2020 June Current

JUNE

2020

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Congratulations 2020 graduates pages 20-25

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2

• JUNE 2020

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

Esteemed Eagle – Rydell ready to lead WVSD

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

Kyle Rydell started out as a Bear before he joined the realm of Knights. These days, he’s an Eagle and, starting in the fall, he’ll be perched in the top seat at the West Valley School District.

A 1992 graduate of Central Valley High School, Rydell went on to earn a degree in education at Eastern Washington University.

His career started out in the East Valley School District as a teacher and coach at East Valley Middle School. A shift to the world of administration followed as Rydell served as principal of Trent Elementary and assistant principal at EVMS.

School District. The work ethic and emphasis on communication he gleaned from his parents is still very much intact.

“Kyle is a friend to everyone,” said Sue Shields, WVSD’s longtime public relations director. “He’s going to know your name and if he doesn’t know it, he will the next time.”

Rydell grew up in Spokane Valley and gravitated toward sports, competing in football, wrestling and track in high school.

He played quarterback for the Bears and qualified for state in wrestling as a junior and senior.

Rydell met his wife Laura when both were enrolled at EWU. The couple are proud parents of two kids – Aleah, a freshman at Western Oregon University and Kaleb, a freshman at WVHS.

Rydell’s first job offer to become a superintendent came in 2011 after a family trip to Republic, a small town 20 miles south of the Canadian border. He had traveled to the seat of Ferry County during spring break to interview for the lead role in the Republic School District, not thinking he had a chance.

“I remember my wife saying ‘I could live here,’” Rydell recalls.

By the time the family vehicle navigated through Sherman Pass and rolled past Kettle Falls and Colville back into Spokane Valley, a call was on its way from Republic.

Rydell had the job.

He spent three years in Republic, a town of around 1,000 residents.

The school district included some 300 students in K-12. In addition to his duties as superintendent, Rydell served as transportation director, a

While at EWU, Rydell began leaning toward the field of hotel and restaurant management, a detour from his initial intent to become a teacher. He had grown up the child of two educators – his dad Jay worked at Central Valley High School from 1972 to 1997 as a shop teacher and athletic director while his mother Sandy was a paraprofessional who taught special education.

It’s turned out pretty well.

When the 2020-21 academic year starts, Rydell will be the newest superintendent of the West Valley

“It snowed from October through April,” Rydell said. “I remember one morning, it was 20 below.”

Despite the less-than-balmy conditions, Rydell enjoyed his time in Republic, learning a valuable and diverse skill set that would serve him well in future leadership positions.

The next opportunity for Rydell came in the Liberty School District, just south of Spokane Valley. He was superintendent there from 2014 to 2019 while also serving as K-8 principal. The sprawling district covers 300 square miles and includes around 550 students.

One of the less-glamorous but essential aspects of Rydell’s work in Liberty involved scouting conditions on heavy snow days.

The task began at 4 a.m. and meant Rydell covering half the district while the transportation director surveyed the other half to determine if school would be delayed or cancelled.

“You’d have 4-and 5-foot snow drifts out in those farm fields,” Rydell remembers.

Rydell transitioned to the West Valley School District in 2019, accepting an offer to become assistant superintendent. When Gene Sementi announced last December that he would be retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year, the West Valley Board of Directors announced Rydell would replace him. The transition will be official July 1.

“My parents both grew up in Montana,” Rydell said. “They taught me the value of hard work but also to be social. I learned a commitment to teamwork.”

Rydell was as assistant wrestling coach at Horizon Middle School while attending college when Horizon’s principal Roger Fox encouraged him to stick with the first plan.

challenging job in an area known for extreme snow and cold.

Contributed photo Kyle Rydell was named the incoming superintendent for the West Valley School District last December and will officially take over July 1. The Central Valley and Eastern Washington graduate has previously served as superintendent in the Republic and Liberty school districts.

Rydell brings an impressive resume to his new role. In addition to his experience leading districts in Republic and Liberty, he has earned a master’s in curriculum and design from Gonzaga University, superintendent certification from Washington State University and principal certification from EWU. Q: I'm guessing that while most people know that a school district

JUNE 2020 • 3

The Current

is led by a superintendent, the duties of that role would stump nearly everyone. How would you describe a superintendent's primary responsibilities?

A: A student had asked this question during one of my school visits and I responded, “I’m the one who gets to cancel school when we have too much snow.” I would agree the role of the superintendent is complex and multi-layered. My main role is supporting our directors and principals to help them lead their departments and schools so they can focus on their staff and students. Another important role is supporting our West Valley school board so they have the information needed to make the decisions that support student learning and fiscal stability.

Q: How do you think the time you spent in the Liberty and Republic school districts as superintendent has prepared you for this new job at West Valley?

A: The role of a superintendent in a smaller district usually involves having more responsibilities as you don’t have a lot of the support staff you would find in a larger district. I had the opportunity in Republic to lead the transportation department which gave me a great deal of information about funding and working with all areas of transporting students to and from school. In Liberty I had the privilege of leading the K-8 building as their principal and assisting our business manager with the HR department. The first-hand experiences of building budgets, determining staffing levels, leading departments, engaging our communities and interacting with legislators has helped me better understand all aspects of running a school district.

Q: You started out as a teacher and coach before moving into administration. Looking back, why was that a good career move for you?

A: Coaching and teaching was a time in my career that I often reflect back on as a highlight. I had great coaches and teachers that helped inspire me to be where I am now. Moving from teaching into administration has helped me stay focused on the importance

of where learning occurs and the need to ensure our teachers have the necessary support. Without the support of great mentors like Chuck Stocker, Doris Hoffman and Ken Wolf I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to grow as an administrator.

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Q: From what you've seen in over two decades in education, what makes a successful school district?

A: Success in my mind is evident when you have schools, parents, students and community working in partnership to support student success. Education is about relationships and our staff does an amazing job focusing on this and our students success. In West Valley we have established a grounded approach through our district mission statement that: Each West Valley student will have a rigorous and relevant education achieved through strong relationships to maximize readiness for college, career, and citizenship. This is a focus from our school board that has driven the decisions and strategic planning in West Valley.

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Q: These are certainly different times for schools everywhere.

When you think about what WVSD will look like when the 2020-21 begins in the fall, what are some of your hopes as well as concerns?

A: My hope is that we can get our students and staff back in our buildings for the fall return. We have an exceptional staff that has been working hard to support our students during the school closure, however having students back in class is where we can ensure students are learning at high levels and we are able to meet their individual academic, social and emotional needs.

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Q: As seniors in WVSD prepare to graduate this month, what words do you have for the Class of 2020?

A: The Class of 2020 will always remember this COVID-19 experience. We all still remember our experience of living through May 18 of 1980 when Mt. St. Helens erupted and how that interrupted school for a couple of weeks. Our seniors were pulled from their See RYDELL, Page 14

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4

• JUNE 2020

The Current

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RE-ELECT

SPOKANE COUNTY COMMISSIONER •

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,400 emergency calls from April 15 – May 15, 2020.

• Emergency Medical Services 1075 • Fires 105 • Building Alarms 88 • Motor Vehicle Accidents 52 •Dispatched and cancelled enroute 27 • Hazardous Materials 13 • Service Calls 10 • Vehicle Fires 4 • Technical Rescue 2 • Rescue Task Force 1

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Fires saw a dramatic increase from 67 last month to 111 this month.

Incidents: Structure Fire, April 22 Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded at 9:51 pm to a report of smoke in a residence at 8019 E Knox. A total of 12 apparatus and support vehicles responded with 27 personnel.

Calls to 911 indicated smoke in a house, and that smoke detectors were alarming.

When firefighters arrived at the single family residence, smoke was showing from the attic vents and the fire was upgraded to a working fire. Crews quickly deployed hose lines and found the fire in the bathroom ceiling.

The fire damage was kept to the bathroom, and the attic space directly above. A search of the house was completed to ensure no unknown hazards or victims existed. There were no firefighter or civilian injuries reported. Two adults and three dogs were able to escape the house safely, and Red

Cross is assisting with short-term shelter.

The cause is under investigation.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents that approximately 25% of all house fires occur between midnight and 8am, and disproportionately account for 60% of all fire fatalities. Please ensure there are working smoke detectors in every sleeping area, and on every level of your home.

Working smoke detectors DO SAVE LIVES. Technical Rescue, April 22 Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to the Dishman Hills this afternoon, for an elementary school aged child that fell approximately 40 feet down a cliff near the Pond Loop Trail.

The 911 call was received from the patient’s mother who were both out on a daytime hike.

Firefighters hiked into the trail system carrying medical equipment to begin providing medical care to the child, while other firefighters followed with a stokes basket that attaches to a wheel for off-road wilderness rescues. Firefighters attached the child to a backboard while using a rope for support to carry them back up the cliff to the trail system.

The patient was secured into the Stokes Basket, with Firefighter/ Paramedics monitoring the child’s injuries as they hiked back out.

The child was placed into an AMR ambulance and transported to an area hospital in stable condition.

“While we encourage everyone to explore the outdoors near their neighborhoods,” said SVFD Battalion Chief, Jeff Bordwell, “please remember to be safe and use extreme caution while around any steep edges or cliff faces.”

Of note: • If you are looking for activities for your children, Monday through Thursday at 10 a.m. on facebook we post a Fire Safety activity for young children.

On Fridays, we have a facebook live event at 10 a.m. called, “Fire Science Friday with SVFD Firefighter, Rick Freier.

JUNE 2020 • 5

The Current

• We continue to have a large number of illegal burn calls.

Make sure you know the facts before burning. https://www. dnr.wa.gov/WildfirePrevention; https://spokanecleanair.org/ current-burning-conditions • May is Wildfire Awareness Month – each day at noon we post a tip on facebook on how to recognize and mitigate ignition points around your home and other ways to reduce your wildfire risk. On Fridays, a facebook live presentation is done to show easy ways to make changes around your home. Studies show that as many as 80 percent of homes lost to wildland fires may have been saved if brush and yard debris around the homes were cleared and a defensible space created around the structures.

• Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to an EMS call and a potential cardiac arrest on April 18. A 45 year old man was in cardiac arrest.

A neighbor returning from having her tires changed, stopped when she saw him on the ground. She began yelling for help and started CPR. The patient and his family had just recently moved here from Montana. On April 18, he was teaching his 4 year old son how to ride a bike. He was running after him and as he made a turn, he fell down in cardiac arrest. Ladder 10 received the 911 call and arrived first.

They took over for the neighbor and delivered a shock while performing CPR. Engine 7 showed up and began ALS care He was quickly transferred to the hospital where they discovered 90% blockage on the left side of his heart. He ended up with a couple of stents being put in and spent two days in the hospital. He has been at home recovering ever since. He says he is still a little sore, feeling “like a donkey kicked him” but every day he is feeling better.

On April 25th, masks on, he and his son brought cookies to to thank them for saving his life. He is still very emotional and very thankful to be alive. He wants

everyone to take a CPR class to be able to save others like him. He is young and has 2 very young children and can’t imagine leaving them without their father so soon into their life.

SVFD asks everyone to download Pulse Point, take a CPR class, and help save the lives of people around you. Citizen bystander assist dramatically increases the chance of a person surviving cardiac arrest. Seconds matter in these circumstances.

• Lastly, Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) Fire Chief, Bryan Collins, announced plans to provide the Spokane Valley Fire Department with a Firefighter wellness App to support their mental health and well-being. The wellness tool will be an App installed on phones to help Spokane Valley Firefighters with their personal health and wellness needs. Many Firefighters experience PTSD after years of service in traumatic situations.

“Our firefighters face tremendous mental and physical stressors, pressures, and demands throughout the course of their careers,” said Spokane Valley Fire Department Fire Chief, Bryan Collins.

“We need to make sure that they are healthy and well, and always present for our communities when called to serve.”

The Cordico App is a tool that allows Firefighters a place to leave their work at work, go home and be present there, and most importantly have a chance at that work-life balance.

“Sometimes Firefighters can’t unsee, unhear, or unsmell some of those 911 calls they go on. Some of them are heart wrenching.

Some of them are painful. All of them become memories that as a Firefighter, we have to manage and set aside to meet each new day’s emergency call,” said Firefighter and Local 876 President, Shawn Pichette. “This Wellness App provides First Responders confidential access to therapists, peer support, help with emotional stress, stress management, PTSD See SVFD REPORT, Page 6

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Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Established eighty years ago in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and by fire district’s ISO Class 2 rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau.

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About Spokane Valley Fire Department- Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) serves a population of 125,000, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood, as well as surrounding unincorporated areas within the 75-square miles of Spokane County Fire District 1. In 2019, SVFD firefighter crews, including its paramedics and EMTs, responded to more than 18,326 emergency calls.

