Rainey Coffin

Anthony Goodwin, a member of Troop 400, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest in the Boy Scouts. For his project, he collected and delivered more than 1,000 pounds of food and personal items to members of the Armed Forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the donations he collected to fulfill specific requests of troops, he was able to create and mail more than 75 customized care packages, containing books, playing cards, hygienic products and nonperishable food.

Students at Madison Elementary School showed how much they care for classmate Snezhana Dedkov by competing against one another to raise money for her. In October, Snezhana was in an accident that left her severely burned, and she’s been at the burn unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, her parents by her side. Recently she was moved to Seattle’s Children’s Hospital.

The Cheney High School Blackhawks Marching Band, made up of 95 students who have each logged hundreds of hours of marching, music, drill and color guard practice, recently completed a winning competition season.The Blackhawks were fourth place in the Auburn, Wash., Veterans Day Marching Band Championship; third place in the Northwest Marching Band Competition in Hillsboro, Ore.; second place at the Sounds of Thunder Competition at Joe Albi Stadium; and second place in the Cavalcade of Bands in Kennewick.

The Northwest Christian Chess Club recently competed against other local schools, showing they have what it takes to be champions. Fifth-grader Torrey Casper earned the title of grand champion against Arcadia Elementary and St. George’s School. Other fifth-grade students who placed in the chess competition are: Nathan Sacpopo, third place; Tristan Udby, fourth place; and Nick Seleski, fifth place. Third-grader Bryannah Davis helped her team finish in second place.

Rogers High School drama students will show audiences that money doesn’t bring happiness, even when you’re left $10 million by your deceased husband – but, friends in the nut house will – in their performance of “The Curious Savage,” continuing tonight through Saturday at 7 p.m. The story begins when Ethel Savage, played by Bobbi Gilmartin, is left a large inheritance by her husband and her greedy stepchildren want nothing from her, except for her money.

Students at North Central High School fall in and out of love like they fall and bruise their knees, in the romantic comedy “Almost Maine,” beginning Wednesday. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show will begin at 7:30. Performances will continue through Nov. 19. The story is set in the fictitious town of Almost, at 9 p.m., in 9-degree weather. The production tells a sad, funny tale of love found, love lost, broken then mending hearts, in a performance described as a “charming midwinter night’s dream.”

Whitman Elementary Principal Bev Lund was recognized for her excellent communication skills and creativity when she was recently named the Dick Stannard Distinguished Elementary Principal of the Year. The award was named for a Spokane Public Schools’ principal who died in 1996. According to a press release from Spokane Public Schools, the special recognition honors principals who show purposeful leadership, excel at instructional leadership and resource development and possess exemplary interpersonal skills.

Area residents recently graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. Air Force Airman Ramon Bambino graduated in 2005 from Gonzaga Prep and is the son of Rod and Rebecca Bambino, of Spokane.

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, students at Balboa Elementary School recently pledged to make their school and community better, and wrote or drew their promises on strips of white fabric. A school-wide project, the strips will be tied together as a permanent display in the school. Started by the teachers in Balboa’s Montessori program, the primary students began their project with a story about 9/11, told and illustrated by first-graders at Masterson Elementary School in Kennett, Mo., titled “September 12th: We Knew Everything Would Be Alright.” The story gave Balboa’s students an understanding of 9/11 without scaring them and reminded them that “the world continued the next day, with the message that even after bad things happen, tomorrow always brings a new day.”

Head back to Rydell High School with the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies in “Grease,” when Saint George’s School puts on its first production of the school year on Friday and Saturday in the school’s Founders Theater. The summer lovin’ and greased lightning begins at 7 p.m. on both nights. The audience will be doing the hand jive and singing along with the Saint George’s cast that includes Justin Heftel, as Danny Zuko; Hailey Hyde, as Sandy Dombrowski; Jacob Kwasman, as Kenickie; Zoe McMahon, as Betty Rizzo; Alaina Jacobsen, as Marty; Hannah Kwasman, as Jan; Morgan Cambareri, as Frenchy; Nate Graham, as Roger; Jacob Withers, as Doody; Amara Becker, as Patty; John Hatheway, as Eugene and the Teen Angel; Drew Doughty, as Cha Cha; and Kira Renfro, as Miss Lynch.

As students in the Spokane Public Schools district head back to school in the next couple of weeks, many will begin the new school year with a new principal or assistant principal. Among the changes are new principals at North Central and Shadle Park high schools. Chris Lynch, formerly the principal at Shaw Middle School, will lead NC. Eric Sylling, an assistant principal last year in the Sunnyside School District, is the new Shadle Park principal.

The Montana Shakespeare in the Parks touring company will perform the celebrated playwright’s comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” on Wednesday in Liberty Lake’s Pavillion Park at 6 p.m. Shakespeare fans will have an opportunity to enjoy a stage combat demonstration, put on by company members, from 4:30 to 5. The farce about the two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice and Claudio and Hero, is part of the group’s 39th season. By the end of the summer, the theater troupe will have performed approximately 75 productions throughout Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming and Washington, where the plays are often part of summer festivals and traditions in the communities they visit. The company has also performed “The Merchant of Venice” this summer.