Avery Corral Jr. Lataya Cunningham Natalie Dickinson Addison Ditto Jeremiah Dowd
McLaughlin
Paine
TayJra Dukes Chloe Edwards Olivia Evans Alexzander Fackler William Fackler Janice Finch Serena Fleming Leif Forrest Vivienne Fredericks Dinah Gardner Paityn Ives Samantha Ivie Vance Jared Jr. Kimberly Johnsen Alexis Joy Ethan LaRocque Caleb Lee
Riley
Shirley
Daniel Lee Andrew Legg Dylan Lemaster Braden McLaughlin Jasmine Medina Byron Medlock Hunter Miller Michael Miller Talina Moore Jackson Overholser Amelia Paine Caidynce Peck Jayden Petersen Benjamin Pino Josiah Plano Chase Plesek Zechariah Power-Drutis
The Innovation High School commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 5 at Riverside Place, 1110 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane. Principal: Brian Via Valedictorians: Kennadi Alent, Joshua Christensen, Natalie Dickinson, Caleb Lee, Braden McLaughlin, Amelia Paine, Ivy Riley and Zane Shirley. Lillee Quintana Joshua Resendez Luisa Resendez Jada Richardson Ivy Riley Mykaya Schulz Bayden Serr Bobbie Shaw Zane Shirley James Silva Braiden Snyder Alan Stricklin Hailey Tate
Jonathon Taylor Charles Thomas Isaiah Thompson Onalee Thompson Max Toillion Amari Troutt Tylia Uzeta Victoria Vickers Talia Williams Shilene Wymer Treyvonn Yanskey
DESPITE PANDEMIC CHALLENGES, ST. GEORGE’S SENIOR GUSTAFSON WENT BEYOND ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS By Nina Culver
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Alexandria Gustafson spent a good portion of the past year commuting to her grandmother’s house every weekday so she could use her Wi-Fi to attend online classes at St. George’s School, since there is no internet access at her home near Deer Park. Despite the pandemic-induced difficulties, Gustafson said she has enjoyed her time at St. George’s, where she has been a student since kindergarten. She and her family were touring local schools and she fell in love with St. George’s, Gustafson said. “I became instant best friends with the people I was around,” she said. She liked the teachers and liked that it was a close-knit community. “I love it,” Gustafson said. “I like the flexibility of my high school. They never back down from anything you want to do.” She’s been in the theater program since the sixth grade, when she also began singing in the choir. In recent years she’s been singing in a band called Rock n’ Roll. “For a while it was Gibby Eats World because our drummer is
Gibby,” she said. Gustafson, who apparently doesn’t do anything short-term, has also been involved in 4-H since she was 4 years old. “It’s fun,” she said. “They basically open the door for whatever you want to do.” As she got older, she found herself involved in leadership programs and photography through 4-H as well as the statewide Task Force for Diversity and Inclusion. She’s also part of the Team Teachers program, in which they teach after-school programs in elementary schools. “It’s one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever had,” she said. Gustafson is an International Baccalaureate candidate. She said she earned certifications in all of her classes rather than going for a full IB diploma because her lack of internet access made that task too difficult. Gustafson said St. George’s is the only school in Spokane County to offer the IB option. “It’s one level above Advanced Placement,” she said. “It’s college prep in a way I haven’t seen before. It’s a lot of work.” Gustafson said she was originally thinking of studying business and engineering in college, but took a test that showed she was a good fit for sustainable foods and environmental en-
ST. GEORGE’S SCHOOL
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Kuhu Amin Sydney Bledsoe Shayden Brown Alec Bunn Katie Carter Feng Chen Nicole Cook
Gabrielle Cunningham Nianwen Dan Paul Darnall John DeForest Alli Dixon Kyley Doughty Kelsey Doughty John Michael Field Jake Gliniak Alexandria Gustafson Audrey Harrill Nick Henning Reagan Ivey Aidan Kelly Nolan Kimball Tristan Krzyzanek
gineering. She was required to complete an IB internal assessment, which she did on hydroponics and its connection to diseases. It took her five months of research to complete. “It was way cool,” she said. Her academic credentials meant she had a lot of options for college. She toured numerous college campuses across the country, but she ultimately picked the University of Idaho, where she plans to study sustainable engineering and farming. The fact that her choir had attended choir competitions there helped seal the deal. “I looked at tons and tons of bigger schools,” she said. “They were one of the few places that sent a rep up to my high school to talk to me.” When the school found out it was in her top five, they made concerted efforts to woo her, including having students send her notes touting the benefits of the school. School administrators were also interested in what she wanted to do and weren’t trying to recruit her for a specific program, she said. “That’s a nice feeling,” she said. Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com
Kaihao Lei Adelaide Lennemann Jianbo Ma Nicholas McIndoe Josie Melville Dana Mogensen Nico Morales Chaitanya Nalluri Erika Piotrowski Aidan Reichel Cambrie Rickard Zadie Rigsby Ella Stiller Lingzuo Tang Nicholas Watkins Carolyn Wolff
COURTESY
Alex Gustafson is a notable senior for 2021 at St. George’s.
Graduation
The St. George’s School commencement took place May 21 on the Graduation Lawn, 2929 W. Waikiki Road, Spokane. Principal: Francesca Mulazzi, Head of Upper School Wenqing Wu Jiahui Xu Jiepu Yang Lan Yao Yufan Zhao
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T35
DEER PARK HOME LINK / DEER PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Lifelong home-schooler aims to be firefighter
Braelea Wagner: Ride-along opportunity with firefighters proved inspiring during a tough year made even more challenging by family illnesses By Jesse Tinsley
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Braelea Wagner has been home-schooled since kindergarten and attends the Deer Park Home Link, a partnership between home schooling families and the school district. Although her parents were her teachers in elementary and junior high, most of her high school work has been in-person through Home Link. Wagner loved her classes in literature, botany, geology and many other topics. As a lifelong home-schooler, Wagner appreciated the flexible time scheduling and the ability to take family field trips to dive deeper into topics like history and science. She has made trips to Fort Spokane and the Oregon Coast prompted by school topics. “When you get the chance to see something you’re learning about, it connects so much better in your brain,” she said. Outside of school, Wagner likes volunteering at her church, Calvary Chapel Spokane, where she would run the camera or the digital projector during services. She has learned to play piano from her grandmother, a piano teacher, and performed at retirement homes during the holidays. “Seeing the people light up and tap their toes to the music always filled me with happiness,” she said. “When this pandemic clears up, I would love to play for them again.” Wagner also took up Irish dance and performed with the Kelly Irish Dancers. In early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Home Link classes were shut down. “It was so strange not being in class with the teachers. They’re my best friends.” She struggled to adjust to remote learning at first using just email and Google Classrooms. And there was a bigger challenge in store. In July, her father, Paul Wagner, a truck driver, was diagnosed with oral cancer, stage four. Because the treatment for the cancer would suppress Paul Wagner’s immune system, Braelea, her mother, Marnie Wagner, and brother Cody Wagner, 14, committed to
a strict quarantine, curtailing most outside activities for the family. Even with the lockdown and caring for her father, she loved getting out in nature whenever she could. Some of her favorite hikes are along the Oregon Coast. “One of my favorite places to hike around there is near Fort Stevens, and the Fort to Sea Trail. I love to listen to the song nature makes,” she said. I’m just exploring everything God created.” She likes to ski and kayak as well. “I just like getting out and connecting to nature, for like Wordsworth believed, nature is both a teacher and a healer,” she said recently. “Nature inspires me to write poetry, for everything has a story worth telling.” Although some Home Link classes restarted during her senior year, Wagner has stayed home because her father was still at risk. Despite their quarantine efforts, Marnie Wagner, then Braelea, contracted COVID-19 in December . Braelea Wagner’s first symptoms included blurry vision and severe headaches. She and her mother immediately locked themselves in their bedrooms to protect her father, who had to bring their meals to them during the two-week isolation period. Both recovered but have had “long-haul” symptoms of recurring headaches and brain fog, which made concentrating difficult. Wagner had to postpone one exam in January because of an intense headache. During this tumultuous senior year, Wagner went on a ride-along with firefighters from Spokane County District 4. The experience led her to make a career goal of becoming a firefighter. She met Capt. Megan Hill and learned women can do the physical aspects of the job. She has been working out with weights in preparation to take the physical agility test, a first step toward being a volunteer firefighter. Her father is still on a feeding tube, but his cancer is in remission. “He has kept a strong faith in God, and he trusts that he will get through this,” Wagner said. “My trust in God helped me through all of this. The battle belongs to Him, and He will never fail,” she said.
COURTESY
Braelea Wagner, a notable senior for Deer Park Home Link, made a career goal of becoming a firefighter. She has begun preparation for the physical test.