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Dr. David Black, CEO of Cordico emphasized, “No one should ever feel blocked from accessing help at times of need due to their schedule or location or concerns about confidentiality, and that is especially true for our public safety personnel who dedicate their professional lives to responding to others’ emergencies.”

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“First responders tend to build walls in order to separate themselves from the harsh reality of their job,” said SVFD Fire Commissioner, Mike Kester. “In doing so, some take it home and keep up those walls with their loved ones. There's no way to decompress as it were.”

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and other needs.”

The Wellness App provides access to therapists, peer support, and the leading Firefighter wellness solution available nationwide offering confidential, in-hand, on-demand 24/7 access to 30+ modules on topics such as alcohol, depression, emotional health, family support, financial fitness, mindfulness, psychological first aid, sleep optimization, and stress management.

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Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 5/5/2020

JUNE 2020 • 7

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By Spokane Valley Police Chief Mark Werner The maps provided below depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Thefts from a Vehicle (also known as vehicle prowling), Burglaries and Thefts. As you view the map each circle will contain a number indicating how many instances of a particular crime were reported at that location.

Thefts from a vehicle is often under reported as people often feel nothing can be done or they only lost a small quantity of loose change. However, the Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s office analyze this data to determine high crime areas and where to allocate resources. I encourage citizens who have been a victim of crime to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 456-2233, if not in progress, to report a crime.

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Safety Awareness Channel

2020 April Vehicle Theft IBR Offenses Hotspots

Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 5/5/2020

1-800-424-5555 or dial 811 Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council www.ieucc811.org

8

• JUNE 2020

The Current

NEWS

June Spokane Valley Council Report Bill Gothmann Current Contributor

Governor Declines Request to Open Spokane County Mayor Wick spoke with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, encouraging him to look at Spokane County’s hospitalizations , the availability of medical facilities, and the number of available beds in order to move the County up to phase 2 of his stay-at-home plan. He seemed receptive. One week later, Wick reported that the Spokane County Health Officer, Dr. Bob Lutz, is comfortable for the County to going to Phase 2 of Governor Inlsee’s plan for reopening the County in response to the COVID-19 epidemic. A package was sent to him which includes plans and standards for opening Spokane County and letters of support from the hospitals, Mayor Wick, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward, other cities, and the County Commissioners.

Upon receipt, the Governor declined to accede to the request, citing he has not yet adopted plans and standards for opening the larger cities.

Update: right before this publication went to print the Governor did approve Spokane County’s second request to move to phase 2 after approving plans and standards for larger counties like Spokane.

COVID-19 Letters Approved Spokane Valley City Council approved asking Mayor Wick to issue three letters on behalf of the City: A letter of support to the Governor from Spokane Valley and other municipalities requesting

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that CARE dollars sent to the State would go to the cities, a letter to the Governor requesting that he continue providing National Guard assistance at Second Harvest Food Bank, and a letter to the Governor requesting he permit elective surgery to be done at hospitals.

Effect of COVID-19 on City Grants Examined The City has a 2% lodging tax on hotel/motel receipts that was expected to generate $650,000 in 2020 for the purpose of increasing tourism to the City. There is also a reserve fund of $795,000 from past years’ receipts. On December 10, 2019 Council voted to approve $319,000 in grants to various entities and transfer $450,000 to Fund 104 to be used to fund a future, as-yet undesignated facility to increase tourism. Because of the effect of COVID-19 on hotel occupancy, the City recognizes that it will not meet its budget of $650,000 in tax receipts.

Rather, staff estimates present 2020 receipts will be $346,000, noting that the final effects of COVID-19 on hotel receipts are still not known.

Because of this, staff wanted to know what to do about the commitment to grantees and the future transfer of the $450,000. Staff contacted all grantees and learned that only two of the ten recipients were cancelling their events: Octoberfest and Crave. However, some legitimate marketing costs for these events have already been spent. It should be noted that all grants are on a reimbursement basis. That is, the grantee submits documentation showing it has spent funds, and then the funds are approved and disbursed by the

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City. Upon hearing these facts from the staff, the Council reiterated its wish to honor all the grants and reduce the transfer to Fund 104 those funds left after the grants are honored. No action is needed by the Council until the end of the year when the budget must be amended to account for the transfer.

Crisis Stabilization Center Planned Spokane County presented plans for a Crisis Stabilization Center to be located in an existing building on the south side of Boone between Cedar and Adams in Spokane. Its purpose would be to divert qualifying individuals from jail, provide the opportunity to stabilize their condition, enter them into treatment, and manage their conditions, thereby reducing jail costs, police expenditures, and recidivism. The building would have a Medical Clearance Area to determine the person’s needs. There would be areas for Withdrawal Management and Detox, Mental Health Crisis Stabilization, and Intensive Inpatient Beds (formerly Diversion Holdover Beds). Various grants and set-asides would provide estimated resources of $6.8 million of the $9.1 million capital cost.

The remaining $2.3 million would come from a County, Spokane, and Spokane Valley agreement for cost sharing. Operating costs would be covered mostly by Medicaid and a municipality fee of up to $20 per patients of that municipality. Plans call for the design to be done by June of this year, and the opening in Spring of 2021.

City to Remain part of County Consortium for Block Grants

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As discussed in last month’s The Current, the City has to decide whether to remain with the County consortium or seek its own entitlement for block grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD).

Staff suggested two options: to remain with the County or to seek its own entitlement and ask the County to do the administrative tasks.

However, staff pointed out that if the City were to seek its own entitlement, it would have to duplicate County services and increase costs to both programs. As a result, the City would receive less funding than it does now. Staff suggested four possible improvements the City could discuss with the County under the present contract. These include expanding the kinds of projects the City could propose for block grants, adding the City’s logo to all official correspondence of the County consortium, providing additional representation for the City on the County’s Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee, and increasing the City’s “take” beyond the present 20%, of funds that are available for grants. With Mayor Wick dissenting, Council asked staff to bring back a proposal to remain with the County and investigate these contract improvements.

City Seeking Grant for Purchase of Flora Road Property Council instructed staff to apply to the Washington Recreation Conservation Office (RCO) for a $1 million grant to aid in purchasing the $2,096,600 Flora Road Property for recreational use. Owned by the Washington Department of Transportation, the 45 acre parcel is located north of the Spokane River

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and east of Flora Rd. Council noted that the funding must be approved by both an RCO team and the state legislature.

Council Declines to Apply for Balfour Grant Council declined to apply for funds for Balfour Park. Recognizing that the State and the City are financially stressed because of the COVID-19 virus, Council asked staff what the City could do by reducing phase 1 of the $6.2 million Balfour project from $2.5 million to $1 million. This would reduce the City’s 50% match from $1.25 million to $500,000. What staff proposed was so minimal to the project that Council decided they should pass on applying for a grant for Balfour Park at this time.

HDR Selected to Finalize Pines Road Design Council approved the final step in the design of the Pines Road Grade separation project by granting a $2,062,269 contract to HDR Engineering. The process started with an administrative report to Council in May of 2013 concerning the Bridging of Spokane Valley. In July of 2017, Council authorized the first phase, the analysis of alternatives for constructing the Pines/Trent intersection, and in June of 2019 Council chose a roundabout design.

With the Federal Railroad Administration awarding of a $1,246,500 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant for design, a $3,795,000 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grant for the right-of-way acquisition, and adding $4,685,000 of City funds, the City embarked on the second phase, the final design of the project, by selecting HDR

NEWS

from two applicants. This second phase will ask HDR to complete the roadway design, design the hydraulics and drainage plan, design the railroad bridge, design the Centennial Trail connection, coordinate with BNSF railroad, and provide right-of-way assistance.

Separate contracts will be issued for surveying, environmental permitting, traffic engineering, and other miscellaneous professional services with Common Street, Simpson Engineering, Wideners & Associates, and Fehr & Peers at an estimated cost of $450,000. Plans call for the review of intersection documents by WSDOT this fall, preliminary construction design complete by fall of 2021, and final approval of construction documents by 2022. The rather lengthy time for completion is needed because the project requires approval from the State, the Feds, and BNSF. City & BNSF Reach Overpass Agreement Council approved an agreement with BNSF Railroad about constructing an overpass as part of the Barker Rd/BNSF Grade Separation Project.

The City will pay BNSF about $1 million for permanent and temporary easements, administrative fees, removal of signal and tracks, and flagging and inspection. In turn, BNSF will pay the City $308 thousand for the cost of the bridge.

The difference will come from $24 million already secured by the City for the project.

Data Sharing With County Approved Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) whereby the City will share data with the County. This would

JUNE 2020 • 9

enable the County Assessor to assess a property for tax purposes when the owner files plans with the City. The City’s Permit Center staff worked to ensure that all site plans would be scanned and attached to the City’s SmartGov permit case notes so that they were available to the Assessor staff via either the public portal (no log-in required) or by using a dedicated Assessor login which allowed for ‘read only’ access to permit information. This system will assure timely addition of the property to the assessment roll. Staff noted that the City has similar agreements with the Health Department and Environmental Services.

County Hazard Mitigation Plan Approved Council unanimously approved the Spokane County Hazard Mitigation Plan. This document is the County’s action plan for doing an assessment of and providing mitigation for such hazards as drought, earthquake, flood and dam failure, landslide, severe weather, volcano, and wildfire. Previously, Council approved a revision to the portion of the plan addressing Spokane Valley concerns.

Update of Shoreline Master Program in the Works The City is required to update its Shoreline Master Program by June 30 of 2021. Washington State provides grants for up to $28,000 for this purpose. Staff noted that the amendments being considered are relative minor, such as updating cost thresholds for docks and substantial developments, including exceptions to local review for certain projects, updating permit filing and appeal procedures, adding ADA permit

exemptions, updating wetland rules and guidance, and adding a 90 day target review for State projects.

There was Council consensus bring back a motion for future consideration.

Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Reviewed Council had its first look at the City’s 2021-2026 Transportation Plan. This plan is required by the State for any City expenditures from the Real Estate Excise Tax account and by the Spokane Regional Transportation Council to approve projects. The City is planning 68 projects for the next six years.

Some projects may have funding and others may not.

The plan is organized into six categories. The 10 closeout projects are those that are complete but may still have invoices in process. There are four bridge/grade separation projects involving Barker, Sullivan, Pines, and Argonne.

Fifteen Intersection Improvement projects are included, such as Pines/ Mission, Sullivan/Wellesley, Pines/16th, and Sprague/Barker.

28 reconstruction/preservation projects are listed involving many areas of the city such as Broadway, Havana to Fancher, Euclid, Barker east to city limits, Wellesley, Sullivan to Flora, and DishmanMica, Schafer south to city limits. Six city-wide projects are included such as reflective signs, a pedestrian and bicycle safety analysis, and street preservation projects. Five sidewalk, trail, and stormwater projects are proposed such as Park Rd. Sidewalk, Sprague and Appleway stormwater improvements, and Appleway Trail, University to Dishman-Mica.

May 26 is scheduled for a public See SV REPORT, Page 14

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The Current

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Coaches look to changes for the upcoming Little League, no recreational solid progress with young players. football season No softball leagues or soccer or Momentum can be a fragile and

By Steve Christilaw Current Contributor

Tom Griggs has been idled by the end of the school year.

The East Valley High School football coach has even been prevented from mowing his lawn by more than a week’s worth of rain.

“By no school, mostly,” he said.

“But my lawn is looking pretty tall right now, too.”

This has been the spring without.

Without formal classrooms.

Without formal school hours.

Without a sitting for tests or proms or graduation in any tradition sense.

And without spring sports.

All victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also has threatened the regularly scheduled start to the traditionally conducted fall semester. Will it happen? Will it be conducted in formal classrooms?

Will it include the full slate of high school team sports?

In the meantime, it also turns out to be without summer sports.

File photo East Valley’s 2019-2020 team practice.

basketball leagues.

That’s leaving area football teams minus the kinds of activities that generally build momentum for August, when fall turnouts begin.

“I’m mostly just concerned that we have school in the fall,” West Valley football coach Craig Whitney said. “No one knows.

“Everybody is in the same boat and we’re in uncharted waters.

Everybody is trying to figure this out as we go forward.”

You can measure the mettle of a high school program by its “buy in” – by how willing players are to put in off-season time. By how many participate in weightlifting and speed drills and spring camp.

By how many attend a summer skills camp or join in a team camp, usually on a college campus.

Griggs, insists he and his East Valley program is in the same boat with every other team in the state, but the other side of the coin shows the Knights being hit at a particularly difficult time.

