Principal receives award for civil rights work

Pam Pratt’s commitment to human rights is personal.

When she lived in California, Pratt, the principal at Skyway Elementary, remembers her father saying prejudicial remarks about minorities.

He was a firefighter, and in some neighborhoods in which he responded to emergency calls, some minorities threw stones and bottles at him. That left a bitter taste in his mouth, which Pratt understood but still wished would change.

“I wanted to show my father how important it is to me that all people are treated with respect no matter what,” Pratt said.

So, for the last 17 years, Pratt has organized an annual human rights celebration for Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls fifth-graders.

For this effort, Pratt was presented the Bill Wassmuth Memorial Award for Civil Rights Volunteer of the Year 2005. The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and the Human Rights Education Institute presented her the honor at a banquet last month.

Although she calls herself undeserving of the award, Pratt said it was important to educate children about human rights – especially in this community, which is not racially diverse.

“It starts with the young people because they’re the ones who’ll be taking care of us,” Pratt said. “It’s kind of come full circle.”

Teens needed to serve on city boards

The city of Coeur d’Alene is looking for teens interested in serving as student representatives on commissions, boards and committees.

The mayor, council and various city groups “have really enjoyed, really loved the input a young person can bring,” said Victoria Bruno, the mayor’s assistant.

The committees are:

• Cemetery Board

• Recreation and Parks Commission

• Urban Forestry Committee

• Child Care Commission

• Pedestrian/Bicycle Advisory Committee

• Arts Commission

• CDA-TV Committee

• Sign Board

• Planning Commission

The students can serve as voting members on all but the latter two groups, because decisions made by those members can have legal impact, Bruno said. For the sign and planning groups, students may serve as advisory members.

The commitment in meeting-time ranges from two to 10 hours a month.

Applicants should be Coeur d’Alene-area residents and 14 to 18 years old.

For more information and an application, contact Bruno at 769-2204. The deadline is May 28.

Forum discusses online predators

Online predators are the subject of an April 18 community forum.

The Post Falls Police Department, school district and public library will be presenting information about the potential risks and dangers children and young adults face when they go on the Web.

Parents are strongly urged to attend. An open discussion period will follow.

The event begins at 7 p.m. at the Post Falls library, 821 N. Spokane St. For more information, call 773-1506.

Local art talent displayed at Silver Lake Mall

Artwork from students in the Coeur d’Alene district will be on display at the Silver Lake Mall this month.

The annual art show includes more than 630 pieces from across the district, schools and grades. The free show runs April 10 to 23 in the middle of the mall.