6 minute read
North Central
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 motivated 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.
Macie Pate
North Central counselor speaking on success of Yalda Shirzai
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 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 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 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 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 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
NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Anderson Barnett Kb. Frandsen Kn. Frandsen Henning Janke Marko Mazur
Meek Nolan Rudy Schons Scott Sherman Wade
Graduation
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:
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.