Graduation
DEER PARK HOME LINK
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Nicole Araya Rebecca Basta Arneth Beck Grace Coe Thomas Colvin III Anthony Delgado Madeline Dierks Anastasia Durka Elizabeth Emery Dustin Erickson Carlos Glenn Esther Griffin Gavin Hanson Kristin Heglin Ryan Highland Annika Hunsaker
The Deer Park Home Link commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 11 at Deer Park Home Link, 428 N. Main St., in Deer Park. Principal: Molly Murphy
Seth Leighton Kaitlyn Lynch Jamie McCall Elise McNeal William Miller Olivia Prettyman Emma Stallings Sophia Stoop Naomi VanWormer Micah VanWormer Braelea Wagner Chaden Zeik
Tinkering into the future: Deer Park High’s Donaldson races motorcycles, shows aptitude for engineering By Kip Hill
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Though he’d been racing on dirt track motorcycles since age 9, when Deer Park High School senior Myles Donaldson took a landscaping job, he couldn’t use the machinery because of safety rules. “I couldn’t even touch a drill,” Donaldson said with a chuckle. “It was just kind of torture, to shovel or rake all day.” Donaldson, one of about 170 Deer Park students who will graduate June 12, is keeping his options open after commencement. It could include continued competition in flat-track racing, a motorcycle contest typically held on an unpaved, oval track. Donaldson is also interested in engineering and graphic design work, but is right at home helping out with the alfalfa harvest on his family’s farm. “I love hiking, going places and traveling,” Donaldson said. “I’m kind of a mountain guy.” Kevin Kernan has been teaching industrial arts at Deer Park for the past sev-
en years but has a 37-year career in teaching technology. Donaldson quickly stood out in his ninthgrade engineering class, Kernan said, and the instructor now trusts Donaldson to make repairs on equipment in the lab that costs tens of thousands of dollars. “I tell him, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with this thing, you’ve got to take a look at it,’ and then I come back a couple hours later and he’s got it working perfectly,” Kernan said. “That’s the kind of kid he is.” Attending classes online over the past year put some of his projects in woodworking, welding and engineering on hold. But Donaldson was still able to compete in races, which were held outdoors and usually involve physical distancing. Donaldson hopes the flat-track racing is retained at the Spokane Speedway, which is in the process of being sold by Spokane County to the Kalispel Tribe. He called the track “a second home.” “If it leaves, we’re going to lose a lot of riders,” he said. “They’re going to
DEER PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Austin Adams Faith Adams Joshua Alder Carson Allen Chrystallia Altizer Caylie Anderson Corey Arcano Victoria Arleth Domonick Armstrong Nicholas Bailey Tasha Barnard Liam Barrett Tyler Bates Chloe Berg Chaz Bird Sebastian Blough Geovanni Bossio Grace Boswell Sydney Breckner Jayden Brookshire Nacona Brown Hannah Carnahan Ainsley Carpenter Annabel Castillo Braydyn Chevalier Araia Cogdell Kayden Coleman Malachi Collazo Amilyauna Collins
Jace Collins Carson Colville Elias Curtis Matthew Davey Nicole Davison Bethann Dean Jackson Dean Nelson Dean Sophia Dixon Myles Donaldson Hailey Dunaway Tre Dundas Ryan Durgeloh Troy Dwyer Caitlin Eagan Ethan Earley Victoria Edwards Jack Envolsen Joshua Erickson Anavah Fairbanks Dustin Feldner Adam Frank Elijah Franklin Marion George Samantha Goms Tristan Haines Chandra Halstead Jack Hanson Lissandra Hartwell Zachary Heglin Benjamin Helm Jordan Herrick
lose something that they love to do.” Donaldson picked up the sport from a family friend. None of his other family members raced motorcycles, but he hopped on a Kawasaki and didn’t look back. He’s now racing in the pro class. “It’s a really nice atmosphere in the track family,” he said. “You have friends that are different than friends you have from school or work.” Sherry Donaldson, Myles’ mother, said his conviction and dedication to the sport showed his character and individuality. “He’s tried a lot of different sports,” Sherry Donaldson said. “He just didn’t like the group sports.” Myles Donaldson would often defend flat track as a sport against peers who would tease that it isn’t, his mom said. That independent spirit may be what’s driving her son to weigh his options before jumping into a four-year college commitment, Sherry Donaldson said. “His preschool teacher gave him an award for imagination. He has lots
of ideas and imagination,” she said. Kernan said he could see Myles Donaldson working on product testing for new types of motorcycles, fabricating materials and testing them on the track, if that’s what he wants to do. “He’s in probably the top five students I’ve taught at this institution,” Kernan said. The loss of a normal senior year didn’t concern Myles Donaldson that much. He watched his sister, Shayla, graduate last year and head off to college without a prom, or other similar rite-of-passage events. But as commencement day approaches, Myles Donaldson said he’d gained an appreciation for the time he can spend with classmates. “I don’t go to a lot of the football games,” he said. “But having all that taken away, not having the opportunity to go, I kind of missed it.” Donaldson’s well aware that those moments that have been hard to come by this year are almost over. “In the end the things I’m going to miss – like
Graduation
The Deer Park High School commencement procession will begin at 12:55 p.m. June 12 at the school theater, 800 S. Weber Road, Deer Park. Principal: Joe Feist Lee Valedictorian: Malorie Lee Daris Herring Andreanna Hiatt Haley Higley Ethan Hodgson Brittany House Kenzie Howland Rebecca Irwin Kyle Ivy Destiny Jedynak Tanysha Johnson Kari Jones Isaac Kammeyer Dylan Kamp Kyrstyn Kane Karli Kastner Richard Koski Thomas Koski Kylen Krepcik Kylee Krous Lauryn Kunkel Clinton Kuperus Sierra LaBrie Malorie Lee
Kirsti Lehto Hailey Lentz Dylan Lockhart Marissa Longo Graydon Love Rebecka Lukenbill Taylor Lyons Tyler Maki Denette March Alayna Marshall George Martin Caden Martz Kamerly Massey Jacob McCabe Isabella Miller Levi Miller Ian Mizialko Anna Molina Meagan Moody Adelaide Moore Hannah Moore Jalina Morton Daniel Murphy
COURTESY
Myles Donaldson, a notable senior at Deer Park High School, says he appreciates the time spent with classmates, especially since the pandemic cut it short. most people in the class – we’re going to miss seeing each other,” he said.
Kip Hill can be reached at (509) 459-5429 or at kiph@spokesman.com
Jacson Newman Stetzen Nichols Journey Niemela Colesen Nord Darin O’Neill Chloe Olson Shaylee Overturf Hunter Pagac Grady Parks Faith Patterson Luke Paulson Kasandra Porter Freddy Ramsden Zackary Randall Mikayla Rash Kyndall Ray Zachary Reeder Dylan Richardson Harriet Riebold Sam Riebold Blake Robison Kyndra Rodriguez Kaitlynn Rogers Zoey Roth Kylee Rowe Dayton Rowley Isabella Rowley Kaydance Rowley Felipe Sarquilla Ronald Schwencer Natalie Scott Isabella Sedano Christopher Self Janessa Sexton Shannon Shepherd Abigail Simonson
Amber Simonson Ava Simonson Charles Simonson Gabriel Simonson Hannah Simundson Amelia Smith Mckinley Smith Mikiah Smith Sonny Smith Bonnie Stapf Andrew Stenbeck Ella Stern Zane Stevens Cale Strom-Baker Kaden Strong Weinrich Quentin Swett Paige Thomson Nacona Toering Laife Toews Abigail Turner Micca Twinn Annika Van Veen Diego Vasquez Erik Velazquez Montes Austin Waagenaar Aidan Walsh Miley Webb Acacia Whitlock Makayla Williams Nathan Williams Hayden Wilson Dustin Wing Amber Wise Jennifer Wittenberg Lydia Woods Dawson Youngblood
T36 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
POST FALLS / VENTURE Graduation
POST FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Headley
Snow
The Post Falls High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 8 at Post Falls High School, 2832 Poleline Road, Post Falls, Idaho. Principal: Chris Sensel Valedictorians: Aidan Headley, Samantha Snow and Kanyon Zirker.
Zirker
Post Falls senior Fry’s juggling act carries her far in school career
COURTESY
Post Falls High School’s notable 2021 senior is Melanie Fry.
By Emma Epperly
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
High school hasn’t been easy for Melanie Fry. In fact, it has been stressful managing honors classes, a part-time job, sports, health problems and family time, but through it all, her focus has been on brightening her classmates’ days with a little bit of kindness. Fry takes being kind so seriously that she’s president of the Kindness Club. Her freshman year, Fry joined the Post Falls High School’s Kindness Club, which started as part of Rachel’s Challenge, a national anti-bullying suicide prevention movement after the death of Rachel Scott in the Columbine High School shooting. “We basically just help spread kindness and awareness, that people do go through a lot of hardship that not everybody knows about,” Fry said. “Just to treat everybody the way you want to be treated.” Each semester during finals club members write every single student a kind note to hopefully make them feel supported, Fry said. “Life is hard especially as a teenager,” Fry said. “Face to face, this person looks like they’re having the time their life but deep down they’re going
