Shadle Park

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 Running 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

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 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

SHADLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL

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.