Mt. Spokane

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 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 diagnosed, 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 University 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.

COURTESY Lauren Ballantyne, who graduates with the Mt. Spokane High School class of 2021, plans to attend Gonzaga University in the fall.

Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com

MT. SPOKANE HIGH SCHOOL

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 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

Graduation

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.