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Valley Students Score High In Talent Search

Compiled By Tina Carey

Ryne Schillinger and Alana Smentek, students at Pioneer School in the Valley, scored in the top 1 percent of all fifth- and sixth-grade students in the United States in the Academic Advancement of Youth Talent Search Celebration sponsored by John Hopkins University.

Ryne is the son of Dale and Jeanne Schillinger, Veradale; and Alana is the daughter of Craig Smentek and Sima Issen of Veradale.

Other Inland Northwest students recognized as outstanding in verbal and/or mathematical abilities are listed below by their schools, which are all in Spokane, unless otherwise noted:

Hutton: Christine Beamer, Kelly Boubel, Ariel Grubb, Christopher Halvorson, Eric Haskins and Michael McKay.

Jefferson: Brian Birgenheier, Cassie Finer, Colin Sowder, Riley Steiner and Avi Zellman.

Franklin: Taylor Nash.

Freeman Elementary: Austen Zajonc and Brian Schluter.

St. Patrick: Matthew Kries.

Seth Woodard: Jamie Zink.

Trinity: William Brown.

Cataldo: Daniel Brutocao, Katherine Ditton, Christina Higgins, Shen Hunt, Joseph Parisot and Keaton Stagman.

Cheney Middle School: Maria Jabon and Julie Teuton.

Omak Middle School: Sarah Starcevich.

Matthew Cubbage, son of Thomas and Molly Cubbage of Deer Park, received an M.D. degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He has been accepted into the orthopedic surgery residency program at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas.

Cubbage is a 1989 graduate of Gonzaga Prep and earned his bachelor’s degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

Christopher Jensen, a 1995 graduate of Freeman High School, now a sophomore majoring in English and history at Grove City (Pa.) College, received an honorable mention in the Dr. Rea Walters Memorial Essay Contest for his essay on improving American education.

Jensen, son of Mrs. Walter Jensen of Spokane, was previously named to the college’s Dean’s List and the Dean’s List with Distinction.

Rhianna Platte, a University High School graduate, received the Presidential Scholarship Award from Eastern Washington University.

Platte, daughter of Bob and Myrna Platte, was also chosen to study in the freshman honors program for fall semester.

Story Tombari graduated cum laude from Gonzaga Prep and will attend GU with a leadership scholarship. She is the daughter of William and Veronica Tombari. Her name was misspelled in a previous column. , DataTimes MEMO: To tell us about your achievements and good deeds, write to Achievements, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

To tell us about your achievements and good deeds, write to Achievements, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.