through things.” Fry knows what it’s like to go through struggles that those around her aren’t aware of. Early in her high school career, Fry struggled to manage her stress and developed a hernia. “It’s been a battle. It’s not easy,” she said. “It also taught me to grown in myself and learn that I don’t need to be that stressed out about it. I try to look at it as a blessing in disguise.” Knowing what it’s like to have struggles, even common ones like managing her busy schedule, Fry goes out of her way to not only be kind but mentor others. Each year, she mentors freshmen through their first few months of school. She also is a leader on her tennis team and sings in the Troubadours, elite choir and was even crowned prom queen last month. “Melanie is like the type of student who is kind and respectful and a mentor to all of her peers,” said Ashley Fuller, a counselor at Post Falls High School. “She goes above and beyond to help others.” Academically, Fry struggled in her early school days, she said. “When I was little in elementary school, school and I did not get along,” Fry said. “I would never do my homework.” “It was a battle every night,”
said Vicki Fry, her mother. Then in fourth and fifth grade, she had Corey Still as her math teacher, he took extra time with her making sure she understood the material, with help from her grandfather as well, Fry flourished. “She just took off and now she’s the kind of person who does homework first and play later,” her mother said. “I could not more proud of her.” When she graduates, Fry will have completed more than half of the credits for her associate degree. She plans to finish her associate at North Idaho College before transferring to Lewis and Clark State College to pursue a degree in elementary education. “That is the best thing for her I think. She just mentors other people so well,” Fuller said, of Fry’s teaching plans. “She has that personality that would make students want to learn from her.” Fry’s focus on lifting people up will carry her far in life, Fuller said. “If I made anybody smile because I went to kindness club day then I did my job,” Fry said. “At the end of the day, I want to make other people happy.” Emma Epperly can be reached at (509) 459-5122 or at emmae@ spokesman.com
VENTURE HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Andrew Anderson Gracie Bartkowiak Katelyn Borley Kaden Boyce Caidrian Bradley-Barnes Keaton Carver Maiah Coit Makenna Cooper Daisy Daniels
Makayla Gerdes Tanner Gilmore Christa Gladden Addy Harris-Novak Ireland Heise Trystan Jennings Dorothy Johnson Halley Katzenberger Julien Kirby Natalia Langford Kailee Maloney Levi Mannon Evelyn Martinez
Julian Martinez Emmalee Murphy Tamara Nelson Jessica Orr Pixie Pomerinke Malcolm Rice-Lambott Martin Rice-Lambott Mykenzie Rouw Aurella Sailto-Sharkey Jordan St. Martin Kaylee Summers Max Thomas Samuel Waite
Graduation
The Venture High School commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 10 at Venture High School, 1619 N. Ninth St., Coeur d’Alene. Principal: Teresa Kaiser
Joseph Wilcox Nova Williams Sophia Woolsey
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Andrew Ackerman Madison Albaugh Caleb Alexander Myria Aparicio Hunter Arnold Tyler Arnone Trinity Arthur Natasha Astrauskas Lane Babowicz Nicholas Bailey Sydney Bailey Trevor Bailey Harrison Baker Jordan Baldwin Lilliana Baldwin Isaac Ballew Jocelyn Baray Kaycie Barber James Bastedo Jesse Bawcum Caleb Beal Coralynn Becker Kamryn Becker Molli Bensen Kelly Bereta Joshua Berg Colby Bernhart Maya Blake Ethan Bluemer Nathan Bohl Connor Bonderenko Rachel Bonner Jacqueline Booth Brett Branson Jonathan Brickert Noel Brooks Dylan Brown Justine Browning Ethan Brownlee Montana Buckley Shaelynn Budd George Bulgar IV Peyton Bundy Keith Bush Isabella Bustamante Dakota Butler Joseph Butler Ashley Butterfield Caleb Calkins Mattea Campanella Elliott Carpenter Kilynn Carr Logan Carrick Brylan Chaney-Lutes Jena Chapman Brady Christensen Tailyn Clark Tyler Cook Lakai Corbin Thomas Cord Sterling Coy Kaitlyn Cramer Sawyer Crenshaw Kaden Cripps Kayden Cropper Christian Curlee Mason Cushing Miranda Daddato Mia Darwood Joseph Desoto Allyson Dewhirst Owen Dewitt David Dickinson Matthew Dill Jacob Ditto Taylor Dolezal Jerrel Dollente Jaden Donohoe Mercedes Draggoo Zavenda Draper Caleb Duce Elena Duloglo Kahlea Dumas Jayden Dunbar Gabriella Dunham Lily Emerson Torrence Estes Joseph Estrada Hayden Ewing Andrew Ferreira Kamden Fiddes Kinsley Finch Gabriel Fletcher Lukas Frandsen Kara Frank Melanie Fry Shayleigh Gallegos Scott Gann Sivana Garber Madison Garcia Starr Giovanelli Elijah Glenn Vanessa Gould Ryan Graves Lola Green Brianna Grey Abigail Gugino Maegan Haler Tyler Hall Baylie Haller Brenna Hamilton Elwin Hansen Ivy Hansen Nikolas Hanson Christian Harms Jace Harris Jayden Harris Maxwell Harrison Alexis Hart Reagan Hartzell Thomas Hauser Aidan Headley Josiah Heath Robert Heerdink III Jacob Heidt Kiaya Henry Vanessa Hetzel Payton Hintz Destanie Hoerner Matthew Hofius Johnathan Holbert Leah Holding Joshua Hopkins Alex Horning Lars Horning Cameron Howard Hailey Howard Tayla Hubbard Nathaniel Hughes Hailey Huisman Tatyana Hunt Kaitlyn Hunter Kaleb Irish-adams Xander Irwin Deken Isom Brayden Jacobs Hunter Jacobson Ashton Jennison Isaac Jessen Isabel Jimenez Jack Johnston Jaselyn Jones Kianna Jones Blake Judd Aiden Junttila Mackenzie Karl Laura Keck Hyrum Keliinoi Brycen Kempton Tyler Kirkeby Andrea Knauff Kinsey Koenig Regan Kokkinen Logan Koller Nicole Korp Logan Kory Isaiah Laguna Holden Lamastus
Brayan Lara Mendez Zekiah Lavoie Hailie Leader James Lee Asia Leppert Carl Lewey Kyle Lickfold Jeremiah Lindley Josiah Lindley Dakota Livingston Shannon Lockman Olivia Loe Dylan Lovett Natalie Lowrey Djuna Luckey Isaac Lunnen Morgan Lyons Tyler Lyons Lori Ann Macklin Benjamin Madsen Kelsey Marmon Breanne Maxwell Austin Mayo William McCann Kailen McCracken Caden McLean Nicolas McLeod Emily McMullen Avery McSpadden Keith Meeks Madisen Meeks Mark Melchert Isaiah Meredith Noah Meredith Nolan Meyer Carson Milbrath Shawn Milks Ethan Miller Jessica Miller Joshua Miller Mason Miller Sterling Minkler Joshua Minter Kinsey Mohne/Hooker Laura Moler Dominic Monti Blake Moore Julia Moore Scott Moore Dalanie Morgan Carol Morrison Nathan Mortensen Rylan Moss Tate Moylan Erica Mundt James Mundt Hannah Murphy Mccall Nagy Ryan Nearing Jordan Neilson Avery Nelson Luis Nelson Sanchez William Newman Caleb Nichols Tyler Nickerson Joshua Nilson Brianna Nimmick Aidan O’halloran Katie O’neal Cassidy Olsen Carys Olson Liberty Ortega Jocelyn Otte Connor Owens Connor Patterson Hannah Paulsen Kaeleigh Payton Cassidy Peacock Jacob Pedersen Jacob Perry Alexander Peters Alexi Petersen Riley Peterson Kaden Phothivongsa Victoria Piippo Alicia Pintor Salazar Ryleah Plumeau Kole Pogue Amber Pollard Tricia Powell Jaedynn Pratt Kezra Price Zoe Price Hunter Pulliam Romeo Randles Lane Reardon Kameron Rebay Chloe Redwing Jaci Reilly Charles Richardson Alexis Rivera Russell Roaldson Mia Roberson Aaron Robinson Devin Robinson Zackary Rodriguez Robert Romero III Brenna Rostron Kristen Roth Haley Rupe Morgan Rust Cole Rutherford Sage Saccomanno Alexander Salzer Abigail Sanders Steven Scheffler Emily Schlothauer Christopher Schnell Andrew Shaver Josiah Shields Siena Shinault Noah Siler Emily Silva Taya Simpson Hailey Sims Raji Singh Carter Smith Cayse Smith Devin Smith Seth Smith Triston Smith Samantha Snow Kayla Spencer Brooke Spiros Haley St. Pierre Cody Sterritt Jason Stevens Kenadie Stevens Hailee Stutheit Shane Sutton Tyler Sylvester Autumn Tatman Peter Taus Jr. Abigail Taylor Zoe Taylor Olivia Thoeny Kaylee Thomas Savannah Thomas Makenzee Thompson Emma Thomson Devon Tillman Kyla Tomlinson Diego Torres Tiffany Tuck Anthony Turbes Talyn Uemoto Gabriel Vandenoever Madison Vanderhoff Lance Vasquez Austin Vaughan Sebastian Vela Jordan Vinyard Andrew Wallace Lacey Warthen Jameson Wasson Kouper Weil Brian Wemhoff Tristan White Khylee Whitton Maria Wienholz Jaylie Wilhelm Kloey Williamson-Bell Tyler Wilson Damien Wisdom Daniel Wolcott Kasey Wood Lilith Wood Gabriel Woodard Melissa Woodbury Kevin Wraith Brianna Wright Cheyenne Wright Cayden Wrublik Isaac Zane Colby Zeller Spencer Zeller Kyla Zichko Kanyon Zirker
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T37
NEW VISION
COURTESY
Braeden Pritchett says New Vision High School gave him a second chance to right his trajectory in school. He is graduating with this year’s senior class.
Tinkering on cars paves road for New Vision senior SELF-AWARENESS HELPS PRITCHETT TURN LIFE AROUND By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
When New Vision High School senior Braeden Pritchett looks back at his past four years, he says, he’s “shocked” at how he was able to turn things around. From a self-described class clown and “hooligan,” who went from middle school to Post Falls, New Vision and the Kootenai Technical Education Campus, Pritchett is a case study in how self-awareness, even at a young age, can help one to change his life’s direction. “Without New Vision, I probably would have dropped out of high school,” he said, “and I definitely wouldn’t have got as far as I have. A couple months ago, when I was applying to colleges and getting accepted into some, I stopped to think about how much things had changed for me.” For him, New Vision was a second chance. “I’ve never really been academically good, but I was a good kid until we moved to Tacoma during middle school. My behavior changed and I was hanging out with kids who were getting in trouble. My mom had got a good job in Tacoma, but our family support was here, and we moved back before high school.” His behavior didn’t change much even after the move, he said. “My old friends didn’t seem cool enough to me, and I fell in with a different crowd than I had before, and it wasn’t good for me,” he said. With only five credits after three semesters at Post Falls, he knew that he wasn’t going to graduate if he didn’t change. “At first, I hated the idea of transferring to New Vision, but my mom said this is where you’re going, whether you like it or not. I transferred midway through my sophomore year, and I hated it until the end of the year, until I looked back and saw how much work I had made up in a short time.”