East Valley has been rebuilding the last two seasons and made

fickle.

This summer, barring a major change at the last minute, all of those activities are cancelled. The annual Border League team camp that has become a staple of summer activities at Central Valley High School was canceled along with team camps at the Universities of Idaho and Montana.

With schools closed, formal weightlifting programs have been canceled and coaches have scrambled to provide guidance to players looking to replace it with home workouts.

“Most off we’re telling them to be careful,” Griggs said. “If they can find a squat rack some place, we tell them to lift with a buddy or find a spotter. We don’t want them to get themselves injured.

High school coaches across the country all find themselves in the same boat. All are holding out hope that there will be a 2020-21 season.

The superintendent of schools for the San Antonio Independent School District, Pedro Martinez, sent shockwaves throughout the

Lone Star State by giving his honest appraisal of the situation to the San Antonio Express News. He did not believe there will be a season for contact sports this fall.

The district’s athletic director, Todd Howey, sent out a video message on Twitter, saying “As of today, we fully intend to play football, run cross country and play volleyball in the fall.”

That’s not a prediction, per se, but it does perfectly fit the mindset most athletes and coaches have taken in the age of the coronavirus.

“I look at the news this way,” West Valley grad and University of Idaho junior tight end Connor Whitney said. “Until I hear that the season is canceled, I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to be ready to go on Day 1. That’s pretty much all I can do right now.”

The near-universal opinion on the subject, expressed most eloquently by a Texas high school coach, “This is something we cannot afford to get wrong,” WilmerHutchins coach Elzie Barnett said.

“We need to be 100% sure about playing football this fall, because we are talking about people’s livelihood.

“I am overly optimistic that the powers that be will do what is best to protect our students and athletics.

The other fall sports are waiting to see what happens with football. I would rather not play if we must shut down later in the season. Once we start playing football, we need to continue playing for the mental, social and emotional aspects sports bring to the student’s overall wellbeing.”

Griggs put it simply.

“You don’t want to get ahead of the game,” he said. “Everyone is doing a great job keeping us all informed. Safety is key and that’s our primary concern.

“I’ve had a number of conversations with our athletic director, Alec Vermaire. The word he uses is ‘Hope.’ That’s a great word for where we are right now.”

JUNE 2020 • 11

The Current

Final Point

By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor

When you’ve been doing this job for half a century and Ebenezer Pandemic mutters “Humbug!” wiping out local high school sports you’re at a loss about what to do.

You can’t even go into your local watering hole where you’d likely run into a former high school athlete or coach you knew and wrote about.

Pandemic has robbed you even of that guilty pleasure.

You can’t go to watch a spring game, set, match on the Ides of March (April and May) when baseball, softball, boys soccer, boys and girls track, tennis and golf are wiped out.

Old Man Scrooge has robbed you of exactly half the fun of playing of watching high schools’ sports.

So, you write nostalgically.

Although at this age it’s difficult for me to recall what nostalgia means.

Colleague Steve Christilaw wrote an article about University High principal Ken VanSickle retiring this year, ironically, on the year of the Covid-9 crisis. He was born a Titan.

I was covering sports for the Spokane Valley Herald then, working at my dad’s newspaper he owned from 1948-92 (if I remember correctly). I was single and fancy free back then, writing and shooting pictures at a sporting event almost daily.

As Christilaw pointed out, VanSickle was an elementary school student who became the Titans’ batboy. His senior year in high school, Central Valley teachers went out on strike. Fortunately, the strike was short and the games went on, but until that time off coaches couldn’t be with coach the kids. Coach Dave Holmes entrusted his quarterback, VanSickle, to run the show and conduct practice. At season’s end Holmes told me Ken’s leadership during the strike was what he admired most about that season and he proved prophetic. After college, VanSickle would come back as a teacher, coach and administrator instrumental as softball transitioned from slowpitch, to modified and fastpitch where the Titans became a state powerhouse, as Christilaw pointed out. *A friend of mine, Tom Psomas, is a basketball fanatic and was a pumpkin entrepreneur who originally was going into education for one reason only - to coach basketball. He played at East Valley in the early 1970s, and to this day is fulfilling his “Basketball Jones” being involved in AAU

basketball (with younger brother Jim, a Valley dentist also basketball (consumed) and Hoopfest. Tom and I still meet every once-in-a-while at Red Robin near the Valley Mall and rehash those good old days. *To say Jim McLachlan is consumed with track and cross country is to understate. Nicknamed “Otis” because of his upbringing in the rural community that feeds East Valley. His late father-in-law, Knights coaching legend Howard Dolphin, influenced his future son-in-law at EV and the apple didn’t fall from the tree.

Otis, a bit younger than I, was a Knights athlete, had a Hall of Fame coaching career in track and cross country at West Valley. I covered his teams from the beginning of my writing career. He is now compiling an almanac of all of Spokane athletes’ best track and field individual times and distances. When we yack on the phone, the conversation stretches for hours.

We still meet occasionally at a restaurant in Otis Orchards with a group of “legend in their own minds” athlete old-timers’ rehashing the “good old days” of sports and growing up.

Recently Bob Barbero hooked me up with a table full of long-inthe-tooth cross country coaching standouts from everywhere who gather monthly at IHOP where they meet monthly. I’ve known him as a WV distance runner and who coached state individual and team championships in track and cross country at U-Hi. CV’s Dennis McGuire, former EV distance runner and Knights coach Dave McCarty, who got his start there as a baseball coach, were both successful. Ferris legend Herm Caviness, who is in his 80s and whose son, Chris, tragically, rently died of cancer. Your children are supposed to outlive you. Chris followed his dad as a coach at Ferris. Linda Lanker was a fixture at Valley Christian remains active with area track and field organizations.

Barbero and McCarty were star distance runners at their respective high schools who I wrote about when they in were high school at WV and EV respectively.

Now we are gray-haired (for those who still have hair) has beens. But it’s better to be a has-been than a never was.

Their tales, like legendary Paul Bunyan, get taller with the telling.

And yet, they are all true.

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Spokane Valley Farmer’s Market gears up for its second year

By Nina Culver Current Contributor

Many businesses have been in turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Spokane Valley Farmers Market was no different. For weeks organizers wondered if they’d be able to open at all and, if so, how they would be able to do it.

With most questions now answered, the market in the parking lot of CenterPlace at 2426 N. Discovery Place will open for the season on June 5. The hours will remain from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, but shoppers will find a lot of other changes.

The vendor booths will be spaced six feet apart. All vendors will be wearing gloves and masks. There will be hand washing/sanitizing stations in place. There will still be food trucks, but people will be asked to get their food to go. In general, people will be asked to get in and out without lingering, said market manager Katy Lee. Groups are also discouraged.

“If you can, just send one person,” she said. “That’s just what we have to do this year. That’s our new normal right now.”

The Spokane Valley Farmers Market had its inaugural market last year and business was good, Lee said. “We were hoping to have that momentum going into this year, but due to COVID it’s going to be what it’s going to be.”

Last year the market had about 40 vendors offering food, crafts and

art. Their biggest crowd, on a Harry Potter theme night, was 3,000 people.

Lee already knows that won’t happen this year. “We are not allowed to have live music or have seating,” she said.

“We can’t have themed nights.”

When farmers markets were given the green light to open, it was for essential services only. That meant that the crafters and artists were left out. “That’s where we are right now,” she said. “The rest are on standby.”

The recent advancement to Phase 2 opening protocol in Spokane County means they may be able to invite the craft vendors back, Lee said. “Hopefully, we can transition through the phases,” she said.

Local farmers have been wondering if people will still come out to the farmers markets, Lee said.

“The farmers, I think, are the most worried,” she said. “They plant in the spring for the farmers markets.”

Many vendors from last year are returning and there are a few new farmers signed up, including Lucid Roots, a Coeur d’Alene business offering pre-packaged salads.

Returning favorites include Bean & Pie, Arabesque Bakery, Nuts on the Run and North Idaho Suds. A full list of vendors is available at www. spokanevalleyfarmersmarket.org.

Louise Tuffin and her husband Tom have been running Arabesque Bakery for the last 18 years. They sell their artisan bread and baked goods at five different farmers markets in the Spokane area. “That’s been our whole mode of business for 18 years,”

Contributed graphic Layout for the 2020 Spokane Valley Farmer’s market following state mandated Covid-19 standards.

Contributed photo Spokane Valley Farmer’s Market opening day is Friday, June 5 and every Friday until September 18. she said.

She was pleased when the Spokane Valley Farmers Market opened last year and quickly signed up. “The location is beautiful and a niche that needs to be filled,” she said.

“It was something that was ready to happen.”

Tuffin said she had an excellent first year last year and thinks some of her loyal customers followed her to Spokane Valley from other markets. “It takes years to develop the clientele,” she said.

She and her husband make six varieties of artisan bread using flour from Wheat Montana. They use organic eggs and other organic ingredients when possible. Their huckleberry pastries are popular and they make a variety of other fruit pastries using fruit purchased from other farmers market vendors.

“We tend to support each other,” she said. “I switch it up. I do whatever is in season.”

Tuffin said she was always hopeful that the farmers market would open.

“We’ve all noticed how food was selling,” she said. “If they could pass muster, I was pretty sure it would be essential.”

Like other vendors, Tuffin will take extra steps to make sure her products are safe. “We always have a barrier between our hands and the

product,” she said. “We will be prewrapping things.”

The Spokane Valley Farmers Market will continue to accept EBT card and have a SNAP Match program. “We are able to match 100 percent of what you spend on your EBT card,” she said. “This year we’re able to accept WIC and senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks.”

People will also have the option to order from some vendors online through https://spokane.share. farm/. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. Thursday and will be available for pickup at the Numerica tent during the Friday market.

“That’s for people who are nervous about going back into a public setting,” she said. “It’s providing all the options they can.”

With everything prepared, Lee can only wait nervously for opening day. She said she’s heard good things from other local markets that have opened already. “I think everyone’s excited to go out and support our local businesses,” she said. “It’s outside, so I think people feel safer than going to the grocery store.”

She’s hopeful that things will go well for both shoppers and vendors. “We’re just really looking forward to supporting our community and our local farmers and businesses,” she said.

JUNE 2020 • 13

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• JUNE 2020

The Current

brought to you by

Student of the Month

Athlete of the Month

Citizen of the Month

Whether it’s soccer or studies, Raylynn Bucher exels. The East Valley senior is a Running Start student at Spokane Community College and maintains a 3.85 grade point average while also earning her certificate in English.

She has been part of National Honor Society and Key Club since her freshman year, participated in DECA and served as American Sign Language Club president. At SCC, she became a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Bucher lettered in varsity soccer all four years at EV and was team captain her junior and senior years. She was named to the All Great Northern League first team the past two seasons and earned second team All State honors as a senior. She was named a WIAA Distinguished Scholar Athlete four consecutive years.

She will study and play soccer at Linfield University.

Carter Hosking is a distance runner adept at scaling hurdles. The East Valley senior has served as the cross country captain the past two years despite dealing with a series of injuries.

“Even though he hasn’t competed like he’s hoped to, Carter has been the single biggest factor to everyone’s success on our team,” said Peter McArthur, the boys’ cross country and track distance coach. Hosking rehabilitated a foot injury to prepare for track before the season was canceled. He advanced to districts in the 800 meters as a junior and was part of a 4 x 800 relay squad that qualified for a national meet. He maintains a 3.88 grade point average and participated in Leadership, Key Club and Future Business Leaders of America where he was part of a team state title. He will attend Eastern Washington University.

Leslie Camden-Goold has served as a social worker in the Central Valley School District since the 2001-02 academic year. As the McKinneyVento homeless liaison, Camden-Goold helps students in temporary or transitional housing situations find increased stability. She also oversees the Valley’s HEART (Homeless Education and Resource Team) program.

“Leslie’s commitment to serving students and families who are experiencing homelessness cannot be overstated,” said CVSD Assistant Superintendent Terrie VanderWegen. CamdenGoold works with around 400 students who are in temporary or transitional housing situations.

She founded the Hike Against Homelessness event that raises funds and awareness for students in need. A 1978 graduate of Central Valley, Camden-Goold has a bachelor’s degree in social science from Washington State University and a master’s in social work from Eastern Washington University. She has also worked for Casey Family Partners and the Post Falls School District.

SV REPORT

Continued from page 9 hearing on the TIP and final action by the Council.

