Lauren Stubblefield among P.F. youth award winners

When Lauren Stubblefield found a family in need of a car, she gave them hers.

Now the 18-year-old Post Falls High senior has to hitch rides with her mom or take the big yellow taxi to school. Classmates have given Lauren a hard time about riding the school bus, but the adults in her life are beaming with pride.

It’s just another example, they say, of Lauren’s generosity and kindness.

Lauren, president of her senior class, won the Post Falls Mayor’s Youth Award for 15- to 18-year-olds on May 19 as recognition for her kind deeds. She was nominated by Dianna and Leroy Macklin, who describe Lauren as a “friend, sitter and mentor” to their children.

A night out together used to be a rare treat for the Macklins. With five kids, including a 2-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, the Macklins had a hard time leaving their kids in someone else’s care. Then they met Lauren.

“She’s an awesome gal,” Dianna Macklin said. One time, Lauren stopped by the house and asked when the Macklins had last had a night out together. Then she ordered them to go out for the evening while she baby-sat – free of charge.

Lauren dances with the children and plays board games, but Dianna Macklin said Lauren also has taught her children manners and helped them learn to have a sense of humor and laugh at themselves.

Tami Martinez, Lauren’s mother, said she has a “go get ‘em attitude.”

“Once she sees a need, she steps in,” Martinez said.

One of Lauren’s charges – the Macklins’ daughter Kayla Possman – also received a Mayor’s Youth Award. Kayla won in the 12 to 14 age group. She was nominated by Chris Brooks, a counselor at Post Falls Middle School.

Brooks described her as “a spirited girl with a heart of gold.”

Kayla is a member of Idaho Drug Free Youth and recently spent three hours on a Sunday selling raffle tickets in front of the Post Falls Wal-Mart to raise money for the organization. Kayla attended the Post Falls Alliance for Children and Families meeting in April to promote youth involvement.

“Kayla is also a role model at school,” Brooks wrote. “I see her with different groups of people, circulating a spirit of friendship.”

Hannah Graham, a student at Ponderosa Elementary, won the Mayor’s Youth Award in the 5 to 7 age group. Principal Kathy Baker wrote the winning nomination, describing Hannah as warm-hearted and kind.

Baker described how Hannah has helped a special-needs student since the beginning of the school year.

“Every day, she helps this student get his mail and put his homework in his backpack,” Baker said. She said Hannah also acts as a peer tutor, helping the student with his assignments.

Karen Hunt, also a student at Ponderosa, was the winner in the 8 to 11 age group and was also nominated by Baker.

“One of the first things a person notices about Karen is her warmth and compassion,” Baker wrote.

Baker said Karen has formed a bond with a special needs student. She includes the classmate in playground activities and made sure the two were on the same softball team so she could help her in the outfield, Baker said.

When students started playing soccer during recess, Baker said Karen went to the PTO meeting to request funding for soccer goals. Her classmates elected her class president and also suggested that she be nominated for the Mayor’s Youth Awards.

Girl Scout Troop 146 won the group award for ages 5 to 7 for its volunteer work and service to the Post Falls community. The girls in the troop made piñatas to donate for a recent fiesta at the Post Falls Greyhound Park and helped with children’s activities at the local Head Start center for the Child Abuse Prevention celebration in April. The troop helped give away trees for an Earth Day Celebration on April 23.

Members of the troop include Cheyanne Glaspie, Meagan Reems, Kayla Reems, Dominique Blake, Adrianna Cederquist, Samantha Balback, Samantha Helton and Brianna Cooper.

Seltice Elementary’s Cabinet Members won the award for the 8-11 age group. School counselor Marilyn Cain nominated the cabinet members: Graysen Ludiker, Riley Ficklin, Kasey Clemons, Shannon Dryden, Flor Viernes and Danielle Failor.

Cain, who has worked with the student cabinet at Seltice for 10 years, said the group stood out “because of their high level of commitment and their concern for others.”

She said the students have even given up recess time to meet their responsibilities, which include updating the school’s reader board, serving as hall monitors, making announcements at assemblies and helping with special projects. The students led an effort that raised $770 to help tsunami victims.

River City Middle School’s student council won the group award for ages 12 to 14. Joey Roman is president of the council, Sherry Jensen is vice president and Abby Davidson is secretary/treasurer.

The students were the first council members for the school, which opened last fall. They were nominated for helping with student orientation and planning assemblies to promote school spirit. The student council has participated in community service projects and organized school dances.

Kootenai County Fire & Rescue’s Venturer Crew, formerly known as Explorers, were recipients of the group award in the up to 18 age group. They were nominated by adviser Collette Turner.

Turner said the Venturers have volunteered for Easter egg hunts, the Post Falls Needy Family Program, the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Fill the Boot fund-raiser, the Ironman Triathlon and other events.

“These young people attend classes every week at the fire station to study firefighting as well as do practical exercises to enhance these skills,” Turner wrote. “They also assist at ‘live burns’ by manning hose lines and doing traffic control.”

The Venturer Crew includes Stephanie Carter, Justine Gray, A.J. Reed, Zach Wolf, Katie Dahlstrom, Amelia Parker, Michael Weniger, Shelby Bogaert, Brandon Barton, Jon DeGon, Ben Higgs, Amanda Tiffany and Travis Schultz.