New Vision is a small alternative high school designed for students with credit deficiencies or previous attendance problems. Academic interventions are in place at every level for every student. KTEC is a half-day program with technical and professional training designed around local, state and national standards. All instructors are experienced industry professionals who then entered the teaching field. Braeden has been enrolled at KTEC for his junior and senior years in the Automotive Repair program, and in fact even graduated from New Vision several months early. He’s continuing his work at KTEC, though, in hopes of earning additional certifications that will qualify him to meet dealership and factory certifications as a technician. “I had always tinkered with cars,” he said, “but a couple years ago I was working on an old Ford Galaxy with my grandfather and he said, ‘I was watching you, and you’re going to be a technician. It’s a family tradition, and it’s imprinted in your brain.’ ” Pritchett realized he hadn’t thought about his future at that point, and he had no formal training. “After that, though, a light bulb went on, and I decided to go to KTEC and really work at being a good student. I knew that KTEC had a good automotive repair program and that if I got my certifications, I could get any job I want.” Braeden will enroll at North Idaho College this fall in the automotive program there, although he is undecided whether he’ll pursue the two- or four-year course of study. Braeden’s counselor at New Vision, Brooke Crouse, sees a side of him beyond his technical skills, too. “Braeden is super bright and intelligent. But what makes him so special is his kind and humble spirit. Anyone who spends even five minutes with Braeden can see how thoughtful and respectful he is.” Joe Everson can be reached at joseph.everson@yahoo.com
“
I transferred midway through my sophomore year, and I hated it until the end of the year, until I looked back and saw how much work I had made up in a short time.” Braeden Pritchett,
Graduating senior about transferring New Vision High Schoo;l
NEW VISION HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Ashley Bales Lilian Barnes Zachary Bauer Bradly Baumgardner Mariia Bobu Kellista Booth Cole Bowman Randy Bowman Anayah Brown Nevaeh Cameron Ethyn Christensen Morgan Clay Tyler Coatney-Lyons Breanna Dawes Brooklyn Estes Camden Estes Joslynn Foutz McKenna Fuhlendorf Amanda Gewecke
Adam Gibson Ashton Gibson Brylei Godes David Gonzalez Ella Greer Jamieson Hanlan Austin Herth Timothy Hess Madeleyn Hicks Jude Hiibel Morgan Hulce Jesse Jacobs Zack Koger Kyler Lord Aizlieenn Lucero-George Triston McNearney Gabriella McRory-Johnson John Nikula Kimiko Nishimori Teariny Norcutt Braeden Pritchett Daylin Reuber Hunter Rowden Angelika Slisenko
Graduation
The New Vision High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 9 at Post Falls High School Auditorium, 2832 E. Poleline Ave., Post Falls. Principal: Dawn Mackesy Ricky Smith Trinity Swindle Makenzee Thompson Lilian Vaeena-Ruby Anthony Vanditto Savanna Walker Eric Weyland Christopher Wilson Madison Wussow
T38 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
COEUR D’ALENE CHARTER / KOOTENAI
CURIOUS, DRIVEN Aguiar enjoys sciences as she does humanities; heading to MIT in fall By Colin Tiernan
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
According to Chris Baker, an English teacher at Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, what stands out most about Maria Aguiar is her maturity. “Some kids will be picky, picky, picky to get every single point on a test,” who taught Aguiar in two high-school English classes. “Maria’s more interested in, ‘Why is this the answer?’ She’s in the pursuit of improving herself and expanding her knowledge.” So Baker was surprised to find out Aguiar – who skipped the second grade and turns 17 in May – is the youngest student in the senior class. “I didn’t even realize that,” she said. “I never would have guessed she was that young.” Aguiar will head to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the fall and attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, arguably the most prestigious math and science university in the world. Even when she was a sixth-grader at Charter, Aguiar stood out, Baker said. There was one assignment Aguiar had that involved interviewing the school’s principal. But she didn’t ask banal, surface-level questions about what the job was like. “She was asking questions about the challenges of being a principal,” Baker said. “That’s amazing for a sixth-grader.” At first, Aguiar thought she’d study aerospace engineering at MIT, but she changed her mind and now plans to study molecular engineering. A molecular engineering degree could lead her down a few different paths. Companies such as Boeing need molecular engineers to develop coatings to protect planes against harsh weather, for instance.
Molecular engineers work on everyday products, too. They can help design anything that floats or flies. They might work on building lighter bike frames, or creating thinner fabrics for jackets and tents. Aguiar loves physics, chemistry and math. Molecular engineering is an ideal way to blend those interests, she said. In addition to loving the hard sciences, Aguiar is also an avid reader. She said she has always loved her humanities classes just as much as the science ones. She spends a lot of her free time reading. “I really like the classics,” Aguiar said. And she’s a big fan of Russian novels. She likes Leo Tolstoy, but her favorite Russian novel is Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment.” Baker said that makes Aguiar stand out. “You have kids who say, ‘Oh no, I’m a math kid,’” she said. “Maria will take any class and just run with it. She wants to get better at everything.” Aguiar was born in Venezuela, and lived there for three and a half years before her family moved to Kellogg. Her father works at Hecla Mining and her mother is a Spanish teacher. North Idaho doesn’t have a large Latino community. Aguiar said she has experienced some off-color comments while growing up Latino in North Idaho. “I can’t let them get to me,” she said, adding that if someone says something inappropriate she tries to use it as motivation to prove them wrong. Baker said she doesn’t have any doubt Aguiar will go on to great things. “I can’t say enough about her,” Baker said. “She will go far.” Colin Tiernan can be reached at (509) 459-5039 or at colint@ spokesman.com
COURTESY
Maria Aguiar, 17, is graduating with the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy’s class of 2021 and will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hoping to pursue molecular engineering studies.
Naccarato discovers own strength
COEUR D’ALENE CHARTER ACADEMY
Graduation
The Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy commencement will be at 6:30 p.m. June 4 at Lake City Church, 6000 N. Ramsey Road, Coeur d’Alene. Principal: Daniel Nicklay Valedictorian: Matthew Barrett Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are:
COURTESY
Desmond Naccarato is a notable graduating senior at Kootenai High School in Harrison, Idaho. He plans to enter the electrician trade.
Senior learned to take control of diabetes rather than letting it control him By Justin Reed
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Diagnosed with Type-1 diabetic at age 5, Desmond Naccarato has learned how to manage the autoimmune disease. Since there is no cure, Naccarato will live with it for the rest of his life. But that doesn’t mean he is defined by it, nor does it mean that it can control him. “I have tried to from day one say, ‘Yeah, this does suck, and that’s OK to have those days where it’s just a horrible, horrible day,’ ” his mother Lacey Bohannon said. “If you need to take a couple hours, take a couple hours, but then you pull yourself up by the britches, and you move forward. And that’s what he’s done. He is, instead of letting diabetes control him, he controls diabetes.” Sometimes it forces him to miss school or a class here and there, but that too is an opportunity for him to take responsibility to excel in his classes. “It is something that he has struggled with his entire career here,” Kootenai High School counselor Katie Ames said. He really had to push
himself to get to where he is now and to graduate.” The inconvenience extends to his extracurriculars such as wrestling, cross country and track – sports he was hesitant to do until his mother said he had to do a sport – for which Naccarato is thankful. He enjoys track most, focusing on shot put and pole vault. “When it comes to sports, it makes it a lot harder to actually play at times due to the fact that my blood sugar may drop below, and I have to sit out and not be able to get the full experience that I want,” Naccarato said. “Or other times, I may have to go down to the office at school because my blood sugar is low, and then I end up falling behind. “Then I have to work twice as hard to get caught back up.” Throughout his early life, Naccarato was constantly out of class, his growth was stunted because of the diabetes and he was seen as almost the runt of the bunch. It was up to Naccarato to alter his thinking on life and to become more of a leader and in charge of his own self. Those qualities shined bright when he moved from the Kellogg
School District to Kootenai. “Moving out to Kootenai was really beneficial for him because he was no longer just a student roaming the halls,” Bohannon said. “Now he is a person, and the teachers are, like, ‘Desmond, how are you?’ and truly caring about him. Not just let’s get through another day. Let’s get everything done. And I think that has helped.” If there is one thing Naccarato would like other kids who are struggling with Type-1 diabetes to know, it is very similar to what his mother said. “Just don’t let it weigh you down, you should learn to take advantage of it, and you should live with it, live alongside it,” he said. “Make the most of it and just don’t let it control you. You should control it.” Naccarato will go the skilled trade route after high school, pursuing a career as an electrician. “I hope that those who come in contact with him really enjoy his presence,” Ames said. “He is a great, great human. A real go-getter, but also just a sweet human to be around. I can’t say enough good things about Desmond. And I do wish the best for him, and I’m excited to see where he goes.” Justin Reed can be reached at justinre@spokesman.com
Maria Aguiar Riley Jo Anderson Sophia Anderson Emma Averill Brian Barile Matthew Barrett Hannah Begalman Mia Birmingham Asher Chivvis Quinn Clovis Elizabeth Cook Cameron Craigie Cassidy Crawford Sierra Cree Sterling Crupper Kiley Cutler Jackson Emry Ella Erickson Lauren Faulkner Aubrey Feusier Jordan Gallegos Fred Garcia Keegan Grant-Riggs Riggs Grant-Riggs Ryan Guan Madeline Heaton Sarah Hines Liam Hurst Halle Jereczek Luke Johnson Peyton Kellner Madeline Kociela
Barrett Matthew Lambert Logan Madden Matthew Mahnke Ronan Malaghan Jared Melton Lance Mielke Grant Moody Joseph Morrison Caitlin Ocallaghan Mason Oyler Jaclyn Paterson Rylee Peterson George Pierowski Jackson Price Kalani Quezada Ethan Reneau Quincy Rigg Saydi Shipman Mackenzie Simkins Cyrus Vore Kellen West Maxwell Wilderson Matthew Womelduff Lauren Young
KOOTENAI HIGH SCHOOL
Thomson
Graduation
The Kootenai High School commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 12 at the school gymnasium, 13030 E. O’Gara Road, Harrison. Dean of students: Nolan Kerby. Valedictorian: Tatem Thomson.
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Kayleigh Dorman Jacob Hitchcock Drake Hysell Andrew Little Timothy Moore Desmond Naccarato Tatem Thomson Tucker Thomson Devin Williams-Goodson
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T39
CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY / NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
SENIOR VIEWS SCHOOL, SERVICE AS EQUALS Classical Christian’s Bossé volunteers, is skilled programmer By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Nathan Bossé’s commitment to excellence as a senior in high school is an admirable quality, but it is equaled by his commitment to service in his Classical Christian Academy community and beyond. Bossé is quick to point out there are many others at CCA who are qualified for honors, and suggests that his 12 years there probably served as a tie-breaker. So add humility to his character traits. His family has a long history at CCA. Three of his four siblings graduated there, his father was previously assistant headmaster for several years, and his mother has been the school’s business manager since 2012. But Bossé‘s history at the school is decidedly his own. He will graduate as a co-valedictorian, and when he presented his senior thesis recently, the school’s board acknowledged him as an intellectual and spiritual leader to younger students. In the Coeur d’Alene community, he has volunteered at Kootenai Health and a local food bank, and intends to expand his service offerings next fall when he begins a gap year before enrolling at Vanderbilt University. Bossé said the influence of the school and its instructors have been instrumental to his success. CCA, a K-12 program in Rathdrum, promotes an attitude of service and provides an environment where older students are expected to work as mentors and role models to those in earlier grades.