Commute Trip Reduction Plan (CTR) Amendment Approved The State requires that cities the size of Spokane Valley have Commute Trip Reduction Plans in order to reduce the automobiles on the road and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Employers within the City who have more than 100 employees are required to participate if their shifts start at 6AM-9AM on at least two days of the week. Thus, the City itself and 18 other employers are required to participate in the plan. Since 2011 the City has contracted with the County to act in its stead to oversee the CTR program and the City sends the approximately $67,000 grant it receives from the State for CTR directly to the County. The CTR Plan is updated every five years and the interlocal agreement with the County has to be approved every two years. This year, the State CTR board set three goals for each of the firms within the CTR program: a reduction of 13% in vehicle miles traveled and

greenhouse gas reduction and an increase in commute alternatives by 6%. The 13% was reduced from the previous biennium’s 18%, which was determined not to be achievable. Staff indicated that the City’s numbers look good.

Council Briefs • Mayor Wick appointed James “JJ” Johnson to the Spokane County Human Right Task Force for a four-year term beginning immediately and expiring on March 31, 2024. He had just completed an 18-month appointment as Spokane Valley’s first appointee to the Task Force. Mr. Johnson also serves on the City’s Planning Commission.

• Council Member Pamela Haley earned the Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities, having completed more than 30 hours of training and demonstrated community service.

• Council asked staff to look at other possible ways to allow public testimonies during this social separation.

• Mayor Wick is sending letters to graduates within the County congratulating them on their achievements.

RYDELL

Continued from page 3 friends and teachers during the best time of their schooling and had to make it work virtually. My advice for the Class of 2020 would be to stay focused on your goals and dreams as you pursue your next steps in life.

Q: How significant of a transition for you will it be to go from smaller school districts like Liberty and Republic to West Valley with nearly 3,800 students and over 500 staff?

A: The transition so far has been amazing. I have been getting to know our staff and students over the past 11 months and have been impressed with their passion and support of the West Valley community. My biggest challenge is getting to know all of their names when I visit the buildings and departments.

Q: How would you characterize community support for WVSD as it relates to levies and bonds.

Could we see another capital facilities bond on the ballot after the most recent one expires?

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Thanks you for all you do in our community A: West Valley is a very supporting community and has a long history of supporting the programs and facilities. We are currently having NAC Architecture do a grant-funded study and survey to determine the building condition in several of our buildings. We will be putting together a facilities committee to review the building condition survey results and future steps. I am proud our custodial and maintenance crews as they continue to do an amazing job maintaining our facilities.

Q: Lastly, you spent the first 15 years of your career in the East Valley School District and now find yourself leading that district's local rival. When the Knights and Eagles face off against each other, where is your rooting interest?

A: The slogan at West Valley High School is “Once an Eagle Always an Eagle” so I’ll be in my black and orange supporting the Eagles. This rivalry has been a great way for our districts to stay connected over the years and this healthy competition has created memories our students will always remember.

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• JUNE 2020

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The Current

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Visit www.scld.org/pronunciator.

OverDrive has eBooks and audiobooks to help you explore the world right from your living room.

Immerse yourself in travelogues, both modern and historical. Enjoy nature with informative reads and guides about day hikes. Using travel guides, you can plan a grand adventure and learn about travel preparation.

In the Kids and Teens sections of OverDrive, you’ll find travel literature to inspire the world traveler in readers of all ages.

Visit www.scld.org/overdrive.

Listen to History’s Greatest Voyages of Exploration from The Great Courses to learn about mutiny, disease, starvation, and cannibals and how, from the ancient wayfarers to modern astronauts, exploration continues to be one of humanity’s deepest impulses.

Read travel guides from Frommer’s, Lonely Planet, and others for places such as Bali, Costa Rica, Disneyland, New Zealand, The Virgin Islands, and Yosemite and plan an excursion to parts unknown.

Enjoy essays and travelogues by Bill Bryson, Robyn Davidson, John Muir, and other authors to see new and familiar places through someone else’s eyes.

Visit www.scld.org/hoopla.

Digital magazines from Flipster offer you a glimpse at destinations all around the world.

Download and flip through current and back issues of National Geographic. Enjoy travel magazines Condé Nast Traveler and Backpacker without leaving your couch. Get ready for adventure with lifestyle magazines Bicycling, Field & Stream, and Outside. Kids can enjoy stories and tips about travel and the world in Ranger Rick, Highlights, and Boys’ Life.

Discover delicious recipes from around the world in a dozen food and cooking magazines, including Allrecipes, Eating Well, and Bon Appétit.

Visit www.scld.org/flipster.

Learn about cultures throughout the world. CultureGrams includes information on lifestyles, the arts, life cycles, government, climate, and history. Explore maps of each country, and watch videos of personal stories. Engage your taste buds with recipes you can whip up that are full of flavors from places near and far.

Within the Kids Edition, elementary-age children can travel across all seven continents and explore photos, videos, slideshows, and timelines to discover the world.

Visit www.scld.org/culturegrams.

18

• JUNE 2020

The Current

Integrity

By Ron Jacobson Dean of the School of Education at Whitworth

My dad will turn 91 this June. I have had the privilege of knowing him for two-thirds of those 90-plus years. And, of the many things I could say about my dad, one of the most profound descriptions I can offer is this: my dad is my dad. Let me explain. Years ago, I found a copy of my dad’s senior year high school yearbook. As is typical of yearbooks, I found a section where graduating seniors bequeathed items or gave advice to those underclass men and women who would soon follow in their footsteps. What my father offered surprised me. He gave simple words of advice: “Don’t think too highly of yourself. Be humble.” I don’t know what I expected, but it was something other than ‘be humble’.

As I reflected on that advice, I came to realize those weren’t just words of advice, they were words that described my dad. Even into his 90th year, my dad exemplifies the ethic of ‘not-thinking-too-highlyof-oneself’. In fact, he has been incredibly, consistently humble.

The character trait I was asked to address in this article is ‘integrity’.

There are so many things that could be said about integrity.

But, considering the concept over the years, I have regularly come back to the notion of consistency.

Integrity as a character trait, at least in some measure, points to a person who is consistent; not perfect, but consistent. When we interact with an integrous person, we know what to expect. Why? Because, what they do is tied to who they are. For example, my dad doesn’t just ‘do’ humility, he is humble. I can count on that. Of course, there are loopholes in my case, cracks in my argument. Some might ask, “if a person consistently lies, does he have integrity?” Good question, but one we can’t fully explore in this short article. We can work to determine ‘good’ consistency from ‘bad’ later, but nevertheless, I would argue that consistency is integral to integrity.

I now come to my last point: teachers. As I have observed over the last couple of months living under

a declared pandemic, specifically how P-12 educators (teachers, principals, school counselors, and school staff) have responded to an unknown world, I have continued to come back to the notion of integrity.

These P-12 professionals, and I employ the word ‘professionals’ intentionally, have risen to the occasion. We have all witnessed the food distribution sites set up by schools to serve families (this wasn’t required). We have become aware of schools serving as child care providers for first responders and medical professionals (when was that in their job description?).

We have witnessed countless teachers standing out in front of their students’ houses, answering math questions on white boards, putting up congratulatory signs in the yards of graduating seniors, leading drive-by parades through their students’ neighborhoods to cheer them on, etc. And, of course, we are cognizant of the hundreds of hours these professionals have put in translating lessons from inperson to remote instruction. Why do these teachers do it? My premise is this: not because they are forced to, not because it is their job, but because it is who they are.

Our educators are professionals and that work flows from consistent integrity. What I have witnessed, which is what I’ve always known, is that our P-12 educators are passionate about the work, love the kids in their classrooms, and are unbelievable good at what they do. Do I worry what will happen when this pandemic is over and our kids head back to school? Am I afraid that they’ll be permanently behind in their studies, worried about a generational deficit? Not in the least. Their teachers, principals, school counselors and school staff have got this. Not because of how

well they get paid, but because it’s who they are. In these days we are witnessing the very definition of integrity all around us. It was always there, we just may have missed it. But now, as we watch our teachers rise to the challenge, it is even more poignantly on full display.

Ron and his wife, Michele, moved into the west central neighborhood of Spokane last summer. After serving as Executive Director of the School of Education at Central Washington University and, before that, the dean of the College of Education at Northwest University, Ron joined the Whitworth community as the dean of the School of Education in July of

2019. Ron’s educational background is in economics, applied theology, educational leadership and policies studies. His research interests have largely been focused in the motivations surrounding school bullying (i.e., why kids choose to publicly target their classmates).

His new home, Whitworth, was one of the founding partners of the PACE organization in 2009 and since that time has been actively supporting the organization through participation on the executive board, in the annual Educator Workshops, as coordinator for the PACE School of Character applications and through sponsorship in events such as the annual PACE Awards Banquet.

OPINION REPEAL ESSB 5395 AND STOP Of 10,200 participants in a THE RADICAL K-12 SEX ED LAW Referendum 90 survey conducted by the state JUNE 2020 • 19

The Current

HELP QUALIFY REFERENDUM 90!

Request Petition at parentsforsafeschools.com Or call 253-260-3642 Petitions can be signed in the Spokane Valley at Mica Peak School, 15111 East Sprague Tue-Fri/Sat 1-7pm 10-6pm The Russian Store “Good Choice,” 9512 East Sprague Mon-Sat 10-7 pm Argonne Library, 4322 North Argonne Road Tue-Fri/Sat 1-7pm 10-6pm

Petitions need to be mailed back no later than June 2nd

EVERY SIGNATURE COUNTS

Parents for Safe Schools, 218 Main Street #494 Kirkland, WA 98033 Paid for by Mike Padden Parents for Safe Schools, 218 Main Street #494, Kirkland, WA 98033 Top 5 donors, The Reagan Fund, Jack Connelly, Joshua Freed, Suzanne Burke Joan Wallace. Top 3 donors to PAC, Kemper Holdings, BIAW, Altria Client Services

needs your support

By Sen. Mike Padden Washington 4th Legislative District

ESSB 5395, passed in the last legislative session and signed by the governor into law, mandates graphic sex education starting in elementary grades. The curriculum bypasses local school boards and local parental input. Unelected and unaccountable Olympia bureaucrats will enforce this sex education curriculum. No other subject, be it mathematics, English, social studies or any other study area, has a statemandated curriculum.

ESSB 5395 also decrees that this Olympia-based K-12 curriculum be comprehensively included in all subject areas such as math, English and computer science.

Both the Mead and West Valley school district boards asked the governor to veto the legislation, which he did not. There is not one school superintendent in Spokane County that supported the bill (now law). A number of other school districts in other parts of the state formally opposed the legislation.

superintendent, 58 percent opposed this bill. Legislators received overwhelming opposition to the bill from their constituents yet many still voted for it.

The testimony in favor of the legislation from proponents such as Planned Parenthood favored a no-values, no-judgement approach.

Planned Parenthood has stated they favor a curriculum encouraging sexual expression, sexual fulfillment and sexual pleasure. The curriculum includes teaching young students how to say yes to sexual activity.

This approach runs contrary to the values of many families and many communities throughout the state.

While there is an opt-out provision for classroom instruction that is specifically labeled comprehensive sexual education, the legislation demands so-called comprehensive sexual education to be integrated into other subjects where students cannot opt out.

Petitions are circulating now to give voters a chance to reject ESSB 5395 in November. Signature See OP/ED, Page 30

As we adjust to the new normal the market is making changes for the health and safety of our customers and vendors. For the complete list of changes

FARMERS MARKET L i b e r t y

L a k e

coming this season please visit our website at LLFarmersMarket.com or find us on facebook

Every Saturday 9am -1pm

SHOP | EAT | CONNECT

OPENING DAY JUNE 6TH

20

• JUNE 2020

Congrats Class of 2020

The Current

JUNE 2020 • 21

The Current The following local residents have earned a degree from Western Governors University (WGU).

Leadership degree.

Theresa Bowden of Greenacres, Wash. (99016) has earned a Master of Science, Nursing - Education (BSN to MSN) degree.

Joan Stewart of Mead, Wash. (99021) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree.

Christopher Miller of Greenacres, Wash. (99016) has earned a Master of Science, Management and Leadership degree.

Kayla Burtenshaw of Liberty Lake, Wash. (99016) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree.

Monica Bannon of Liberty Lake, Wash. (99019) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Accounting degree.

Joanie Buck of Liberty Lake, Wash. (99019) has earned a Master of Science, Curriculum and Instruction degree.

Angela Paras of Liberty Lake, Wash. (99019) has earned a Bachelor of Arts, Special Education degree.

Melanie Shanks of Liberty Lake, Wash. (99019) has earned a Master of Science, Management and

Kendall Steiner of Newman Lake, Wash. (99025) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree.

Trisha Stevenson of Newman Lake, Wash. (99025) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree.

