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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ewu Professor Brings University Into Classroom At West Valley High

Two afternoons a week, 13 students sit down for a two-hour session of introduction to literature.

The professor is Don Goodwin of Eastern Washington University. The classroom is at West Valley High School.

And 12 of the 13 students are West Valley juniors and seniors.

This is the newest development in Running Start, a program that allows promising high school students to gain college credit. Goodwin’s class is the only Running Start class in Spokane County that puts the professor in the high school.

“I am really pleased with this group,” Goodwin said, describing them as advanced placement-level students.

“They don’t need any introduction to literature, but everyone needs to find conscious ways to enjoy literature.”

When Goodwin’s class started earlier this month, it doubled West Valley’s enrollment in Running Start overnight from 11 to 23. Until now, West Valley enrollment has grown slowly.

“The more involved the high school student is, the less they want to leave their home campus,” said Helen Liberg, a West Valley counselor.

For Junior Grace Williams, one advantage of Goodwin’s class is that “I didn’t have to mess up my schedule” going off campus.

Another advantage for Williams is the level of work Goodwin demands.

“He really makes us analyze things,” she said.

In addition to Monday and Wednesday classes, students are expected to hold Friday e-mail conversations with their professor. The focus is on the essays due each Monday.

EWU Running Start coordinator Mark Baldwin is complimentary about West Valley’s role in the partnership. “They really did a lot of work to make this happen.”

In return, EWU made a last-minute switch of instructors, wanting to “really polish our brass and look as good as we can,” Baldwin said.

Goodwin has taught at EWU for more than 30 years.

Next year the program at West Valley will expand, Baldwin said, although it’s not clear exactly how. EWU wants to offer courses to complement, not replace, West Valley’s classes.

One possibility, Baldwin said, is offering two courses that combine art history and European history through the 18th century. Another is a year’s sequence of biology courses.

Running Start enrollment in the Community Colleges of Spokane is thriving in other Valley schools.

At East Valley High School, assistant superintendent Tom Feldhausen estimated about 35 students are enrolled in Running Start.

In Central Valley School District, business manager Ed Mikesell said 72 students are enrolled in Running Start classes.

Most are taking a full load of Running Start classes.

, DataTimes