East Valley High class to dedicate tree

The senior class of East Valley High School will plant and dedicate a tree on behalf of its class and lost classmates to the school as part of a new tradition to do something positive for the school, instead of organizing a senior prank.

The class will plant and dedicate the tree at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at 15711 E. Wellesley Ave.

8th-graders’ apps reach contest finals

Allen Jones and Micah Woodgeard, eighth-graders at Glover Middle School, are finalists in the Youth Apps Challenge and will present their app June 4 at the University of Washington.

To qualify to present, Jones and Woodgeard submitted a presentation of their app – which lets students input study questions into their phone or electronic device so they can quiz themselves. They also created wire-frame diagrams of the app’s core functionality and created a one-minute elevator pitch video.

5th-grader wins Best of Show for ski lift

Farwell Elementary School fifth-grader Jake Gendreau won Best of Show for fifth through eighth grades at the Invent Washington State Competition, which was held May 7.

Gendreau’s project, the “Super Sitter,” is a ski lift with a vertical adjustment mechanism that makes it easier and safer for shorter people to use the lift.

He and his “Super Sitter” also won first place in the fifth- and sixth-grade Working Model Division at the Mead School District Invention Fair and won Best of Show for the Mead School District in April.

The Invention Washington judging criteria include originality, student initiative, accomplished goals, visual presentation, and research and documentation.

WVHS senior gets $16,000 scholarship

West Valley High School senior Allen Edens won a $16,000 scholarship from the Phillips 66 Dependent Scholarship Program, which awards students whose parents work for Phillips 66 or one of its subsidiaries based on their grades, community service and financial need.

Cheney, Medical Lake students honored

One student from each school in the Cheney and Medical Lake school districts was recently honored at the West Plains PACE Award Ceremony for exemplifying one of the character traits promoted by the Partners Advancing Character Education program.

The winning students and the trait they were recognized for are Wyatt Hennings (Betz Elementary School, responsibility), Logan Burnett (Snowdon Elementary School, responsibility), James Guske (Windsor Elementary School, responsibility), JT Gasper (Cheney Middle School, responsibility), Logan Pratt (Cheney High School, responsibility), Jeanne Marshall (Home Works!, diligence), Garner Prior (Westwood Middle School, citizenship), Dillon Simmons (Three Springs High School, respect), Tayson Gerdes (Salnave Elementary School, respect), and Henry Kosanke (Sunset Elementary School, respect and responsibility).

High school seniors win STEM awards

High school seniors from Washington and Montana recently competed for cash and college scholarships at the 2016 Spokane STEMposium, which challenged students to complete a STEM project, write a technical paper and make a 10-minute presentation.

The following Spokane Public Schools students won Superior Awards and/or college scholarships: Micaela Whigham (Rogers High School), McKenna Cutler (Ferris High School), Andrew Fruci (Ferris), Molly McKenzie (Ferris), Elizabeth Walsh (Ferris) and Reilly Sheehan (Ferris).

Cheney percussion group 2nd in state

Cheney High School’s Percussion I group received second place overall at the state solo and ensemble music competition, which was recently held in Ellensburg.

Northwest Christian kicks off girls soccer

Northwest Christian Schools has announced a girls soccer program, the first in the school’s history.

Toby Rainbow, who coached the school’s boys soccer team for five years, will coach the girls team. The season will begin Aug. 22.

St. Charles teacher retires; party planned

Skip Bonucelli is retiring after 31 years with the Central Valley School District and 12 years with St. Charles School. St. Charles is throwing Bonucelli a retirement party June 10 from 4-6 p.m. at the school, 4515 N. Alberta St.

Luncheon recognizes Bite 2 Go supporters

The individuals and organizations behind Cheney School District’s Bite 2 Go program, which provides healthy food for four meals and three snacks during the weekend to students at Salnave, Snowdon, Sunset and Windsor elementary schools, were recognized at the WASA Community Awards luncheon.

Those honored were At the Core’s Tom Stevenson, Brenna Sloan and Chris Sloan; Inland Power and Light’s Jennifer Lutz and Chad Jenson; Dealer Auto Auction’s Mitzi VanDorhiss, David Pendergrapf and Bob McConkey; and Peirone Produce’s Marty Bacon.

Cheney recognition night honors many

Cheney School District’s Ready for Kindergarten team received the Annette Granier Team Collaboration Award at staff recognition night.

The team includes C.J. Johnson, Candice Cwik, Deanna McCabe, Jennifer Gonzalez, Sally Canton, Judy Ableman, Sandra Reiber, Crystal Clapin, Leslie Cicero, Katie Barone, Emily Ham, Carly Jackson and Lynette Mellott.

At the same recognition night, students read “You Raise Me Up” letters to staff members who positively impacted their lives. Snowdon Elementary School student Zack Edge read his letter to Eileen Ayersman, Zeke Wohali read his letter to Lori Hays, of Westwood Middle School, and Rose Smith read her letter to Cheney High School’s Julie Esquibel.

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