Mariah Hoadley of Otis Orchards, Wash. (99027) has earned a Bachelor of Science, Business Management degree.

Sophie Kaatz of Otis Orchards, Wash. (99027) has earned a Master of Science, Curriculum and Instruction degree.

Erin Kinney, of Veradale, received a bachelor of arts degree from College of the Holy Cross on May 22, 2020.

22

• JUNE 2020

The Current

Congratulations Graduating Class of 2020

Tiffany Abrams • Jacob Abshire • Grace Acre • Aliyah Adams • Analeah Adams • Juan Aguilera • Joshua Aguirre • Boden Albright • Kawthar Ali Al Abdullah • Dori Ames • Andrew Amusavi • Katelyn Anderson • Michael Anderson • Zachary Anderson • Felipe Andrews • Madison Anglin • Gabriel Araiza • Addison Arlint • Seth Arthur • Abigail Austin • Eloise Austin • Julissa Avila • Victoria Axtell • Spencer Ayer • Josie Babington • Cameron Bailey • Jacob Ballard • Jeremy Baum • Jeff Bays • Drake Beale • Jacquelyn Beckford • Kylee Behar • Tenya Benjamin • Bryce Benzel • Violet Benzie • Conrad Bertone • Alexander Beverlin • Brooklyn Bilbruck • Nicole Bippes • Jennifer Bissell • Annika Bliesner • Hunter Bly • Megan Bodily • Andrew Bollinger • Bonnett Mallory • Brooke Bos • Alyssa Bradley • Elijah Brandal • Brenna Brantner • Paige Bridgens • Cameron Bringhurst • Joshua Burk • Garrett Burns • Audrey Busch • Talitha Call • Payton Campbell • Joshua Cannon • Chad Carlson • Gracie Carlson • Kobe Carter • Daniel Cathey • Nuala Caughie • Arlette Chacon • Simranjit Chahal • Anika Chalich • Askia Chalich • Eric Chandler • Adre’ Charvat • Julianna Chase • Natalya Chicks • Carter Childress • Charisma Chitwood • Logan Chodorowski • Kamry Christensen • Owen Christensen • Hunter Clark • Kieleen Clark • Wyatt Clark • Quinn Clark-Lojek • Aidan Coate • Sera Coate • Holt Connole • Noah Connors • Clayton Conrad • Elizabeth Conrad • Katlyn Cooper • Tate Cornell • Brandi Cozino • Ashleigh Creeger • Briana Creeger • Kaitlin Creeger • Jason Crigger • Clayton Crockett • Reagan Crosby • Daniel Cross • Jake Culpepper • Mikayla Cummings • Isaiah Cunningham • Maritza Cutino Leyva • Colton Dauenhauer • Shelbi Dawkins • Savannah Dayton • Cesar De la O • Edgar De La O • Milka De La O • Emma DeBoer • Josiah DeJulia • Gianna DeMaderios • Kimball Demars • Kyrsten Denny • Gabriel Doering • Levi Drager • Jennifer Drinkwine • Teah Driver-Conner • Jorren Dumo • Jennifer Duong • Kevin Edwards • Robert Edwards • Benjamin Ely • Michael Emerson • Jade Eng • Alessa Eoff • Brett Ernst • Alaura Erwin • Amabelle Erwin • Ira Etzel • Alissa Evans • Rachel Ewers • Andrew Fightmaster • Benjamin Fillis • Bradley Fillis • Madisyn Findley • Samantha Finley • Jared Fisher • Alora FitzGerald • Henry Flint • Jared Folsom • Cooper Foote • Marie Ford • Keegan Forney • Kylie Forsyth • Lea Foster • Monique Foster • Sawyer Foucault • Hannah Fountain • Kolby Franks • Rylee Freelander-Ward • Sky Freer • Jeremy Fuhriman • Xavier Fulkerson • Matthew Gabbert • Wendy Gallegos Martinez • Jamison Galloway • Sydney Gannon • Nathaniel Garza • Paulette-Josephine Gass • Julia Gaydarzhi • Karissa Geissinger • Dylan Gibson • Alexis Gist • Taylor Glenn • Georgia Goldfeldt • Esha Gollapalli • Eunice Gonzalez • Randolph Grant • Sophia Grassel • Jules Greenberg • Ava Gress • Gurkirat Grewal • Noah Gribble • Zachary Griffin • Luke Grisafi • Taylor Grizzle • Preston Grote • Jaden Guinn • Ryan Hagerty • Leah Hamilton • Grace Hampton • Rachel Hamry • Katelyn Hansen • Sunny Hansen • Grace Hanson • Christi Harms • Connor Harnack • Emil Haroldsen • Ryan Harper •

Central Valley High School Andrew Harter • Morgen Hartshorn • Taryn Harvey • Xander Haugen • Caeleb Haulet • Lindsey Hayes • Daniel Haynes • Adeline Haynie • Haley Heck • Joshua Hermes • Johnathan Herrera • Emily Heskett • John Heskett • Essence Hiatt • Lindsey Hickson • Aaron Hobbs • Alexandria Holland • Riley Holman • Abigail Houchin • Calli Howard • Peyton Howard • Scott Howard • Breanna Hronek • Karina Hronek • Natalie Hulvey • Hayden Humphries • Tyler Hunter • Vierna Jabuwe • Olivia Jackman • Carolyn Jackson • Ricky Jankord • Mike Jarmin • Tyler Jarvis • Cameron Jayne • Josie Jennings • Fantasia Jensen • Isabella Jeppson • Caleb Jerdon • Brelin Johns • Caden Johnson • Faith Johnson • Kayanna Johnson • Quinn Johnson • Adam Jones • Collyn Jones • Kyle Jones • Tyler Jones • Abbie Judd • Carson Judd • Mohammad Kaddoura • Kaitlyn Kaluza • Kyle Kaminskas • Marisa Karns • Kylie Keller • Madison Kelley • Griffin Keys • Salsabel Khalid • Hannah Kiehn • Madelyn Kiourkas • Ayden Klontz • Madelynn Knight • Alexander Knudsen • Artem Kolesnikov • Emilee Kopelson • Olivia Kory • Asmaa Kourma • Miranda Kuhlmann • Mykola Kushnir • Dartanian Kutz • Velana (Aj) Lakjin • Aidan Lamkins • Haley Lance • Justin Lance • Ally Lang • Jared Laws • Ashley Lawson • Karma Lazzeri • Adam Lemley • Myah Lemons • Sydney Levine • Garrett Lidman • Theodore Linde • Nicole Livingston • Mackenzie Longwill • Fernando Lopez • Joseph Lopez • Andrew Luck • Micky Lutes • Haylee Lynch • Kayla MacKelvie • Jessie Marshall • Jacob May • Timothy McCrea • Sara McGill • Addison McLelland • Bridger McMahon • Ryan McMahon • Bryce McManus • Kimberly McManus • Brock McNeilly • Mason McNeilly • Madison McVey • Jacob Measel • Gustavo Mendoza • Colin Mercer • Nathan Mercer • Jake Merrill • Nisa Meshal • Aidan Meyer • Braxton Mikesell • Owen Miley • Olivia Minnick • Dalton Mitchell-Rising • Ryan Mobley • Mia Morales • Ethan Moriniti • Kiara Morse • Josef Mueller • Madeline Mularski • Alivia Mulligan • Shawn Mulligan • Emily Munn • Dominick Nason •

Rebbecah Natimama • Jonas Naumann • Brandon Neer • Ashley Nelsen • Alexis Nelson • Nicholas Nelson • Nathan Ness • Madelyn Newcomb • Garrett Newell • Brenna Niemi • Emma Nigh • Ethan Noakes • Colby Nootenboom • Claudia Norczyk • Sara Nyffler • Emma O’Donnell • Lily O’Neel • Madelynn Ochse • Emma Ohlsen • Ethan Oliver • Michael Olson • Erik Osipenko • Reese Overly • Ryan Ovnicek • Terran Ovnicek • Kyle Page • Bekah Palmer • Amanda Parker • Christopher Parrish • Adria Paul • Alaina Paul • Taylor Pearson • Nick Perez • Jasmyn Persicke • Alexander Pesina • Carly Petersen • Anna Peterson • Caleb Peterson • Haley Pfau • Jonathan Phelps • Michael Pitts • Blake Pleasant • Angelyna Plybon • Tim Polishchuk • Austin Porter • Skye Suraja Potter • Aiden Powers • Dallin Prince • Colby Putnam • Cody Quirico • Carsen Raab • Makenzie Raab • Olivia Rachoy • Hannah Rappold • Rylan Redden • Meaghan Redmond • Haley Regalado • Landon Rehkow • Gavin Renzi • Ruben Reyna-Romero • John Rhodes • Ashley Rich • Kole Richardson • Lucas Richardson • Korbyn Rider • Hunter Roberge • Melissa Robinson • Skylar Robles • Roseanna Rodden • Ashlyn Rogers • Joshua Rogers • Mia Rogers • Evan Rohm • Dawson Rubino • Conner Russell • Mirlinda Salihu • Gustavo Salinas • Lynae Sanders • Noah Sanders • Marissa Sannes • Alexander Sayrs • Clare Scherer • Amy Schlomer • Hailey Schmedtje • Gabrielle Schmidt • Arriel Schmitz • Daisy Schoonover • Gavin Schulhauser • Drew Scott • Cameron Sheley • Taylor Shepard • Jensen Shypitka • Benjamin Sides • Jayce Simmons • Johnny Simmons • Jeana Simpson • Julia Simpson • Olivia Sine • Kaliyah SingsavaddyCarter • Cody Smith • Jaylen Smith • Jocelyn Smith • Madison Smith • Noah Smith • Brandon Snider • Tyler Snider • Kedrik Solis • Alexandra Solorio • Logan Sommer • Jenna Sotin • Carson Spence • Seth St Clair • Emily St John • Brayden Stafford • Benton Stephens • Mariele Stockman • Natalie Stretch • Marissa Suarez • Luke Sukut • Nikita Susin • Sydney Sutton • Galbhar Suwaed • Gannon Swain • Matthew Szymanski • Tyson Talbot • Devin Tanak • Suheyla Tanak • Spencer Taylor • Kyle Telkamp • Devin Thelen • Kohlton Thielen • Joseph Thomas • Braden Thompson • Brooke Tiffany • Tyler Todd • Igor Topov • Thanh Binh Tran • Kalani Trotter • Katelyn Troyer • Tracy Tulensa • Taylor Turner • Julie Ulyanchuk • Kellen Ungaro • Ryan Ungaro • Chase Urbiha • Kaleb Vakaloloma • Sol Vandeman • Jonny Vannavuth • Jessica Vargas • Dakota Vasquez • Darci Vasquez • Kody Vaughn • Aubri Velazquez • Ezra Verlinde • Jonavan Villagomez • Saidu Ville • Denys Vinnikov • Cole Vinson • Tien Vo • Lilly Wagner • Tiara Walker • Ethan Walters • Robert Warnock • Sailor Watson • Serena Watters • Abbey Webb • Kiersten Webb • Evelyn Wehrlie • Korbin Weiler • Savannah Weiler • Claire Westby • Benjamin Wicker • Matti Wickham • Maxine Wigen • Autymn Wilde • Tavin Wilhelm • Emma Wilkerson • Dylan Williams • Isaak Williams • Spencer Wilson • Mitchell Wing • Simon Xiong • Danielle Yelland • Anessa Yim • Olivia Yoseph • Brittany Zamora • Cameron Zanol • Emely Zavala • Aubrey Zeutschel • Christopher Zeutschel

