Lewis and Clark

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 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

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

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.

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