DANIEL TROXELL/TROXELL MEDIA
Nathan Bosse is graduating co-valedictorian from Classical Christian Academy in Rathdrum. “Because my parents worked here,” Bossé said, “I was around the high school side of campus even when I was younger, and I always looked up to the older kids. They were kind to everyone, and their attitude of service set a precedent for the younger kids. I got a heart of service just from watching, and I learned that I need to be mindful of how I speak and act around others, especially the young kids. That’s definitely not unique to me, though, because that attitude is shared by my classmates. “It will be difficult to leave because there is such community here with classmates and teachers and the younger grades. The teachers especially have been amazing people, pouring their knowledge and experience into me for 12 years of my life. I will be stepping away
from CCA, but the foundation of the relationships I’ve built here isn’t going to collapse.” Among all of Bossé’s accomplishments, his work in the CCA robotics program especially stands out. Said robotics coach Deanna Finley: “I have known Nathan since he was in fourth grade, and he has always been an amazing student. He showed an aptitude and interest in robotics even then, and any student who does research at that early age is very rare.” By Bossé’s first year in high school, Finley had put him on the programming team, and during his junior year he became the lead programmer. In 2020, he was one of 10 students out of 3,400 around the world to earn the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Challenge
Dean’s List Award. FIRST is an international youth organization that puts on robotics competitions. “He’s a phenomenal programmer, but he is also a great mentor, working with students K-8 as well as his high-school team. He cares about the future of the team that he’s graduating from, and not just himself,” Finley said. During his gap year, Bossé plans to continue working with the CCA robotics teams before he heads to college, volunteer and get some real-world work experience. He is interested in engineering and robotics, but also in the humanities, an interdisciplinary approach that has been nurtured in his academic program at CCA, which stresses to students that whatever you learn can be applied. And apply it, Bossé certainly will.
CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Graduation
The Classical Christian Academy commencement will be at 6 p.m. June 4 at Coeur d’Alene Bible Church, 5350 N. Fourth St., in Coeur d’Alene. Principal: William Stutzman Valedictorians: Sophia Bombaro and Nathan Bossé
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Sydney Abbey Sophia Bombaro Nathan Bossé Anna Darrow Caitlin Duncan Mitchell Edwards Noah Haaland Amelie Johnson Matthew McLeod Griffin Sanders
Bombaro
NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN
Graduation
The North Idaho Christian School commencement will be at 1 p.m. June 12 at the school, 251 W. Miles Ave., Hayden. Administrators: Calvin Booth, Pamela Grinnell Valedictorian: Wyley Pilgrim
Class of 2021 Expected to graduate are: Emma Britt Will Finney Grace Gwin Hailey LePard Courtney Monaghan Kianna Nelson Ginger Paul Wyley Pilgrim Landon Rainey Max Reilly Madison Smith Wyatt Williams
PAM GRINNELL
Madison Smith is the notable graduate from North Idaho Christian.
SMITH MAKES BEST OF FINAL YEAR IN NEW CITY Senior transfer from Oregon finds North Idaho Christian welcoming By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Among the many social nightmares that high school students may endure, moving to a new city before senior year is probably among the worst. But North Idaho Christian School’s Madison Smith flipped the script on that scenario this year, and for all the best reasons. Smith said her parents had long hoped to move to Coeur d’Alene, and when that hope became a reality last summer, she had a typical reaction. “I didn’t want to move,” she said. “It was scary because all my friends were there (in Albany, Oregon), I was a competitive cheerleader with an amazing team, and I loved it. It wasn’t a good year
to move. “My parents left the decision up to me, though. I had a few months to think about it and to decide, and once I did, I was still scared, but I had a sense of peace about it. Moving was maybe not the best thing for me, but it was best for my family. My parents have made lots of sacrifices for me, and this was a way for me to give back. “It was still weird enrolling in a new school, though. At first, I thought I wanted to go to the public high school, but I had been in a Christian school for several years before we moved, and my parents convinced me to give NIC a try. It was quite the experience at first. Santiam Christian in Corvallis has over 600 students, and here there are only 13 students in the senior class.
“Lots of my classmates have been going to NIC for a long time, but everyone was really nice and I felt welcome. It was still a process to feel like I belonged, but my amazing technology teacher, Mrs. O’Neal, wrote me the sweetest letter of recommendation ever a few months ago, and that just confirmed that I was in the right place.” Paulette O’Neal is the NIC school and enrollment counselor and was Smith’s instructor in Technology Innovations. She has a hard time finding enough superlatives to describe her student. “Madison is an excellent student full of joy and enthusiasm. Once she decided to come, she has taken the opportunity to make the most of it and put herself out there to meet new people and join a small
Pilgrim
school where students were already connected. She just exudes a friendly, positive attitude to everyone she meets.” Smith’s experience at NIC also led to an interesting discovery. Her teachers seem to see her as a leader in the school despite her short time there. She said she didn’t previously see herself that way, but O’Neal’s letter opened her eyes to how other people see her. She’s considering a couple of options for next year, either Grand Canyon University in Phoenix or working with Youth With a Mission, a Christian organization which serves through mission and discipleship work. Either way, she says, she will study to become a nurse and eventually a nurse practitioner. After the big decision she made last year, Madison is confident she is better prepared for the future. “Before that,” she said, “I hadn’t had any big decisions, so this was huge for me. Sure, there have been times when I have missed my old life, but my family has been my rock, and I haven’t lost my old friends in Oregon, I’ve just made new ones here. My faith and my love for others are what define me. I have a big heart for people.” Joe Everson can be reached at joseph. everson@yahoo.com
T40 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
LAKELAND
Outstanding student, role model Lakeland’s Maddy earns AA degree, high school diploma By Marissa Conter
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
When it comes to promising students who are projected to make their mark on the world, Mia Maddy is a shoo-in for this title. Hailing from Lakeland High School in Rathdrum, Maddy has spent the past four years working hard for her numerous accomplishments. Maddy is one of her school’s valedictorians and has taken more credits than any other senior at Lakeland. Not only was Maddy excelling academically at her high school, but she also got her associate degree from North Idaho College. Attending college while simultaneously being a high school student meant taking seven classes during the school year and three over the summer. “Mia is an absolutely outstanding student, one of the very best that I have ever had the privilege of being a school counselor of,” said Lorain Ryan, Maddy’s school counselor. “She is very smart, determined and a high achiever. She does it all in such a humble and quiet manner, so she makes a great contribution to our school culture, and she’s a good role model for others.” Maddy also kept busy outside of her studies, as she played soccer for four years and golf for three. She also picked up a job at Dockside, a restaurant that is located at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. Maddy grew up in Rathdrum, has two sisters and is the middle child of her family. She had a pretty average upbringing for most of her life, but all of that changed when her mother died toward the end of her junior year. “It definitely motivated me to make sure I got my schoolwork done, I got my AA and I got valedictorian,” Maddy said. “Toward the beginning of my senior year, I was feeling tired from my schoolwork, and I questioned if it was worth it in the long run. But then when I lost her, I realized this was something I wanted, and she wanted for me. I decided I had to keep going because I’ve put in the work for the last 12 years, so why stop now?” Sticking to that mindset, Maddy has inspiring aspirations for the future. She will be attending Pepperdine University next fall as a chemistry major. She wants to go into the medical field, so she plans on attending medical school and studying abroad if she can find the time. “The specifics around what kind of doctor I want to be are still a little unsure but I’m thinking along the lines of something that helps people in developing countries.” As Maddy graduates this spring, she has nothing but fond memories of her time at Lakeland. “It has been so nice to meet so many people and get close with them,” Maddy said. “It’s kind of sad to leave them behind, but I have learned a lot. My teachers have taught me some of the most valuable things, and I’ve made so many friends and have had so many unimaginable experiences. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Lakeland is sure to miss Maddy as much as she will miss them. “I’m so hopeful for her and the future in front of her,” Ryan said. “I know that she will make a difference in our world and that she has a wealth of not only academic abilities, but also such a strong character. I’m really proud of her and I know our whole Lakeland community is celebrating all of her achievements.”
COURTESY
Mia Maddy is graduating valedictorian from Lakeland High School. She earned more credits than any other student in her senior class. Maddy will be attending Pepperdine University in the fall.
LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation
Harris
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Cameron Abbott Logan Adams Kyla Alexander Elijah Alley Nina Altsuler Hunter Andres Judith Baisch Michael Banning Jesika Barnes Caden Bauer Maria Becker Kennedy Bennett Hayden Berger Hanna Billingsley Eric Bockie Adam Boitnott Euriah Borum Augustina Bowlsby Malia Brack Jakob Brady Kaleb Brokaw Christopher Buck Devry Bursch Caleb Calder Megan Calvert MaKayla Cameron Cody Carvajal Seth Chambers Karlene Chaney Cole Clark Rodney Clugston Julia Conolley Lauren Cooper Olivia Cooper Samuel Cope Gloria Corell Escriva Kadin Craner Hailee Daniel Sydney Daniels Logan Davis Colton Dow
Ryan
Siegford Hailey Farley Samuel Feusier Bryson Fisher Kylee Forstrom Tristan Fortuny Rylee George Alexandra Gilbertson Gage Goforth Markena Gorton Hailey Gosch David Gregory Jonathan Gregory Wyatt Grunwald Christian Hall Josie Hansen Emma Harris Kerinsa Haselip Ramie Herbst Damian Hieronymus Ernal Holfeltz Christopher Hollis Sydnee Hostetler Erin House Ashtyn Howerton Richard Huber Skylar Hudson Tannis Iversen Caleb Jacobsen Hayle Jameson Amanda Jaszewski Kaitlyn Jenkins Makennah Jensen Cooper Johnson KayLee Johnson Reena Johnston Severen Keehr Logan Kelly Savannah Kidwell Brittanee Klinge Jacob La Follette Hannah Larnerd Cooper Larson Haley Laupp Dawson Lee
The Lakeland High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 9 at Real Life Auditorium, 1860 N. Cecil Road, Post Falls. Principal: Trent Derrick Valedictorians: Emma Harris, Mia Maddy, Katheryn Ryan and Riley Siegford Brandon Lenz Ricky Lewis Logan Low Alexander Ludwick Alison Ludwick Mia Maddy Brady Manko Brynne Marlow Jhelayr Martin Joshua Mason Jeromiah McAlister Shaylynn McComber Quinn McGovern Kaitlyn McNeill Daniel Meeks Brett Meyer Danielle Meyer Jaydon Miller Korey Miller Rachel Moen Ammon Munyer Alyssa Murray Jordan Navarro Kaylie Needham Abigail Neff Ryder Nelson Aliyah Padilla Michael Palmer Cameron Paquette Nora Parker William Parker Annika Peterson Jaden Peterson Karli Pittman Scott Pote George Poteet Angela Queen Dakota Roberts Mackenzie Roman Zoe Roman Jozee Russell Katheryn Ryan Soren Sabatke Calvin Schenkenberger
Carson Seay Gabriella Marie Sharp Jared Sherman Riley Siegford Chase Simon Jarett Sitko Ashley Smith Daniel Smith Joseph Snipes Cameron Spraker Cole Strietzel Austin Stutzke Haily Thompson Abigail Thomson Ellie Thomson Eleni Torolopoulos Sam Torolopoulos Trevor VanMeeteren Makayla Vanderpool Cody Veitenheimer Mollie Wallace Stephanie Ward Kathryn Wardak Breanna Wargi Peyton Weaver Sequoia Webb Nicolas Welch Stephanie Wheeler John White Madison Whitehead Heather Whitman Laura Willard Hunter Williams Justin Williams Tommy Williams Tyler Wilmoth Blake Wissmann Baylee Woempner Blaise Wright Richard Yaple Jakeb Zednik Althea Zimmer Dustan Zirbel Nicholas Zubaly
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T41
GENESIS PREP / TIMBERLAKE
Genesis Prep senior meets challenges head on Weeks ‘just really knows what he wants to do, and he will work for it’ By Connor Gilbert
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Genesis Prep senior Nathan Weeks doesn’t just welcome a challenge – he seeks them out with a vigor that exceeds his years, and they’ve shaped a great deal of his present and future. It’s the reason he chose to transfer to Genesis in the first place before his sophomore year, seeking a class environment that challenged him to his satisfaction. For Weeks, grades or recognition aren’t the end goal – bettering himself is. Everything else is just a positive side effect. In those three years at Genesis Prep since, his parents and teachers say they didn’t see any sort of change in him like you might see with some teenagers. He’d simply always been willing to do what was required to excel. “He is one that just really knows what he wants to do, and he will work for it until he gets it done,” said Janelle Braithwait, his history teacher and Genesis Prep’s IDLA coordinator. “And he’s not afraid to learn new things – he’ll push and push and push and get better and get better and get better. That’s just the kind of kid he is.” He describes himself as “a very competitive person,” but Braithwait says she’ll miss a
“goofy sense of humor” belied by a maturity rare for someone his age. Weeks is bound for University of Idaho to study pre-med, with medicine being his passion for nearly as long as he can remember. He honed in on orthopedics as a future career as early as eighth grade, and his parents remember a sustained interest in medical technology and information that only gained traction as he grew older. After undergrad, Weeks said he plans on serving in the Air Force to fund medical school and get one step closer to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. “I just think that it’d be really cool to be able to look at it like a broken bone or something and have to kind of puzzle it all back together,” Nathan said. “I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but helping someone to where they don’t have to be in pain for the rest of their life due to injury – it’s just kind of always drawn me to do that.” Basketball also garnered Weeks’ interest in a similar way, albeit a bit more abruptly as he entered his freshman year. But he poured his energy into it just the same as everything else. “He just decided one day in ninth grade that he wanted to
COURTESY OF AIP CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
Nathan Weeks is a notable graduating senior at Genesis Preparatory School in Post Falls. He hopes to go into orthopedic medicine. play basketball,” said his father, Dave. “The kid’s very determined. So he was in the gym before school for four hours a day, and then he would go to the gym after school.” As per the norm, his improvement was rapid, being voted by his teammates as a team captain and leading the team in scoring this past year. “That just says what he means
to the team and what kind of a student and kind of a team player he is,” said Braithwait. At UI, he’ll serve as a manager for the men’s basketball program, something that allows him to remain close to the sport and be part of a team in a way that meshes with his studies – all while helping cover his tuition and housing. Going from a graduating class
Secret life of Timberlake senior
of 30 to a school of nearly 10,000 is daunting for most 18-yearolds, but Weeks isn’t worried. Nor is his father. “He can go up and talk to anybody and talk to them like they’ve been lifelong friends,” Dave said. “So I don’t think he’s gonna have any issues there.” After all, it’s just another challenge, and those are his specialty.
GENESIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Sadie Annotti Garyung Bae Sarah Bohannan Lily Britain William Clevenger Austin Eiter Abram Elbin Talia Elonen Mason Fox Eli Gonzales Jessica Holte Yelim Kim Everett Longson Craig Mueller Eric Murrin Greta Neely Malachi Nichols Zechariah Pedersen Andreas Pukkila Ronald Royalty Maranatha Tebbe Nathan Weeks David Yasmenko
Bohannan
Elonen
Graduation
The Genesis Preparatory Academy commencement will be 5 p.m. June 7 at Real Life Ministries Building No. 2, 1866 N. Cecil Road, Post Falls. Principal: Paul Schroeder. Valedictorian: Sarah Bohannan and Talia Elonen.
TIMBERLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
ANDREA JENSEN PHOTOGRAPHY
James Setters is a sprint car hobbyist and wants to be a professional racer. The Timberlake High School senior also plans to study mechanical engineering.
Setters maintains good grades so he can pursue his hobby – racing sprint cars By Adam Shanks
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
James Setters is graduating high school with a list of accolades and trophies that the majority of his Timberlake High School classmates are likely unaware of. In fact, Setters is quick to point out, most of his fellow students have no idea he spends more than 20 weekends a year racing an 800-horsepower sprint car around a dirt oval. And if they do, they might confuse sprint car racing for go-kart racing. “Nobody up here knows what it is,” Setters said. Now, the 18-year-old Setters can add Timberlake High School graduate to a resume that already includes a host of top finishes at tournaments across the United States and Canada. He’s already competed in more than 300 racing events and won more than 70 of them, across more than half a dozen states. In 2019, Setters won five of six races in the Rocky Mountain Sprint Car Series. But his parents and school teachers are perhaps most of all gobsmacked by Setters’ ability to maintain good grades while spending weekends whipping around the track – not to mention the preparation that goes into a race. And he’s
done it all without needing prodding to stay on top of his school work, they say. “He’s pretty well-rounded, he’s a good student, he works hard, and you never have to discipline him hardly,” said his mother, Kelley Setters. “I don’t know how we got a kid like him.” Despite his successes, Setters has remained humble. He’s rarely one to brag to other students about his extracurricular achievements, noted Renee Vordahl, his school counselor at Timberlake High School. In fact, Vordahl only learned about Setters’ racing career because he asked to schedule some classes around it. “I don’t know that a lot of students know what he does,” Vordahl said. “He’s very humble about it, he’s very sweet and kind.” Setters has been competitively racing in one form or another since he was 5, starting at the Salem Indoor Track in Salem, Oregon, with a love of racing inherited from his father. He reached the highest level of sprint car racing when he was 15, now usually racing against competitors much older than he is. “It’s like the funnest thing I’ve ever done – you’re going 120 mph ... racing with 20 other idiots,” Setters joked. It’s a lifestyle that requires an
awful lot of travel, with races as far away as Florida. All the while, Setters has to not only find the time to not only complete his schoolwork, but to excel. The expectations have always been clear, Setters said, that it’s “grades first and then racing, and so if I didn’t get A’s then I couldn’t race.” Like so many others, Setters’ routine was thrown askew by the COVID-19 pandemic. While races were mostly canceled, Setters had to get his adrenaline fix wherever he could find it. “I bought a longboard and started going downhill,” Setters said. It should come as no surprise that Setters tracked his maximum speed – 35 miles per hour, so far. Luckily, races are starting back up, and Setters will soon return to the track. Long term, Setters wants to eventually own his own sprint car, have a trailer and a team, and continue his racing career. But it’s an unstable life that can come with a six-figure paycheck one year and nothing the next, a fact Setters is well aware of. “You need to have a good backup plan,” Setters said. That’s why Setters plans to study mechanical engineering, first for a year at North Idaho College to obtain an associate degree and then for two years at the University of Idaho. Adam Shanks can be reached at (509) 459-5136 or adams@spokesman.com