JUNE 2020 • 23

The Current

Hannah Achenbaugh • Raymond Acosta • Adam Affeldt • Rayna Anderson • Brycen Autrey • Maximillian Avdeyev • Autumn Bailey • Tyler Baldwin • David Bare • Bodie Bedow • Mavrick Benoscek • Dawson Binder • Natalie Black • Cody Bliesner • Alicia Bliss • Blaine Bowman • Deyshawn Brown • Shaylee Brown • George Brown III • Tyrell Brown-Cole • Dylan Buchanan • Raylynn Bucher • Kaden Burkhart • Logan Bush • Makayla Bushnell • Alizeia Butler • Maelin Campbell • Alexander Carlson • Bailey Carter • Malachite Charbonneau • Hailey Charles • Darcie Chavis • Nicole Chen • Brooklyn Child • Julius Christensen • Emilia Clemente • April Clifton • Kaylee Coburn • Jacob Collinsworth • Chase Coy • Taner Cronin • Drayven Crowe • Kayden Crowe • Kenneth Cutler • Aashika Dahal • Deieinera Daugherty • Ryean Davaz • Marcello De Antunano • Tyen Delaunay • Angelina Denke • Kai Denton • Karla Diaz • Kelvin Diaz Gopar • Noah Dietzel • Binh Doan • Mason Dormaier • Ethan Downing • Abigail Drown • Alessandro Duncan • Bryan Dybvig • Jacob Ealy • Kylee Eleazar • Patrick Elliott • Paul Elliott • Kylie Ellis • Talon Epefanio • Lyric Erickson • Isabell Esmieu • Anthony Everhart • Kylie Fail • Madison Fallang • Thomas Farrar • Sasha Faust • Benjamin Fetters • Ainsley Fox • Samuel Freeze • Carter Fyre • Jorge Garcia • Briley Gates • Natalie Geary • Joshua Glubrecht • Mackynzie Glubrecht • Jaclyn Grant • Haylie Greenwood • Cameron Gross • Monica Grytdal • Brooklyn Gulliford • Jaclyn Gulliford • Julian GundersonBridges • Shane Gustin • Felicia Guzman • Noah Haight • Rylee Hale • Zane Haley • Logan Hancock • Madison Hani • Julia Hansen • Adreyan Hargrave • Amlyann Harry • Warren Hart • Kaitlyn Harvey • Makayla Hay • Anna Hedemark • Jacob Hedrick • Gage Henderson • Isabella Hernandez • Danielle Hillyard • Destiny Hillyard • Jake Hillyard • Lauren Hinds • Jessica Ho • Darby Hodgen • Taylor Hofstee • Brie Holecek • Zachary Honegger • Benjamin Honer • Carter Hosking • Faith House • Andrew Howder • Elisia Hoyle • Chelsea Iakopo • Manuel Ibarra • Shanna Jacobsen • Gunnar Johnson • Samuel Joklur • Dallin Jolstead • River Justin • Zanis Kaskevics • Kevin Kehoe • Kameron Keller • Aryanna Kendall • Kyle Kent • Jacob Kessinger • Dezirae Kiki • Trevor King • Vera Korchemnaya • Viktoriya Kovtun • Kiley

Dishman Hills High School

• James Roberts • Jaylena Robinson • Nydia Rodgers • Gracey Rohrenbach • Nicole Rolls • Isaac Royal • Jaden Rumsey • Jayben Scalph • Michaela Scarano • Brooklyn Schoenwald • Cole Seaman • Nate Seaman • Sabina Sevciuc • Zackary Severin • Trevor Shaw • Natalie Siers • Miranda Smiley • Brenden Smith • Ethan Smith • Grace Smith • David Spaulding • Noah Steele • Isaiah Stevens • Angelina Sullivan • Abigail Sund • Avery Sundheim • Dimitry Svirgun • Naikita Swank • Kayla Swanson • Anna Syverson • Aliyah Tackett • Kylie-Alexa Talamante • Krista Terry • Maxine Thomas • Skyler Thomas • Kyerra Thompson • Ellee Toles • Paige Tomcho • Sawyer Tracht • Jordan Travis • Zachary Treiber • Mark Tsuber • Emily Turk • Derek Valencia • Ethan Van Cleave • Everardo Vargas • Devon Veach • Terrance Vickery • Riley Wallwork • Van Waters • Tory Watkins • Charlien Weaver • Gwendolyn Webb • Trevor Weberg • Jack Weidman • Krant • Kirill Kuznetsov • Joseph Lacroix Mckenzie Whallon • Desiree Whipple • Sophia • Fernando Lamere • Megan Lange • Wilson • Benjamin Wimer • Albert Winder • Kennedy Larson • Calen Lautenbach • Jackson Witt • Corbin Wolf • Thomas Yerxa • Shaizee Lor • Devon Low • Makenah Devon Yost • Brooke Young • Michael Zacher • Luebke • AudreyAnn MacDonald • Anthony Zastoupil • Marissa Zigmund • Austin Gabriella Magana • Bridgette Malakowsky Zinn • Natasha Zubritskaya • Collin Zurfluh • Landson Malkai • Andrew Mann • Alex Marko • Alexander Marley • Jenna Marshall • Kolby Martin • Madison Martin • Tyler Masterjohn • Hailey Mccarthy • Rodney McGee II • John Michael • Hannah Michelbook • Ashley Miles • Gaia Miles • Courtney Mitchell • Nathan Trinity Anderson • Jaelyn Brown • Savannah Mitchell • Journi Mizner • Gracie Montoya Brown • Charles Brumfield • Destiny Croskrey • Tabitha Moody • Tanner Moon • Ezra • Willard Davidson • Nathan Drysdale • Aaron Morris • Quintan Moultrie • Andre Graybill • Alexandria Hill • Joseph Koontz • Mounadir • Terra Munns • Logan Myers • William Nelson • Gage Nielsen • Hanna Nellie Kozhevnikova • Sarah Pedersen • Victoriya Nilson • Bethany Nolan • Alexa Oliver Sushchik • Adrian Orozco • Christian Orozco • Conner Osborne • Hannah Page • Lance Parker • Adam Payne • Hailey Perala • Kaylee Pilgrim • Luke Pinyerd • Sydney Pinyerd • Alyssa Pitcher • Elizabeth Plant • Danyelle Plunkett • Leah Poler • Brianna Joseph Aguilar • Benny Antim • Maximillian Pollock • Victoria Pottorff • Jackson Avdeyev • Zack Beckham • Racheal Beeler • Pratt • Brendon Price • Gabriel Priest Brianna Burton • Imogine Douglas • Grace • Matthew Provencio • Julian Prusch • Ellersick • Alexis Grout • Jacob Hedrick • Ashley Blaiden Purser • Aleashea Rasmussen Miles • Savannah Morrey • Danyelle Plunkett • • Reece Rasmussen • Grace Ribbeck • Victoria Pottorff • Sierra Suddreth • Lacey Teague Gabriel Richardson • Jasmine Richardson • Gwendolyn Webb • Cheyanne Robbins • Arthur Roberson

East Valley High School

East Valley Parent Partnership

East Valley Online Learning

Rebekah Adams • Annelise Amante • • Ilya Lukin • Haylie Lust • Traci Manis • Diego Jacqueline Amezcua • Andrea Baheza • Mariani • Austin May • Taaliyah McClain • Isaiah Bailey • Kach Banks • Titan Bennett • Robert McKinley • Tucker McLaughlin • Olivia Rylan Blake • Alyssa Blaney • Adam Bosch • Mennitt • Carson Mills • Trinity Montoya • Jocelynn Broadsword • Shelby-Lynn Brown • Cheyenne Nelson • Braydon O’Neal • Tyrese Patrick • Jeffrey Patterson • Kennedy Perry • Blake Butner • Peter Buxton • Mathew Cassell Amber Petersen • Kobe Phillips • Samantha • Lakota Comeslast • Christopher Cooper • Polk-Freeman • Parker Rehfeld • Dylan Rendahl Carson Cunningham • Christian Day • Tyson • Julia Richardson • Britnee Riel • Seth Riley • Degg • Nicolas Doerr • Haily Elliott • Cecilia Tabitha Rogers • Logan Routien • Trajano Sewell Ellis • Kayleen Farman • Atreyou Fauth • • Olivia Shearer • Javier Shepard • Kiliene Sijer Amanda Fisette • Logan Gallagher • Joshua • Aleecia Smithee • Jadyn Stewart • Jessica Gartner • Ashley Gilbert • Kiarra Gilbreath Stowe • Jacob Suarez • Madison Taylor • Hunter • Hailey Glander • Hope Goering • Hunter Terrill • Nathan Thomas • Sean Thornton • Eric Graham • Luis Guevara-Orellana • Aurenaysia Tuller • Caleb Vanderstelt • Devin VanEgmond Hardin • Laura Havaas • Mackenzie Hicks • Bryce Ward • Kiersten Webb • Haiyle Wilbur• Alexia Hodgson • Farah Hubbard • Justin Seay • Tasha Wilson • Ben Wycoff James • Justin Jones • Kristopher Jones • Mayger Jones • Heather Judge • Nikolas Kawcak • David Kimmins • Kiauna Kittilstved • Erica Kostal • Colbee Kuest • Sophia Lindner

24

• JUNE 2020

The Current

Freeman High School Antonio Aguilar • Madeline Aldendorf • Jacob Amend • Brock Barratt • Christopher Barron • Kylee Barthuly • Jordan Baumgartner • Sara Berryman • Kyle Boyd • Maia Boyd • Owen Bryant • Thomas Burton • Peyton Campbell • Estelle Carlson • Ada Cashmere • Bailey Coumont • Spencer Curnow • Hailey Davis • Jeremy Dervaes • Madison Duarte • Jordan Eskridge • Caleb Forschler • Jeremiah Foss • Kaitlyn Fricke • Daniel Gady • Benjamin Gallagher • Rozlyn Garcia • Trista Gilbert • Dylan Goldsmith • Olivia Guinn • Stephen

Hansen • Riley Hawley • Ryan Hayek • Ryan Hicks • Grace Holt • Jake Keebler • Deakon Laib • William Lashaw • Lily Leeper • Macy Luhr • Liam Marshall • Iverson Miller • Barratt Moland • Janae Mueller • Kylie Nelson • Kaleb Ohler • Cole Oyler • Kendall Paine • Bradee Parisotto • Kassidy Paterno • Melissa Payton • Abigail Peters • Jace Phelan • Chance Pluff • Halinah Putz • Madeline Rae • Kassidy Reilly • Megan Rubright • William Russell • Hannah Sandborn • Wyatt Sevigney • Zane Sjoquist • Hunter Smith • Rowan Smith • Tanner Smith • Gabriel Tippett • Ethan Trumble • Deontaye Uhder • Fabian Vargas • Nathan Werner • Thomas Willard

West Valley High School

Brian Abbott • Braedon Afana • Daniel Aguinaga • Yvette Akimana • Autumn Akins • Noor Alfarraj • Matthew Allen • Alyssa Amann • Joshua Anderson • Lyle Anderson • Colin Armstrong • Andrew Arnold • Robert Arver • Charles Atkins • Logan Atkins • Cortnie Babinski • Madison Baker • Rian Bale • John Barker • Brynne Barry • Ryvers Beachy • Iris Bealer • Alley Behrens • Giulia Belvedere • Kaylynn Benner • Elan Boxley • Sara Brantingham • Chelsea Bressler • Jonathan Brinson • Skyler Brown • Reagan Brummett • Alyson Burns • Gracie Bush • Jordan Caine • Cora Campbell • Gaje Caro • Kobin Carver • Tygeer Catchings • Ryson Cebriak • Alyssa Colby • Sydney Collins • Katie Colo • Audrey Cook • Aidan Crane • Jaiden Davis • Mikayla Davis • Zachary Davis • Gracie Day • Bam Dennis • Michael Diaz • Chet Dobson • Jasmine Dokken • Casey Donaghy • La Trouchka Duke • David Dyfort • Auti Dykes • Olivia Ellingwood • Rachel Ellingwood • Victoria Ellis • Jenna Engeland • Annika Esvelt • Arianna Faunce • Seth Feist • Sydney Finke • Blake Fleming • Gabriel Fredericksen • Domek Frost • Tirza Gaines • Kiah Gary • Emma Garza • Ryan Genovesi • Leylani Gonzalez Rodriguez • Lane Goodwin • David Gorbenko • Kolby Green • Nolan Griffin • Christian Grigajtis • Jolie Gustafson • Brendan Haight • Alice Hakizamungu • Lucy Hakizamungu • Autumn Hampton • Conner Hansen • Michael Hartis • Echo Hartman • Maya Hawson • Brandon Hawvermale • Trevor Hellmann • Hunter Hendricks • Paul Higginson Jr. • Natalie Hogeweide • Addisen Holdren • Jobe Howard • Donovan Howat • Mikala Hudson • Josiah Hughes • Kilee Imada • Lucas Issler • Elijah Johnny • Alexandra Johnson • Hailey Johnston • Natalie Johnson • Zachary Jones • Iain Kelley • Brenna Kiefer • Daniel Kien • Samuel Kiperash • Shelby

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Valley Christian School Angelica Alexeyenko • Lilly Anderson • Alyssa Beemster • Dawson Blew • Adam Bruno • Alex Chadduck • Phillip Croft • Owen Eggers • Hunter Heselwood • Layla Houston • Michael Kravtsov • Ethan Meyer • Joseph Potapenko • Samuel Reese

