Ferris

Scholar makes time to help others

COURTESY

Rosie Zhou, who will graduate from Ferris High School summa cum laude, is fluent in three languages – English, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Ferris senior says languages inform her worldview, awareness of community; she registered votes, worked on climate change awareness

By Jim Allen

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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.

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.

Jim Allen can be reached at (509) 459-5437 or by email at jima@spokesman.com

Brower Fenton Gass Gehlen Gillespie Hainsworth Henrich Liu Lund Malireddi

McCollum McGregor Moe Owen Raske Schroeder Whitehead Zhang

Class of 2021

Expected to graduate are:

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 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 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 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

FERRIS HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation

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.