Luke Ahrnsbrak Brett Albert Sadie Anderson Rex Auer Katelyn Bain Noah Barnes Conner Bell Colten Bernal Katelin Bronson Bernadette Carhart Todd Carns Dylan Christopher Kyra Coop Jeana Craven Wesley Cunningham Noland Davis Megan Dietz Travis Doty Alexander Drake Jordan Farley Shayden Farris Emilio Faust Brea Fletcher Carter Fortin Luke Fortin Jordan Fowler Rachel Fowlkes Cory Frith Magnolia Fry Thomas Gallagher Ian Gardom Derek Gertsch Olivia Glemser Grace Gregory LeeAnn Hahn Olivia Hammond Brianna Hansen Ryne Hansen Brooke Harbaugh Megan Hatrock Spencer Hegstad Emma Heigel Jacob Hessing Nathan Hibdon Harmony Higgins Isabel Hilliard Whitney Holbert Hannah Holly Emma Howard Alexi Hudson Hunter Hughes Lane Hunnel Breeanna Hyke Johann Inauen Lawrence Jaeger Blayre Jeffs Brooke Jessen Anthony Johnson Izaak Johnson Jaden Johnson Jayven Jones Susie Jones Gillian Kennedy Mackenzie Kitts Berkeley Knight Caleb Knight Kara Krupp Justin Lane Peyton Lindley Vance Logue Parker Luff Bryson Mari Mikayla McSheehy Anna Meliza Aubrey Mendenhall Michael Miller
Mendenhall
Paslay
Graduation
The Timberlake High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 11 at Real Life Ministries, 1860 N. Cecil Road, Post Falls. Principal: Ryne Eberlin
Valedictorians:
Aubrey Mendenhall and Ryder Paslay Dakota Morris Cade Morrison Hailey Mueller Mason Myler Selah Nelson Thomas Northrup Cerenity O’Leary Tessa Page Ryder Paslay Jayden Pecor Alexandra Peightal Jillian Penzkover Lacey Peterson Nicholas Potts Braylee Pratt Kylah Pratt Kalissa Ramirez Kelsey Ratcliff Jade Reed Nathan Reimer Sofia Rhoades Trey Robles Karlii Robnett James Rogers Logan Romero Hannah Rowlett Dylan Royce Makena Sande Michael Sauve Aiden Seiver James Setters Benjamin Seubert Pierse Sheetz Allyson Shell Donal Smith Merrill Smith Taryn Soumas Katelin Spenst Tyler Stonemetz Harley Straw Skyler Stubbs D. Logan Swensen Mia Tapp Eliana Tefft Clayton Thaxton Austyn Thompson Burke Thurman Kya Timmins Alejandro Tiscareno Tasha Wachtel Callin Zerfas Brycen Zimmerman
T42 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
LAKE CITY LAKE CITY HIGH SCHOOL
Krajack
Graduation
The Lake City High School commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 12 at Timberwolf Stadium, 6101 N. Ramsey Road, Coeur d’Alene. Principal: Deanne Clifford Valedictorians: Kennedy Krajack and Eleanor Tenbrink Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Jessica Ackerman Sydney Adams Grace Aguilera Samuel Anselm Payson Arbanas Cole Austin Casiana Azzollini Selena Balbin Paris Ban Grace Barry Raigenn Basnight Marton Bene Rachell Bennett Veronika Berglin Zachary Bernard Angelina Besze Kristian Bice Carson Biggerstaff Nathan Biggs Vaughan Bissaillon Kyah Blessinger Prestyn Blount Jessi Blubaum John Bonus Jace Bowman Labria Bowman Evan Brenner Braden Brown Courtney Brown Savanah Brown Rochelle Bruning Samuel Buffington Vonn Bunker Taylynn Burks Marcus Butler Ronan Cafferty Caitlyn Canfield Skylar Carlin Sierra Carlon Gavin Carter Erik Caton Carter Cavanagh Jantzen Cerrillo Mckenzie Chan Elizabeth Chapleski Angelyca Chapman Anthony Chavez Jett Childers Emma Childs Devin Claflin Dolcee Clark Melissa Cogley Austin Cole Makayla Colhoff Dustin Collins Julianna Cooper Breyson Coppess Allison Cord James Cord Jay Corrales Ryder Cosgrove Mckenna Cranford Alison Cranney Karsyn Crawford Solomon Crowley Kaylei Cummins Rachel Cutler Taj D’agostino Amira Davis Ethan Davis Nicholas Day Alyssa De La Rosa Tien Dea Daniel Deboer Willow Delong Paytan Dennis Michael Dion Luci Dixon Malachi Dodson Alison Dougherty Jordan Douglas Aubrianna Draper Cael Duncalf Ashlee Duncan Dillen Duncan Jillian Eason Ethan East Bryson Ebberts Ashlynn Ekhoff Caleb Emory Katarina Enns Caleb Erikson Aidan Fink Taylor Fleshman Lillian Fletcher Joshua Forbes Brandon Freeman Michael Fulton Patrick Gallavan Figueroa Garcia Elena Garcia-Sanchez Lily Gardner Kadin Garrett Sierra Gaylor Cambria Geib Cody Gervais Benjamin Gibson Cassidy Glaspie Sean Glenn Connor Godbehere Lily Graham Abby Gray Mason Green Gracie Grubar Kaitlyn Haggerty Ian Hampton Sydney Harbison Dante Hardin Jesse Harlan Elizabeth Hartnell Cody Hatfield Brenna Hawkins Parker Henley Kiera Herndon Asia Heston Austin Hill Aidan Hille Grace Hodge Jadyn Hofacker Aaron Horist Holly Horrocks Landen Hughes Kyle Hunziker Urban Hurtado Christopher Irvin Belen Ivey Jillian Jabbes Dale Jackson Kayleen James Abigail Jankay Benjamin Janke Tyler Janson Tanai Jenkins Haley Johnson Hannah Johnson Malia Judd Darian Juvan Hawkin Kaurin Liam Kavanaugh Justin Keene Riane Keller Glenn Kellogg Jack Kiesbuy
Kearstyn Kiger Francine Koziol Stephanie Koziol Kennedy Krajack Seren Krasselt Elaine Kubetz Paris Labossiere Sophia Lafrinier Bradley Lambert Clayton Land Lucia Landrus Jordan Lange Aiden Laponsey Kace Larsen John Laufenburger Hayden Lenox Nathan Liermann Darby Lindholdt-Anderson Ryan Logan Riley Loughman Ruvym Luptovych Jordan Lyon Emmanuil Maksimov Haven Mann Emma Manton Marcus Manzardo Paris Marceau Kobe Marcell Mason Margo Andrew Marroquin Taylor Martini Kimberly Martinson Travis Massie Sean Mayo Peter McCarthy Erika McDonald Justin McGlynn Kali McKellips Kaitlin McKnight Venna McKnight Dylan McLaughlin Adrian Mendoza Kahili Meredith Camellia Merrill Caiden Mertz Brennan Miller Damien Miller Dylon Moore John Morris Maddison Morrow Aimee Moser Lindsay Moss Micah Mueller Tressa Mullen Aundraya Munson Piper Murphy Destiney Nelson Alyssa Nerlinger David Nesbit Evan Nicholson Troy Nivette Riley O’Brien Jada Olson Mckenzie Olson Dylan Opp Logan Parson Jeffrey Parsons Kali Paull Chloe Pegoraro Christopher Petersen Mya Peterson Cole Pettit Chloe Pham Heidi Pham Sarah Pleasant Emmi Pollow Carley Pratt Braden Prior Abigail Putzig Diamond Quagliana Austin Ramirez Madison Randol Kaden Reagan Jessica Rempe Brooklyn Rewers Chelsea Reynolds Chase Richardson Taylor Roberts Gavin Rock Holly Rod Randi Rodriquez Daniel Rojo Claire Romero Damon Rosenau Hannah Rowan Christopher Rowland Kayden Ruhter Ethan Russell Mirabelle Sakaske Mckenzie Salters Caitlin Scarola William Schaal Phoebe Schultze Macalister Severns Kobe Seyler Kennedy Sheffield Avery Slater John Smith Madeleine Smith Theodore Smith Joseph Sodano Keegan Stanwood Ethan Stein Alissa Stennett Brooklyn Stone James Stryker Caleb Swaim Kyra Swearingen Austin Taylor Eleanor Tenbrink Colby Thomas Nathan Thornton Abagail Tillery Leeland Tolliver Jacob Travis Gracie Tucker Tucker Turley Josephine Turner Joshua Turner Sarah Turpin Gavin Tuttle Ayden Tweedy Lilith Tweedy Ethan Unruh Jarrett Usdrowski Anyssa Valero Reece Vawter Samantha Veare Charles Vedder Matteo Vicenzino Lyra Vonk Garrett Walcker Hazel Waldman Eliana Walsh Jaden Waters Nicholas Webb Chyanne Weller Molly Whelan Luke White Hailey Wilson Madeline Wolford Sage Woodard Ashley Yochum Grace Young Cameron Zaragoza Manuel Zhang
COURTESY
Eleanor Tenbrink is graduating valedictorian with this year’s Lake City High School senior class. Tenbrink plans to attend Utah State University in the fall.
Tenbrink seized her moments
Lake City senior takes mother’s advice to make best of high school’s four years By Connor Gilbert
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
For Lake City senior Eleanor Tenbrink, becoming the dynamic and well-rounded student she is now began when she started saying “yes” to things. Entering high school, Tenbrink made a simple goal: If it seemed interesting, she would say “yes” and pursue it to the best of her ability. Her parents, having seen what she was capable of for years, naturally supported it. “What we discuss with all of our kids as they are going through school is that it’s only four years in high school, and you might as well get everything you can get out of it because you’re doing it for four years either way,” said her mother, Heather. “You know, there are some great things about being in high school. There are some things that are not so great too, but you might as well take advantage of the great and really seize the opportunity while it’s here. And I think she’s done a great job with that.” Four years later, Eleanor says she couldn’t have asked for more from her high school experience. As a crucial member of the band, a standout track and cross country runner and a valedictorian, there’s plenty to show for it. Not that it was ever about appearances. “I mean, sometimes her schedule makes me tired just thinking about it,” said Heather Harmon, her coach and former teacher. “I don’t know how she has managed to do everything, but with her ‘say yes’ sort of attitude, it comes from a place of truly being interested and caring.
“Sometimes you’ll have people that are chasing the grades or they’re just doing it because it looks good on a college application, that sort of thing. And that was something that I never ever have felt from Ellie.” As one of the first things she chose to take on entering high school, Tenbrink says running was instrumental in widening her comfort zone. “I saw a lot of growth in her self-confidence and her leadership skills, and her ability to step up into that role,” Harmon said. “She’s always been an excellent person, always been somebody that I could rely on, and her leadership style is more of a quiet sort of leadership … she does it in a quiet sort of way in which people want to follow her.” That’s become the case for Eleanor in nearly every group she’s become a part of in the course of the past four years, and her parents and teachers point to a supportiveness that has pervaded all of her interactions within them – regardless of the different faces around her. Harmon remembers the cookies she’d bring to races for the team – individually-packaged to be as COVID-19-safe as possible – and “a willingness to show up to life and be part of it.” A toe injury held her out of the rest of the season this spring, but she’s attended every practice regardless, even if the individual benefit isn’t the same. She also balanced the time commitment of both sports and a variety of AP classes with band, playing clarinet. Her mother says she gets “a little bit of teasing from both of those groups,” but
it’s never bothered her. She simply values the experiences. “I’ve really enjoyed being able to be so involved at the school and do well academically and to explore my interest in the environment, but also be an athlete and be in band,” she said. “I’m really grateful for that.” Tenbrink said she’d always known she wanted her career to be involved with science, but credits an outdoor studies program she took her junior year at Lake City that included related content in history and English with helping steer her toward environmental studies and natural resources. “It’s a lot of really hands-on stuff with natural resource management,” she said. “I had a suspicion that ecology was something I was curious about doing and interested in before I took that program. And then that program made me realize this is really something I’d like to do for the rest of my life.” Now, she’s planning on heading to Utah State University in the fall to study at Quinney College of Natural Resources, a program she says has the resources and outdoor opportunities she seeks. “It’s a little scary just because it’s a new place, but I’m really excited to get to meet lots of new people and be somewhere new,” she said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to just experience new things and make new friends.” She’s still uncertain what extracurriculars she’ll join in Utah with her schedule still in flux, but she says those possibilities are exciting, too, with an even wider array of options than she was presented in high school. It’s not always possible to do everything at once, nor is it always practical – but those who know Tenbrink know she’ll never be scared of saying “yes.”