JUNE 2020 • 25

The Current

Marcus Ady • Ethan Aikman • Chloe Akins • Justin Albers • Christopher Alexander • Brayden Allen • Lily Allen • Natilee Alviar • Sophia Ammons • Christian Anderson • Bina Anej • Aspen Angel • Syvana Arwood • Sierra Asbury • Hannah Avery • Shauni Bachman • Logan Bailey • Maxwell Bailey • Justin Baker II • Hailey Balo • Kyra Barnes • Ian Barville • Peyton Bastine • Mia Beaman • Cameron Behm • Amanda Beier • Nicholas Beier • Micah Bell • Wyatt Bellus • Makaila Belt • Kyle Bennett • Robert Benson • Brooklyn Bergquist • Garrett Bergquist • Isabella Blackwood • Shyla Bledsoe • Jessica Block • Katherine Blycker • Jace Blythe • Elizabeth Boni • Bethany Bowden • Rowan Bowers • Trinity Boyd • Ethan Brake • Cheyenne Bray • Savawn Bretthauer • Nikeo BridgesReynolds • Nicholas Brock • Rachael Bronson • Exli Brooks-Lederle • Emily Brown • Mariah Brown • Jennifer Brunner • William Bryant • Ethan Buchanan • Jackson Bucher • Isabelle Busch • Anna Byquist • Altyn Cader • Chloe Cajigas • Kolbe Cammack • Hunter Campbell • Avery Carbajal • Cade Carlson • Andrew Carney • Alice Carothers • Maxwell Carper • Elijah Carroll • Hannah Carver • Megan Carver • Kenneth Castro Centeno • David Caudillo • Joshua Cavender • Carlee Chamberlin • Madison Chandler • Alexis Chapman • Lauren Chester • Gabriel Chiacchia • Isaac Clemons • Bridget Cline • Charlise Cobb • Stephen Coe • Cole Coleman • Riley Conroy • Dava Copenhaver • Makia Corson • Reagan Cox • Madison Crandall • Austin Croach • Gracen Crosby • Meggie Cross • Brianna Crowley • Jacob Crowley • Avery Cunningham • Caelah Cutlip • Jack Dao • Wyatt Dauer • Samantha Denniston • Preston Devenish • Ellie Dickinson • Rosemary Diener • Conor Dobbin • Cole Dobson • Connor Dobson • Bradden Dolese • Peyton Dowland • Jayden Dudley • Reid Dudley • Jacob Easton • Gabriel Edgar • Alec Edwards • CarolAnn Edwards • Everett Edwards-Dickman • Daniel Eggers • Antonio Eidson • Aaron Engel • Catelyn Epperly • Vanessa Esposito • Naolin Evans • Hunter Evanson • Nathaniel Farley • Hyrum Farnsworth • Jackson Fechser • Trinity Finley • Madison Fischer • Lexie Fisher • Jasmine Fleck • Lauren Fleury • Isaiah Foster • Austin Fox • Kimarie Fox • Isaiah France • Jason Franklin • Zephyr Freeman • Aayiana Fuller • Zamirah Fuller • Cooper Gardner • Tanyel Gast • Austin George • Kobe Gilbert • Ethan Gillespie • Adriana Gilrein • Boris Godun • Ashton Goff • Georgia Goff • Aaron Goodwin • Andrew Goodwin • Emily Green • Josalynn Green • Ty Greene • Frank Guerrero • Gianna Haberman • Kassidy Hammell • Jasmine Hanson • Nolan Harding • Kristian Harju • Gabriel Hawkins • Lukas Hawley • Andrew Heesh • Lyssa Henderson • Libbie Henry • Myranda Henry • Paul Heppner • Emily Herbert • Tiawna Hermann • Anya Hernandez • Emily Hodges • Jessica Hofstee • Caleb Holschen • Joseph Hone • Cheyenne Hood • Travis Hood • Reegan Horton • Ceana Inman • Josie Jackson • Jacob Jacquet • Alyssa James • Elizabeth Jansen • Camryn Jennings • Madison Jeross • Angela Johnson • Jacob Johnson • Logan Johnson • Michael Jones • Justine Jordan • Abby Jorgensen • Savannah Kahl • Emily Kaiser • Jaedyn Kawazoe • Faye Keevy • Alexys Keltz • Kathryn Kemble • Larry Kennedy • Sara Kern • Victoria Keto • Larissa Kettelhut • Kaiden King • Sarai King • Jumon

University High School Kios • Ariana Knapp • Aidan Knighton • Ashley Kriske • Elizabeth Kuntz • Emily Kushnerchuk • Avery Lakes • Courtney Lang • Micah Lang • Camdyn Larson • Justus Lasiter • Mikaila Lawson • Spencer Lee • Hongyong Li • Jacob Lissy • Kiya Liston • Ashlan Liswig • Kiara Little • Kaitlin Loe • Nicholas Long • Sydney Longie • Rocco Longoria • Amilcar Lopez Jr • Zackery Loss • Kyrsten Love • Hayley Lyon • Lauren MacDonald • Tanner Madison • Benjamin Mallonee • Ethan Mankins • Isabelle Manos • Marcus Marshall • Caleb Mascarelli • Robert Matheson • Fayth McAvoy • Yousuf McCarty • Jacksen McClimentCall • Tyler McCliment-Call • Donovan McCorkle • Tyler McCorkle • Alysha McCullough • Haley McDaniel • Victoria McGrath • Blake McLean • Riley McLuskie • Megan McMulkin • Abigail McVicker • Jordan Medeiros • Cody Mee • Morgan Meeks • Sandra Mendez • Dallin Meredith • Daniel Meyer • Alyse Miller • David Miller • Jacob Miller • Kasey Miller • Marquise Milton • Austin Minter • Gage Moland • Darrion Momon-Fleck • Emily Monteressi • Amy Morin • Elijah Morse • Emily Moua • Marissa Moxcey • Jacob Moxley • Tristen Mulligan • Iman Munawar • Noah Myers • Nyomi Nauta • Christian NeelyBockman • Gage Nelson • Alexander Nguyen • Gabriel Nicholls • Tyson Niva • Brandon Novak • Victoria Ntaloishi • Mackenzie Ohmann • Allysa Olp • Jumariea Palmer • Karen Parker • Kathryn Parry • Kyle Parsley • Dakota Patterson • Lacey Pedersen • Brookelyn Peringer • Xavier Pernell • Tessa Peschel • Xavier Pharr • Mikah Picou • Victoria Pock • Joliana Poplawski • Meghan Potts • Zander Powell • Dakota Predmore • Cammey Ragsdale • Isaac Ramirez • Luisa Ramirez • Benjamin Randolph • Cooper Razey • Katherine Reinbolt • Kalem Reiner • Hana Reinhardt • Ainsley Rell • Hailey Renner • David Roberts • Lance Rogers • Lincoln Rogers • Samantha Romine • Madison Rowland • Chazden Rowley • Jordyn Ruhl • Victoria Ruiz • Alec Russell • Riley Rust • Stephanie Sampson • Pution San Nicolas • Sebastian Sanders • James Savage • Katelyn Schilling • Keith Schlienz • Jack Schneider • Jerod Schwartzenberger • Raphael Self • Dalton Senter • Devin Shea • Emily Sheard • Breanna Shelp • Tiyenna Shelton • Rose Shores • Dominic Siegel • Taylor Silbaugh • Christopher Simon • Mateo Simpson • Parker Simpson • Eric Slocum • Eric Smart • Emma Smith • Michael Smith • Hudson Somerlott • Gavin SorensonWheeler • Connor Spiering • Liam Spring • Anastacia Staben • Gracen Stack • Dustin

Stauffer • Natalie Stephens • Cole Stewart • David Storey • Dylan Stradley • Nahun Suncin • Jasmine Tatu • Nathaniel Teague • Lasea Thorp • Kristah Tiffany • Ryan Tobiasson • Michael Travis III • Aedyn Triplett • Joshwa Trombly • Gabrielle Turner • Wesley Ueland • Carsen Ursillo • Allison VanSlyke • Jordan Vazquez • Peyton Vernier • Emma Viles • Gabrielle Wagoner • Hannah Walker • Brandon Walter • Tristan Warn • Hannah Watkins • Ryan Weitzel • Brandon West • Christian Weygint • Endia Wheeler • Travis Whitaker • Trevor Whitaker • Ashley White • Carissa White • Sophia Williams • Adonis Winkler-Coty • Kirsten Wold • Elizabeth Wolfe • Cameron Wollam • Brooklyn Worsham • Kira Ybarra • Laken Young • Avary Zachary

The Oaks Classical Christian Academy Isaac Brown • Spencer Christensen • Aidan Clark • Katie Close • Kaitlin Collins • Ellie Cook • Ariana Ferch • Jonathan Ganji • Grant Higdon • Zina Hyun • Anna Kolarsky • Dana Komberec • Grace Lewis • Adam Lindauer • Paul Lindauer • Gabe Modderman • Matthew Moore • Jacob Sattler • Ainsley Schnell • Grace Shubin • Brayden Tibbetts • Owen Treffry • Macie Ugrin-Smith

Spokane Valley Tech Isabelle Anselmo • Madelyn Ballard • Katelyn Bartel • Madisyn Bray • Wyatt Bresko • Mason Brickett • Roka Brovick • Sierra Burdette • Caden Carter • Gabriel Chambers • Taylor Christian • Elizabeth Clark • Brooklyn Clark • Adrianna Collie • Kyle Cross • Ethan Daines • Damean Galloway • Karen Gerken • Rab Greenup • Robert Herambourg • Katheryn Hilfiker • Emily Labish • Kenedee Lam • Benjamin Mack • Emily McCoury • Grant Moore • Dianna Moskovkin • Elizabeth Nelson • Kaden Rash • Christian Rice • Rogan Rodriguez • Alexis Ross • Zachary Runolfson • Christian Rush • Jackson Scott • Holden Sinclair • Andrew Strayer • Ethan Thompson • Lawrence Tieken • Hunter Walker • William Williams • Tyra Wood

Spokane Valley High School Michael Alkana • Gauge Basford • Trinity Byers • Claira Carey • Alec Collins • Machaelin Cordero • Kayla Eddington • Logan Eddings • Laraine Farnham • Lucas Fyre • Alaina Guevarra • Chloe Healey • Indiana Heyer • Bryson Kilmer • Grace Kirby • Cody Kiss • Christina Mahurin • Aaron Matthews • Miles McAdams • Mia Monroe • Micaela Murphy • Angelina Ostapenko • Bryan Powers • Mackenzie Roestel • Emily Sanders • Ehrinn Sitton • Ashleigh Swenson • Cristal Szep Woods • Zachariah Tuttle • Dezevon Whitt-Waller

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• JUNE 2020

The Current

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Elementary and middle school counselor Denise Conrad has worked in the Freeman School District since 1990. She plans to retire next month, but ending her career by having limited contact with her students was not on her bucket list.

What hurts the most is that she didn’t get to say goodbye to the students, Conrad said. “I’m struggling with that,” she said. “All the teachers are struggling. This is not the way this was supposed to go.”

She’s been trying to keep in touch with students via phone and email.

She also regularly rides along on the school buses that deliver meals to the homes of students, which gives her an opportunity to see them briefly.

“I’ve had some contact, but it’s not the same,” she said. “It’s not school.”

Conrad was selected as the Freeman School District Educator of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce earlier this year. It’s an honor that Conrad said she appreciates.

“It’s always nice to be recognized, but honestly I was a little embarrassed,” she said. “This is such a great staff. How could you choose one person?”

Freeman Middle School Principal Jim Straw helped write Conrad’s nomination for the award. Straw said Conrad, who mentors about 600 students, was nominated because she’s a “talented educator and a great human being.”

“She just does an unbelievable job at connecting with kids and knowing something about them all,” he said.

“She knows what everybody needs.

She knows the right thing to say at the right time. She’s fantastic.”

He agrees with Conrad that Freeman has a lot of talented staff, but he said she is one of the rock stars. “She’s really good at her job,” he said. “Even now she is coming in and going out on meal delivery routes and connecting with families.”

Conrad has been with the district so long that she knows the families, Straw said. “She’s going to be a very difficult person to replace,” he said.

The district had planned to recognize Conrad during an end of the year ceremony honoring those retiring, but those plans have been put on hold during the pandemic.

“It’ll happen,” Straw said. “It’s just trying to figure out what that will look like.”

Conrad is a former teacher who taught in Catholic schools in Spokane for several years, including teaching third and fourth grades at All Saints Catholic School. She was working toward her school counseling degree when she discovered Freeman.

“I did my internship out here in Freeman and I never left,” she said.

She said she was attracted by the talented staff and the involvement of the community. “Everything is kid centered here and that’s the way I like it,” she said.

