Nc Students Wire Miniature Homes They Built

Talk about turning on the light in a kid’s head.

You can see the bright bulbs in Janet Knight’s ninth-grade science class at North Central High School.

Her students completed a semester-long project on electricity by wiring miniature homes for lighting, fans, even a hot tub by industrious freshman Nick Robinson.

“They were just taking what they learned on paper and putting it into 3D,” said Knight.

She imported the idea from Mead Junior High, where she taught last year. “No one did any of this at this school,” said Knight.

She required basic circuitry of her students and use of at least one motor. Within those guidelines, projects were bound only by the imaginations of 14-year-olds.

Caroline Blair’s involved disco. Her ceiling fan was strung with tinsel, giving her two-story home a “Saturday Night Fever” ambiance.

Aspiring firefighter Jeff Evans built a fire station with a drinking straw fire pole and a roll-up garage door. His father helped him, just as Evans has helped his father rewire their home.

Ryan Peters built a home that looks like a suburban dream, chopped in half. Gray siding was made with long, thin strips of paper produced by a shredder. Tiny light switches control living room lamps.

The students learned some independence as well. Blair says she values knowing a construction skill. “You don’t have to rely on men,” she said.

B.J. Moffitt laid out a sprawling, 4-bedroom white home with a glass roof to expose the wiring. He became absorbed, squaring off windows and doors.

“If I had time, I’d sit down and do it again,” said Moffitt.

Mead students bullish on market

Mead High students Mike Lehr, Brandon Carlson and Josh Sicilia took just two months to cover college costs for a year.

Unfortunately for them, the $45,368 they made in 10 weeks is make-believe, part of a statewide game for young entrepreneurs.

The trio, guided by marketing teacher Brock Taylor, was the most efficient team in the state, beating elite private school Seattle Prep.

They relied mostly on the bullish high-tech stock market, according to Jason Morgan, stock market game coordinator for Economics America, a non-profit education group.

“I know they bought Netscape and kicked butt on that,” said Morgan.

Last year, Mead juniors Ty Henson and Shane Johnson bet on high tech and also placed well statewide.

Using $100,000 as principle, the Mead students changed stocks once a week. Morgan counted gains and loses and sent a tally sheet back to the north Spokane high school.

“Not a lot can boast making $45,000 in two months,” said Morgan.

A second Mead team of John Mackey, John Aiken and Danielle Raney placed third in a regional contest. They made $35,459.

Students launch anti-drug club

Mead Junior High students are crowding elbow-to-elbow for the chance to prove they are drug free.

The school’s newly formed chapter of Washington Drug Free Youth is being launched with at least 120 students.

The voluntary club will test members. Clean students get a smorgasbord of discounts at merchants from TCBY and McDonalds to Price Photography. The merchant list is expected to grow, says principal Ralph Sharp.

The Mead club also is arranging free sledding at Mount Spokane, and hoping to land free previews of “Star Wars” and games of laser tag.

The number of students willing to take drug tests surprised Sharp. “We were thinking somewhere between nobody would show up to maybe 30 or 40,” said Sharp. “We expect more down the road.”

Rogers senior attends inauguration

Rogers High senior Lauren Evans couldn’t see the stage and was chilly, but Monday’s presidential inauguration was a scrapbook moment.

“My gosh, it was freeeeezing, freezing, freezing. There was some kids there from Florida who were just miserable,” said Evans, 18. Then, a moment later, “Oh, I loved it.”

Evans returned Tuesday from a whirlwind five days in Washington D.C. with a national youth leadership group.

The trip, bookending the Clinton inauguration, opened doors to the House of Representatives, Kennedy Center, White House, a formal ball, a speech from a brigadier general and, totally cool, a “Better Than Ezra” concert.

The trip was paid for in part by the Hillyard Rotary Club.

, DataTimes