Top Students Know How To Celebrate Scholars Foundation Awards Night Puts Smart Kids In The Limelight

Smart kids ruled Thursday night when they reeled in big bucks at a banquet for stellar students.

As drumrolls sounded again and again, 18 high school seniors were awarded a total of $36,000 at the fifth-annual Spokane Scholars Foundation awards ceremony.

Tracy Orvis, 17, clapped one hand to her mouth, then the other, when she realized the brilliant student being described over the microphone was her.

“It’s me, it’s me! I can’t believe it!” the University High School student whispered, seconds before receiving a first-place, $3,000 check in the foreign languages category.

Parents and grandparents wearing pearls and power ties cheered as the star students paraded across the stage at the Ag Trade Center.

A few shared tips for raising successful scholars.

“We study together,” said Orvis’ teary-eyed mother, Sue Bowers. “We laugh a lot. We make it fun.”

Orvis, who has a perfect grade-point average, has written essays in French for publication, and children’s stories in French for elementary schools.

“Keep ‘em busy,” advised Orval Williams, who described his role in his daughter’s success as the “taxi driver” who whisked her from one activity to another.

Grace Williams, from West Valley High School, placed first in the science category and was introduced as the finest student her science teacher had encountered in 24 years.

At least one mom attributed her child’s success to good fortune. “It’s just really a gift. It’s just from the Lord, really,” Janet Kittredge said when Jason, 17, landed the first-place award for mathematics.

The Liberty High School student, who earned a perfect SAT score in math, nodded happily. “I don’t study.”

Judging was difficult, because so many of the 100 or so nominees had perfect or near-perfect grade-point averages, said Louis Rukavina.

The Spokane attorney created the scholars foundation to put ace students in a spotlight generally reserved for top-scoring student athletes.

“Everybody knows those kids are invisible, and we want to change that,” Rukavina said.

“We’re trying to make these kids aware of the intimate relationship between academic success and economic prosperity.”

The county’s public and private high schools nominate their best scholars in six subjects. College professors and professionals select winners based on scholarship alone, ignoring financial need.

Businesses, foundations, doctors and lawyers donate the money.

Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire congratulated the students Thursday, encouraging them to aim even higher after graduation.

“What makes Spokane scholars is they don’t settle for having potential,” said Gregoire, who earned her law degree at Gonzaga University. “They reach for something more.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: THE WINNERS Eighteen high school students received scholarships Thursday night at the Spokane Scholars Banquet: $3,000 for first place in six categories; $2,000 for second place; $1,000 for third place.

English 1st - Julie Weiskopf, Gonzaga Prep 2nd - Rebecca Lorang, West Valley 3rd - Marla Meekhof, Ferris

Fine Arts 1st - Ryan Bentz, Ferris 2nd - Erin Dressel, Lewis and Clark 3rd - Mayalisa Anderson, North Central

Foreign Languages 1st - Tracy Orvis, University 2nd - Ali Krogel, Shadle Park 3rd - Rachel Garrett, Valley Christian

Mathematics 1st - Jason Kittredge, Liberty 2nd - Bruce Fatz, Ferris 3rd - Christiana Beth Pierce, Lewis and Clark

Science 1st - Grace Williams, West Valley 2nd - David Stone, Central Valley 3rd - Stephen Schreiner, Gonzaga Prep

Social Science 1st - Nadav Tanners, Lewis and Clark 2nd - Jennifer Bennett, Mead 3rd - Paul Raugust, Shadle Park