She spent her first year in the Freeman School District as a fourthgrade teacher. Then she became a part-time counselor while also teaching first grade P.E. and seventh grade math. She became the school district’s first ever full-time K-8 counselor several years ago.

“I tell kids it’s my job to help kids feel safe and happy in school,” she said.

Conrad is part of several teams in the district, including crisis management. She works with students individually and in small groups. She visits classrooms and speaks about topics like bullying.

She’s also the school district liaison for students who are homeless or in foster care.

As someone who encourages others to talk about how things make them feel, Conrad is up front about her reaction to schools being closed for the rest of the school year. “We’re struggling,” she said. “We’re sad because we can’t see the kids.”

She said the students also look forward to the meal deliveries. “They look forward to that break in the day,” she said.

She also does occasional home visits to students who need her or to check in on students who haven’t been heard from. “The teachers are in contact with the kids constantly,” she said. “They let me know if there’s someone who needs my help.”

She tries to be encouraging as possible and reassures students that this is something they can get through. “We’ve been through tough things,” she said. “We’ll figure this out and we’ll be fine.”

The Current

LIBRARY

Creativebug offers thousands of online craft, hobby, art classes

By Carlie Hoffman Spokane County Library District

Creativebug is the latest digital resource from Spokane County Library District (www.scld.org/creativebug), bringing you inspiring craft, hobby, and art projects.

Creativebug offers daily online classes and has thousands of projects in a wide range of categories, sharing techniques for all skill levels. This resource is great for everyone—those just starting out and those who want to develop their creative skills further.

Creativebug offers video classes for art and design, sewing and quilting, paper crafts, knitting and crochet, food and home, jewelry, holiday and party projects, and crafts for kids.

The class videos are broken up into chapters that walk you through the materials you will need, show you the steps for each part of the project, and share photos of finished projects.

Classes also include downloadable materials’ lists and patterns. For each class, you can take notes, share your project photos, and discuss the class

with others. The Watchlist feature lets you save a class to go back and take later.

Creativebug offers inspiration for new crafting projects and hobbies. Each month in the Calendar feature, you will find video lookbooks, which are short videos for projects, and see previews of new content and classes. You can also share your finished project photos and see what others have shared. And in the Pattern Library, you can browse a curated collection of downloadable knit and crochet patterns.

CBTV from Creativebug gives you a deeper look into the processes, studios,

With alarming rates of employees being laid off or furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that many people have career and employment security on their minds.

You or someone you know may be looking for resources to help with a job search. Spokane County Library District offers the digital resource JobNow at no cost to library customers for help with writing or updating a resume, for tips and suggestions on acing job interviews, and for exploring new career options. With your library card you have access through our website at www.scld.org/jobnow.

JobNow offers live, online coaches every day from 2pm to 10pm to help you with resumes, cover letters, and interview techniques. The resources are organized in three categories with a direct link to coaches for each one: Resumes, Job Interviews, and Career.

and daily lives of your favorite artists.

They offer exclusive documentaries, HD versions of Live Facebook videos, a chance to get to know the instructors, and more.

The Daily Practice series helps you dive deeper into your hobby and craft. These short daily video chapters encourage you to devote some time each day to learn more about different techniques and tools to explore your creativity.

Within the My Account feature, you can sign up to receive email newsletters on your favorite topics and join the Community of other Creativebug users.

You can get started at www.scld. org/creativebug. With Creativebug, you can try out new crafts, get inspired, and explore your creativity.

Try it today!

Imagine Your Story

Summer Reading Challenge

Escape into a fairy tale.

Seek truth in a myth.

Discover a new world in a fantasy.

Sign up at scld.beanstack.org

Online library resource JobNow helps job seekers

By Crystal Miller Spokane County Library District

JUNE 2020 • 27

In the Resumes section, you have access to downloadable templates for functional, chronological, and combination resumes. In the Resume Resources section, you’ll find guides and links to help you write a resume that stands out. For veterans and those soon leaving the military, you can get help with translating military training and skills into civilian job skills. You also have access to the Resume Lab, where you can submit your resume for expert analysis within 24 hours.

In the Job Interviews section, you can connect with a live interview coach to brush up on your interview skills, explore the interview tips section covering questions to ask, ways to prepare, and more, and follow the links to additional online resources to help you get ready to ace that interview.

Within the Career section, you’ll find many resources to help you no matter which stage of your job search or career you’re in. Live job coaches (2–10pm) are available for assistance with searching, applying,

and preparing for jobs. If you are new to the job market or looking to change careers, you can take career assessments to see what types of jobs would be a good fit. And the Job Resources section links you to national and local job searches and resources.

If college is in your future before your next job or career move, you can click on SkillSurfer for lessons and test preparation, or click on Adult Learner to head to HelpNow, a companion resource to JobNow, or click on eParachute to discover college majors that match your skills, talents, and career interests.

As the economic effects of this pandemic continue to unfold, you have 24/7 online access to our library resources to help you navigate and succeed in your job search or career change. For a full list of our career and job help resources in our Digital Library, you can visit www.scld. org/job-help.

If you need help with a digital resource or have a question, you can get in contact with our librarians using the Ask a Librarian form, found at www.scld.org/ask-alibrarian.

•

Track your reading online.

•

Complete activity challenges.

•

Earn badges & bragging rights.

www.scld.org

SUMMER 2020 June 1-August 31

28

• JUNE 2020

The Current

Alex Troyer

Adams Elementary

Abigail Staneart

Bowdish Middle School

Caitlyn Ewasko

Aaliyah Schiller

Greenacres Elementary

Mica Peak High School

Kyle Lux

Carlee Hegsted

Greenacres Middle School

North Pines Middle School

2020

PACE AWARD HONOREES!

Congratulations!

Join us in celebra ng these students in our community who were selected by their schools for showing outstanding character throughout the year. Congratula ons to this year’s honorees and their families and thank you for “Bringing Character to Light.”

Learn more at:

Lily Orinick

Broadway Elementary

Olivia Rachoy Central Valley High School

Jack Felker

Chester Elementary

Alexis Blahuczyn

Horizon Middle School

Esteban Deram

Liberty Creek Elementary

Millie Dobyns

Censi Pritchett

Opportunity Elementary

Gracyn Bruszer

Ponderosa Elementary

Trinity Randolph

Liberty Lake Elementary

Progress Elementary

Kamea Quinn

Samantha Huffman

pacecommunity.org

#paceawards2020

Aspen Racicot

Evergreen Middle School

McDonald Elementary

Riverbend Elementary

JUNE 2020 • 29

The Current

Makayla Hickman

Morgan Sulpizio

Selkirk Middle School

University Elementary

Ellie Dickinson

Glory Tichy

South Pines Elementary

David Osborn

Spokane Valley Learning Academy

Paula Vargas Arenas

Bryson Kilmer

Centennial Middle School

Hailey Fischer

Christina Duval

Layla Houston

Carson Cunningham

Natasha Demko

Oksana Pivovarevich

Teodoro Diaz-Gopar East Valley High School

Sydney McLean

East Valley Middle School

Trent Elementary

Trentwood Elementary

Rex McGowan

Valley Christian High School

Valley Christian School

Audrey Olson

Freeman Elementary

Tekoa Elementary

Mari Hirayama

Marlay Brownson

Freeman Middle School

Tekoa High School

Dishman Hills High School

Briella Compogno

Seth Woodard Elementary

Spokane Valley High School

Aliyah Forrester

West Valley City School

Ryson Cebriak

Millwood Kindergarten Center

West Valley High School

Madilyn Martin

Congratulations!

Abby Moore

Reagan Gibbons

Nixon Spear

Rylee Pedersen

Arthur B. Ness Elementary

Pioneer School

East Farms STEAM Magnet

Sunrise Elementary School

Evelyn Jack

Emma VanWeerdhuizen

Otis Orchards Elementary

STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech

Summit School

Briley Snyder

Bradee Parisotto

Freeman High School

University High School

Continuous Curriculum School

Grant Moore

Sara Surprise

East Valley Parent Partnership

Orchard Center Elementary

Mollie Mourin

Pasadena Park Elementary

30

• JUNE 2020

The Current

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Continued from page 19 petitions need to be mailed in no later than June 6.

A total of 129,811 valid signatures must be turned in by June 10. In order that there are enough valid signatures from registered voters about 160,000 signatures are needed.

It is vitally important that voters be given a chance to accept or reject this extreme legislation. If everyone does their part, the goal of signatures gathering can be realized.

Petitions are available from the parentsforsafeschools.com website. There are signing locations throughout Spokane County where folks can go to sign the referendum petitions. These locations are listed EN R ICH ED LIV IN G . LA STIN G VA LUE. on the Parents for Safe Schools website.

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Spokane County Library District New homes in Spokane, Spokane Valley,

Index of advertisers

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Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market

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ON THAT NOTE

Setting Their Personal Losses Aside CVSD Students Rally to Help Local Food Bank

By Tie Lemerond Splash contributor

Knowing the right thing to do is one thing but coming up with a plan to do the right thing and executing that plan, can be vastly different stories.

Each fall, the Central Valley School District (CVSD) Leadership students hold an annual food drive to support the local Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank. Knowing that nearly 650 students were not getting the meals they normally received while attending school and knowing the strain Covid-19 was playing on the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank supplies, the CVSD Leadership students leaped into action early.

A small group of 5, chaired by Izabella Jeppson, organized a drive thru food drive. With the help of 25 students, social media, Live at 5 with Kris Kilduff and Hang in There World with Ethan Harrison, the group was able to collect 2700 pounds of food and over $1100 in monetary donations. “The planning was easy. It’s what we do in our Leadership Team,” commented Leanne Donley, teacher at CVSD. “The safety measures were the most difficult. How could we keep everyone safe and still help our community?”

Spokane Valley Partners Mission and Core Values: With roots dating back to 1951, the Spokane Valley Partners (SVP) mission is to “Prevent hunger and poverty alongside great community partners.” By holding true to their core values of service, compassion, community, stewardship, and communication, they have become the largest social services agency in Spokane Valley.

SVP provides over $330,000 in services every month and distributes approximately 2 million pounds of food annually. With the food bank service line being their largest service, Spokane Valley Partners provides full wrap around services for those in need, including a clothing bank, weekend food for youth in school, a diaper bank, payee services, the food bank and emergency assistance.

Partnering with CVSD: “Our partnership with Central Valley High School is amazing,”

states Angie Kelleher, Spokane Valley Partners Development & Communication Manager. “The students work toward a major food drive every fall. In 2018 they received 19,990 pounds of food and raised over $12,000. They are committed to preventing hunger and poverty and deeply care about the families we serve.”

Prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Spokane Valley Partners Food for Thought program provided weekend meals to over 500 students each week to help improve school performance, academic success, and cognitive development.

SVP’s websites states that 1 in 5 children live in “food insecure.”

Meaning that families do not have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life.

Parents may not be able to purchase nutritious foods; portions may be smaller, or meals may be skipped.

“This food insecurity threatens a child’s well-being and potential for success.”

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the program has seen an increase in over 40% in youth food insecurity. This

increase sparked the Central Valley School Districts Leadership team and set a fire under them to help their community and their fellow students.

Despite everything the CVSD students personally lost in terms of their school year, the leadership team knew it was their time to set aside their losses and to help their fellow classmates and their community.

Knowing this, Jeppson led her team and classmates in their efforts to restock the food bank for the SVP’s Food for Thought program. “They laid their loss aside for what was best for others. I am so proud of them,” commented Donley.

By working closely with the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank, this remarkable group of students was able to collect items such as individually packages oatmeal servings, granola bars, ramen noodles, soups, cans of vegetables, loaves of bread and many other requested items needed to provide weekend food security for youth.

“Through the Covid-19 response, we

JUNE 2020 • 31

are grateful for their food drive efforts and volunteerism. In the absence of our aging volunteer force, the Central Valley DECA students have stepped up and are volunteering in our food bank,” states Kelleher.

The Spokane Valley Partners is committed to assisting families in their time of need and is currently in need of donations. At least 1 in 5 people in the Spokane Valley community are struggling to put food on the table for their families and making ends meet. There are numerous ways you can donate: Donate diapers or food, donate funds, sponsor an event, volunteer, or host a food & fund drive. Remember, $1 can buy a can of soup and provide a meal. By going to www.svpart.org/ volunteer you can view a current list of needed volunteer services.

Kelleher states, “We are always grateful for food donations and in this time of uncertainty for so many families, food will go even further.” *As a result of Covid-19, SVP is not currently accepting clothing donations*

Contributed photo Central Valley students opperate drive through food drive to benefit Spokane Valley partners.

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• JUNE 2020

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