Skyview Students Jump On Internet For Geography Game

Where in the world is Spokane?

Students at Skyview Elementary know, and they’re getting other students from all over the nation to figure it out.

Skyview fourth- and fifth-graders are participating in a program on the Internet that’s a takeoff on the books and games of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”

The program has 200 participating schools. Each school wrote up hints about its city, which other schools are asked to solve.

“Some of the clues that my students entered are that Spokane was about 50 miles from the Columbia River and in the Pacific Time Zone,” said Pat Orebaugh, a fourth-grade teacher. “It’s famous for Bloomsday, the Lilac Parade, Fairchild Air Force Base. It has cold winters and hot summers.”

Students from two Skyview fourth-grade classes and one fifth-grade class started working on hints from 25 cities last week.

Orebaugh’s students finished the project Friday and posted the cities on the Internet. They’ll find out March 1 how they performed.

Students used atlases, encyclopedias and old-fashioned brainpower to figure out the answers. Some of the cities weren’t that difficult.

“There was one from Pittsburgh, and a clue was the Steelers,” Orebaugh said. “That was kind of an easy one.”

Besides Orebaugh, fourth-grade teacher Linda Rapp and fifth-grade teacher Bill Nuchols have been involved in the Internet game.

It’s not the school’s only involvement with the Internet, though.

“It’s a thing of the future,” Orebaugh said. “There’s so much interaction with other kids across the state and across the nation.”

She stressed that students’ Internet access is carefully monitored. Her students also participate in another program in which students answer questions posted by other classes statewide.

Last week a high school from the coast posed a brainstorming question to the Skyview students: “How do spacemen scratch their noses when they’re inside their space suits?”

Orebaugh was at a loss. Her students weren’t. Some suggested that the astronauts slip their arms inside their suits to scratch their noses.

“Or one said if you’ve got a long enough tongue, you can use your tongue,” Orebaugh said with a laugh.

DECA students head to Seattle

Valley business students head to state competition.

Students from Valley high schools recently qualified for the Distributive Education Clubs of America state competition.

They will compete March 2-4 in Seattle, where they will try to qualify for national competition in St. Louis, Mo.

Central Valley High School students, under teacher Mike Laws, who qualified and their recent regional awards are: Shane Paladin, senior, first in entrepreneurship; Jeff Seipp, junior, state qualifier in general marketing; Desiree Lockwood, junior, state qualifier in food marketing; Hannah Clemens, senior, first in quick serve restaurant management; Molly MacPhee, senior, second in hospitality and tourism; Melissa Flockhart, senior, state qualifier in finance credit services; Ian Hughes, senior, second in vehicle and petroleum marketing; and Giorgio Usai, junior, first in retail merchandising.

East Valley High School students, under teacher John Savage, and their areas of competition are: Joel Scruggs, senior, food marketing; Tara Tibbitts, junior, apparel and accessories; Kelly Cupp, senior, general marketing; Amber Sine, junior, free enterprise; Megan Buller, senior, chapter awards; C.J. Amestoy, senior, free enterprise; Nathan Michaud, senior, full service restaurant; Matt Bippes, junior, retail merchandising; Gail Kimberely, junior, finance and credit; and Nick Robinson, junior, vehicles and petroleum.

Rob Peters’ students from University High School and their areas are: Becky Stone, senior, entrepreneurship; Kit Moffitt, senior, finance and credit; Andrea Marley, senior, hospitality and tourism; Jon Biondi, junior, full service restaurant; Matt Lindeblad, senior, vehicles and petroleum; Kevin Lorentzen, senior, vehicles and petroleum; Mike Rinaldi, junior, general marketing; Nicole Destefano, junior, retail merchandising; Jen Johnson, senior, employment acquisition; and Nate Cortez, senior, advertising.

West Valley High School seniors, under teacher Pat Knowles, and their areas of competition are: Heather Beese, food marketing, written; Kyle Closs, retail marketing and chapter awards; Lisa Conners, general marketing; Angela Ingram, full service restaurant; Sasha Jordan, hospitality and tourism; Jenny Lebsack, fashion merchandising; Shawna Lydon, hospitality and tourism, written; Matt Mayer, food marketing; Kelly McIntyre, advertising; Keli Nelson, apparel and accessories; Mary Ann Ponsness, business, personal and financial services marketing, written; and Michele Weinman, retail merchandising.

Leadership recognition program

The Valley branch of the American Association of University Women is looking for applicants for its annual junior leadership recognition awards.

The program, in its fourth year, will recognize school and community leadership of girls who are Valley juniors.

Applications, due Feb. 27, are available from high school counselors. Award winners will be announced in April.

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