Artwork Pays Off For Student
Saying no to drugs has never been so profitable.
But Kyle Kiesel’s anti-smoking artwork earned the Ridgeview Elementary sixth grader booty: a trip to Disneyland, free movies, even a model airplane from Southwest Airlines.
It’s also given the lanky 11 year-old some of the best exposure of any artist in the county. His crayon drawing, titled “Tobacco Ads Aimed at Youth Never Ever Tell the Truth,” will be posted on a Spokane billboard for a month, shown before movies at the Garland Theater, and play outfield at the Spokane Indians ball park all season.
“I didn’t think I had a chance,” admits Kiesel shyly.
But Kiesel has found artistic success before. His fourth-grade drawing for a Mr. Yuk contest was posted on a billboard for a month.
“He’s got a great imagination,” said father Steve Kiesel, a track and cross-country coach at Rogers High. “He really didn’t put a lot of time into it. It just popped in his head, he colored it, and turned it in. I think he’s a little surprised he won.”
Kyle says he got the idea - before and after panels showing a smoker and a grave stone - seeing smoking commercials in magazines and TV.
“They think they are cool, they look good on TV,” said Kyle, an all-city cross-country runner. “There’s no reason to smoke. They die.”
He knows some puffing peers, and, according to his mother, makes fun of them. He calls them “ashtray mouth.”
“Smoking is dumb,” he says.
The free trip includes airfare and Disneyland passes for two, and two nights lodging. Steve said they will kick in for two other tickets and take the family.
Mom Debbie is the only one in the family to have visited Disneyland. Kyle Kiesel wants to hit the Indiana Jones ride; his seven year-old sister Kaitlin yearns for Mickey and Minnie.
“All his teachers are saying, ‘Let’s talk. I think you should take us,”’ said Debbie.
The family plans to head south, to San Diego’s Sea World, during the trip.
Shadle student in Japan
Shadle Park High School junior Shawn Quine is spending the year in Nishinomiya, Japan, Spokane’s sister city.
Quine is a 4.0 student with Japanese fluency. He has volunteered 160 volunteer hours at the Veteran’s Hospital.
Quine will live with three different families before returning in June.
Shaw students raising money
Shaw Middle School students are counting their pennies, and making them count.
A penny drive has garnered more than $1,200, which will be used to buy presents for disadvantaged kids through Toys for Tots. A teacher anonymously donated $150.
Students have been resourceful, scraping money from parents and relatives. But many are also sacrificing.
“I think they are raiding their own penny jars,” said assistant principal Dianne Fields.
The drive was originated by student body president Jodi McDonald and other student leaders. “They wanted to do something for needy families,” said Fields.
Some revealing chats
Shadle Park students recently had revealing talks with residents of the Evergreen Club, a Spokane County mental health facility.
The one-on-one chats changed the students views of mental illness, said teacher Mary Ryerse. She’s taken her class to the Evergreen Club two years, and found similar results.
“I will be more understanding of people with mental illness from now on,” said Brianne Votava.
“The most important thing is that even though these people are mentally ill, they are normal people just like us and have the same feelings and emotions,” said Kelly Gallagher.
, DataTimes