K-12 education

Spokane International Academy senior Sawyer Hollis has been full steam ahead when it comes to school, something he credits to his fourth grade teacher Kirk Willis.

Papillon Fritz dropped out of school years ago, the same as her older brother and mother before her. But after a push from a family member to re-enroll in school, Fritz is now set to graduate from Spokane Valley High School.

Some students look back on high school and remember the concerts they performed or the games they won. Lily Chrisman, a senior at STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech, will remember, among other things, a 7-foot-tall robot she helped build from scratch.

Nestled on the banks of the Little Spokane River and surrounded by acres of wooded hiking trails, St. George’s School encourages its students to investigate their natural surroundings.

Phoebe Manalo traveled more than 2,000 miles to attend St. Michael’s Academy.

Despite her love for learning, Paisley Hickman did not always enjoy going to school. It was her high school experience and support system that helped her find comfort in the classroom.

For Albert Johnson, a senior at the Community School, high school has been a time of mentorship, advocacy and pursuing his own style of learning.

Imagine for a moment having moved so many times in your life that you can’t recall exactly how many. Now imagine that you’ve done that by the time you’re 17 years old.

The most notable feature about Timberlake High School senior Ian Alapai, he agrees, is that he’s remarkably unremarkable.

University High School senior Kailee Alteneder began her journey to fitness in the seventh grade, determined to protect her health. She’s turned that determination into a career goal, aiming for a career either as a personal trainer or a nutritionist.

To hear the full story, it’s a wonder that senior Paola Gómez Martinez is a member of the Upper Columbia Academy graduating class.

Venture Academy senior Angelo Hinkle leaves no doubt when he talks about his experience at the non-traditional, standards-based high school – if it weren’t for the welcoming environment there, he never would have graduated.

West Valley High School senior Moriah Dedera has lived for years with hypermobility in her joints, where something as simple as swinging her arm to hit a ball can cause her shoulder to dislocate. Despite that and a recent diagnosis of inflammation in her liver, she has worked hard to earn a perfect GPA at school.

Savanna Oberg describes her start at East Valley High School as "rough," when she lacked credits to graduate. Entering junior year, Oberg said she decided to make changes, with more focus on school, positive relationships and improved grades – all leading to her graduation.

Ridgeline High School graduate Mackenzie Rosner often takes on leadership roles that serves others. Her gains at Ridgeline came after earlier challenges, including prior foster care. Before her freshman year, she was adopted by her aunt, a nurse, and now Rosner plans on that same career path.

Ava Morris keeps a sizable collection of classical literature at her Post Falls home – with Shakespeare, Dante, Austen and T.S. Eliot among her favorite authors. Graduating from the Oaks Classical Christian Academy, Morris plans this fall to attend Hillsdale College with a goal to become a teacher.

Valley Christian's Mya Desgrosellier pursued a love for aviation after an early sports injury derailed plans for playing volleyball in college. With her pilot's license and a future in flight, she's now grateful for that setback.

Swarms of excited elementary schoolers pranced around the manicured lawns of Manito Park this week.

Phone calls weren’t enough to get kids with low attendance to school. Midway through last year, a thought struck him Regal Elementary's first-year counselor.