Shaw’s Open Gym Night Big Hit With Kids, Parents

Shaw Middle School staff and the Hillyard neighborhood have put a lot of effort into a simple Friday open gym night.

Opening the doors to neighborhood youths on a Friday night was simple, but police officer Percy Watkins, Shaw staff and volunteers from the local COPS substation have been putting many hours to make the weekly event “cool.”

For middle school kids, cool is a couch for loungin’, a Nintendo, snacks and pick-up basketball games.

Their efforts have worked. Since the open gym started in late November, the weekly head count has rapidly grown. On an average Friday, about 200 kids show up.

That is particularly impressive because there has been no advertisement for the event. All students have heard about it through word-of-mouth or through Watkins, who is stationed part-time at Shaw.

Watkins says the popularity is indicative of a serious North Side problem. “There is nothing to do in the northeast area,” said Watkins.

The idea, of course, is to keep youths off the streets and away from illicit diversions.

Fifteen-year-olds Shauna McElfish and Andrea Trautmann said if they weren’t at the open gym night, they would be out looking for something else to do. “That can lead to trouble,” McElfish said.

Instead, they stood watching a basketball game, talking and waiting for a friend to show up.

“Look at all the people doing something good for their bodies instead of being out using drugs,” McElfish said. “And the little kids are starting off on the right foot.”

The night has also been a hit with parents, said COPS volunteer Lynn Weiler.

“Parents can drop their kids off to a place where they are safe,” said Weiler.

Bob Stannard, a Hillyard resident, hasn’t missed a Friday at Shaw since the activity started. The night gives Stannard, a single parent, valuable time with his 11-year-old son, T.J. Stannard, and a chance to check out the friends of his daughter, Trisha Stannard, a seventh-grader at Shaw.

“The only time my kids can feel safe and confident is going to the movies,” said Stannard.

“This gives me a chance to see my son’s development physically and mentally and their socialization with people.”

Stannard said he killed his daughter’s budding relationship with a Shaw student when he saw the youth at a gym night. “He looked like a little gangster,” he said.

Shaw staff have also used the time to get to know the students. Principal Pete Lewis cleared the gym of previously scheduled sports events to open it to the community, and has given up three hours every Friday to supervise.

“It’s important to give the kids a place to be,” said Lewis.

Parents share trade secrets

Brentwood Elementary students learned the secrets of software design, dentistry, travel booking and a dozen other professions last week at the school’s career day.

More than 20 people - most of them parents - volunteered three hours to give students explanations and anecdotes from their professions.

One of the hottest speakers was Chris Brandkamp, the computer software designer who created the popular adventure game Myst, who explained to students the difficulty of recreating sounds. To replicate an elevator in a program he is designing, Brandkamp is using a shopping cart and two air compressors.

“I’ve been in the business a long time and this is really unique,” said principal Dave Stenerson.

Cooper spelling bee winners

Winners of the Cooper Elementary School spelling bee are: third-grader Andrew Acker, fourth-grader Jaimee Marsh, fifth-grader Kristy Rice and sixth-grader Andren McLean.

New student officers

The new Mead Junior High School ASB officers are: president Courtney Ferguson, vice-president Erin Monroe, historian Darcy Barton, sergeant-at-arms Amy Sonford, secretary Katie Ulvin.

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MEMO: Education Notebook is a regular feature of the North Side Voice. If you have news about an interesting program or activity at a North Side school or about the achievements of North Side students, teachers or school staff, please let us know. Write: Jonathan Martin, Education Notebook, North Side Voice, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. E-mail: jonathanm@spokesman.com. Call: 459-5484. Fax: 459-5482.