Four-Year College Not Path To Success For Everyone

Graduation is a time of glory for all high school seniors.

It’s an important milestone, and from here the students’ dreams will take them in all sorts of directions. Many will head off to a four-year college. But a great many grads have other plans.

Some will join the military, or jump right into the work world. Others will travel, seeking adventure in exotic places or to do the Lord’s work as church missionaries. Some will enroll in vocational or technical programs with an eye on good-paying jobs.

Meet members of the Spokane Valley’s Class of 1997 who have etched the route of their own life maps without planning an immediate stop at a four-year college: Senior Katie MacKay has a 3.5 grade point average at West Valley High School, a love of woodworking and an unusual business opportunity.

Classmate Rhett Bawden has a “3.8-something” gpa, a talent for hands-on work and another unusual business opportunity.

Both seniors say one West Valley teacher changed their lives: manufacturing and shop teacher Tim Dorwin. Dorwin emphasizes to his students that two years of technical education is the path to many of the good-paying jobs of the future.

In September, MacKay will take a business class and a woodworking class at Spokane Community College. She also has a job with her father’s company, MacKay Manufacturing. She’ll start with entry-level office work. Long-term goal for this 18-year-old: owning a business. Field: not sure, but something involving hands-on work.

“And I’d never touched a hammer until last year,” MacKay said. “You’re kidding!” Bawden said.

He is also headed for SCC, into the electronic engineering technician program. But that’s just daytime. After hours and weekends, Bawden will keep on with his present job, repairing office copiers.

Bawden, 18, got his start two years ago. His employer was moving from Spokane to California, but wanted to keep his repair customers here. Bawden jumped in, sometimes getting instruction from his boss by long-distance phone call. Bawden would like to work for Xerox, eventually.

Neither Bawden nor MacKay want a four-year degree now, or perhaps at all.

“I don’t know what I would major in and I don’t want to spend four year kicking tires,” MacKay said.

Ben Burris, 18, had a turbulent high school career. He attended four Spokane area high schools in the last two years. He lives with friends. His high school gpa is a meager 2.9.

Yet, Burris has a bright future in the nuclear propulsion branch of the Navy - “the best program the Navy has to offer,” Burris said. He leaves Friday for boot camp.

Burris graduated this week from Spokane Valley High School, the alternative school that Burris describes as “a great place. They let you work at your own pace.” Spokane Valley Principal Doug Grace, in turn, describes Burris as a “very, very bright kid.”

The Navy found that out. Burris scored 94 out of a possible 99 in the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. On a test for admission to the nuclear propulsion field, “the nuke test,” he scored 63 out 80.

“They were impressed,” Burris said.

He chose military service partly due to family tradition. Plus, Burris has a friend who has been in the nuclear Navy for a year. “He’s still loving it. It just sounded like a great opportunity.”

Josh Kruse, 18, believes that his Heavenly Father “has given me all my years.” A two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a small way to repay that gift, Kruse said.

Peoria or Peru? Wherever the church sends him is fine, Kruse said. He and his family will pay $375 a month to cover his costs no matter where he ends up.

The Central Valley High School senior will do construction work until he leaves in August.

Peer pressure hasn’t concerned this enthusiastic young man; most of his friends are going on missions. Kruse has had a taste of the work, “going on splits” with missionaries here in the Spokane Valley.

Plus, he has plenty to look forward to on his return. With a gpa of 3.75, he’s accepted at Brigham Young University for the fall of 1999.

Becky Gahl has a passion and a problem.

Her passion is travel, and her problem is her age. She won’t be 18 until January.

Gahl, who is graduating a year ahead of schedule at East Valley High School, dreamed of taking a year to travel and do good works. Perhaps with the Peace Corps, perhaps with Lutheran World Mission. But both organizations require candidates be 18, and the Peace Corps wants a two-year commitment.

Undaunted, Gahl is planning her own year of travel, perhaps with her parents.

“I would love to go to Africa,” Gahl said. The wildlife there attracts her. Gahl wants to spend just one year on her adventure. Then, with a 3.9 gpa, she plans to study for a degree in wildlife biology.

On spring break this year, Gahl traveled with other students to Belize and learned she could handle culture shock. She describes a scene in a simple restaurant alongside the Monkey River. A native girl - “the cutest little girl I’ve ever seen” - picked Gahl out of the crowd for an unsolicited hug. “She was about five years old. Barefoot. Out of all those people she picked me. That was a great feeling. I’d like to have that feeling more often.”

Josh Olinger, 18, has wanted to fly airplanes “ever since I was three or four, ever since I went to my first air show at Fairchild.”

This summer, after graduating from East Valley High School, he’ll do just that.

Olinger will enter the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In two years, if all goes well, he’ll have an associate’s degree in applied science aviation. That, plus his commercial flight license, with which he can become a flight instructor and log the flight hours needed to work for an airline.

He’ll take with him a 3.4 gpa and the ability to work long hours. Olinger has worked for Marriott Food Service nearly full time for the past year.

Will he be homesick?

“If I am, it’ll help keep my mind on my work.”

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