Special Section
June 3, 2021 • Thursday • T43
COEUR D’ALENE Coeur d’Alene High’s Magee an activist, inventor, scholar, started photo studio and in his spare time performs as professional clown
Senior Carson Magee graduates June 11 with the Coeur d’Alene High School senior class. Magee edits the school yearbook, The Viking, and plans to pursue a career in computer science or human-computer interaction.
Senior advocates for Type I diabetes cure
PHOTOS BY LIBBY KAMROWSKI/ THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Coeur d’Alene High School senior Carson Magee, who has Type 1 diabetes, began training Capo, a goldendoodle-Lab mix, eight weeks after Capo was born. Capo is 14 months old now and outfitted with his own custom-made gown from Jostens for graduation alongside Magee. Capo alerts Magee when his blood sugar is low.
By Joe Everson
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
At first glance, Coeur d’Alene High School senior Carson Magee’s résumé is similar to that of many other outstanding young scholars: honor student, college-bound, National Honor Society, Yearbook editor, Boys State, church worship team. It gets a lot more interesting. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 7, he was in the hospital for a week, and when he was released, as he puts it, “he took the hospital home with him,” with boxes of medicine, syringes, pumps and test strips. “I was only 7,” he said, “so I didn’t understand the scope of it, only that I probably wasn’t going to be able to do most of the things I wanted to do. I think I felt sorry for myself for a couple years before I decided that I wasn’t going
to let it control me. I eventually thought, if I’ve got it, I’m going to make the most of it. “I think I was 9 or 10 when I heard about a program called Invent Idaho, which is a forum for young inventors in the Northwest. I was starting to become passionate about finding a cure, and my swipe-and-wipe testing kit won the contest.” So here is where things start getting even more interesting. After winning that competition, Carson appeared on the Nickelodeon Network’s Figure It Out, a game show for children with special skills or unique achievements. And he won the grand prize there. “I thought way back when I was diagnosed that diabetes was going to stop me, but it turned out the opposite. Diabetes has accelerated my progress in life, given me more opportunities and made
me more confident. It put me on a journey I hadn’t expected, but without it I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. “Some days, it’s hard to keep up with all my responsibilities, and the only thing getting me through a bad day is my faith. That gives me something I can always rely on and helps me get back on track. If I wasn’t passionate about this, I would be letting someone else do the work, but it’s necessary and I’m grateful because of the people I’ve met and have been able to impact.” His counselor at Coeur d’Alene High School, Kelly Reynolds, is astounded at everything that Carson has accomplished. She wrote: “To say Carson is a leader would be an understatement. He has been an amazing advocate for Type 1 diabetes. He has worked tirelessly with Idaho U.S. senators and representatives
from an early age, and continues to advocate for legislative bills to benefit the Type 1 diabetic community. “He has created numerous fundraising events in this process to increase awareness. He is a spokesman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has testified on Capitol Hill, helping persuade Idaho’s senators and representatives to give $150 million to Type 1 diabetes research.” Carson is still undecided on his college future, but he knows wherever he goes, he will major in computer science and eventually create applications and software “that help kids like me,” as he put it. “I want to make software more efficient and easier to use. I know how frustrating it is when technology fails. “This isn’t all about me – my
COEUR DALENE HIGH SCHOOL Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are: Natasha Adams Brynn Adamson Jaden Ahern Fionn Aidukas Aiden Allen Kelley Allen Lara Kyle Allen Lara Nickolas Allen Lara Audrey Anderson Rylan Ascher Andrew Averett Lauren Baldeck Victoria Barnes Brayden Barrett Owen Bartosh Tyler Belden Ty Betts Harry Blackstone Maggie Bloom Christopher Boifeuillet Brayden Booth Rome Borley Benjamin Boston Grant Boyer Jaelyn Brainard-adams Caelan Brewer Kaytlynn Bristow Kellan Brock Jarrin Brown Adam Bruns Alaura Camp Isabella Canifax-broesch Dalton Cardinel Clara Carpenter Eden Carpenter Rylan Carter Myles Casper Aaron Caudle Dillon Cayko Logan Cessna Jaden Chavez Claire Christ Kyle Conrad Hana Cook Shaylee Corbey Norah Coulson Michael Cummings Adalyn Curtis Braden Dance Malan Davis
Annabelle Decuire Kobie Deleonard Maysen Deming Jordyn Dennis Nicholas Deruyter John Dileva Garrett Dingman Jack Dohm Paige Drechsel Eli Dribben Nathan Durocher Chukwuma Duru Seth Dyson Jaiden Eberly Phoebe Ellsworth Trent Elstad Sophia Escala Braden Ethington Karsten Fagan Emma Fahy Piper Fine Kameron Fisbeck Lauren Forster Byron Fox Anthony Francis Gabriel Frederick Haiden Froehlich Matthew Fuchs Jack Fulks Lauryn Fuller Jonah Funderburg Laila Galaz Ethan Garitone Courtney Garwood Cailyn Garza Jackson Gatten Otto Geilenfeldt Vada Gilbert Angela Goggin Megan Graham Kyler Greenhalgh Kendall Gregory Christine Gutierrez John Gwaltney Seth Hagel Jaedyn Haggerty Winter Haler Darin Hanson Nicole Hare Paityn Harris Carson Hart Kyler Haynes Emma Hazel Serina Henderson
Graduation
The Coeur d’Alene High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 11 at Coeur d’Alene High School Viking Field, 5530 N. Fourth St., Coeur D Alene. Principal: Libbi Barrett Valedictorian: Lilian Smith
Zachary Henderson Alexis Hildreth Tate Hochberger Brady Hostetter Clay Howard Olivia Howell Lauren Howley Madison Hubble Holly Hudson Alex Hunt Gavin Izzard Logan James Otis Jeffords Robert Jensen Evan Johansen Dalton Johnson Jayda Johnson Zachary Johnson Hunter Johnston Eli Jolly Alex Karns Jace Kelly Bailey Kennedy Zander Kerns Macy Kliewer Madison Klundt Torrin Knowles Jackson Kohal Kaiah Konen Ava Konrath Gavin Koski Kestrelle Kozak Emily Krick Caitlin Kuhns Michael Lamanna Autumn Lambert Tierra Lambert Kaitlyn Lametterey
Smith
Taylor Larsen Aidan Lawrence Jaclynne Lehosit Hayden Levy Cody Lippy Nicholas Litterell Alayna Louden Connor Lowder Alizabeth Lowry Nathan Luckett Kristin Luna Sophie Lybarger Leo Lyden Abigail Lyman Carson Magee Elenoa Maile Wade Mallory Nakisha Matheson Josephine Matous Mckenzie Mattis Luke McClintick Samuel McEnany Gavin McFeely Skyelar McKenna Cade McKinney Luke McLaughlin Erin McPhee Jackson Meade Kylie Melsha Spencer Memmott Adrian Mendoza Guzman Mazzie Merzanis Kyren Mesenbrink Jackson Meyer Jazmine Miller Kalynn Miller Bailey Mongan
Gabrielle Morris Noah Morton Amber Nelson Weston Nguy Lillian Nickel Katharine Nicklay Grant O’Brien Patrick O’Dell Nez Ogle Kayla Ohse Hayden Orchard Sydney Osso Max Owens Samuel Owens Isaiah Pack Liam Paddack Ryker Patterson Sydney Peebles Makayla Pellens Neve Peterson Zoe Peterson Kate Phillips Lauren Phillips John Pinto Tyson Pottenger Adrianna Preciado Dawson Price James Price Jason Price Mark Priebe Jack Prka Cooper Proctor Kayla Purvis Nolan Randles Wesley Rebeck Wilmer Richardson Ethan Ricks Carter Ringger Adrienne Roads Drew Roberts Isabelle Rooney Jayden Rowley Violet Russo Abbie Ryser Quinton Sampsel Cynthia Sampson Jazmine San Juan-rivas Kalis Sandlin Ryan Schlatter Michael Schlothauer Dyllon Schofield Elizabeth Sciascia Aedan Seman Tanner Shelley Katie Shepard Troy Shepard Gavin Simpson
problems are important, but what’s important is what I can do for others.” But to conclude, let’s return to that résumé, which also includes three items you may not find elsewhere in these pages: He is a professional clown, he is currently training a service dog, Capo, and he started his own photography studio. “I’ve been clowning with my family since I was 2. I learned to unicycle, and we have performed at grand openings and even with (country band) Rascal Flatts. It’s unique and fun and always refreshes my mind. Capo is a goldendoodle-Lab mix who is the best diabetes alert tool in the shed for me. He alerts me if my blood sugar is low and can even catch it 30 minutes before it happens.” Joe Everson can be reached at joseph.everson@yahoo.com
Alyssia Siroshton Mckaylee Sloane Dillon Smith Jocelyn Smith Lilian Smith Owen Smith Jonathan Smithson Hunter Snyder Shelbie Soito Devin Sonntag Lilia Spranget Julianna Sprouse Cody Stepro Olivia Stevens Ian Stewart Chance Stores Timothy Stubbs Christopher Swider Amber Taylor Hailey Tenney Amanda Thompson Makenzie Thompson Callia Thornton William Threadgill Isaac Tomblin Jade Torbeck Riley Torgerson Calvin Troutman Hannah Trull Cadence Tuck Wyatt Vandever Justin Verthein Marissa Villelli Shayna Wabs Connor Waddell Bella Weiss Rebekah West Paul White Skyler White Emma Whiteman Abbey Whiting Carter Wiebusch Sarah Wilkey Victoria Willey Esperanza Williams Alexi Wilson Ella Wilson Ryan Wilson Riley Wollaston Alyssa Wood Brooke Worley Jaelyn Young Katrina Young Aleah Younger Victoria Younker Augustine Zepeda Alexandra Ziegler
T44 • Thursday • June 3, 2021
Special Section
