Science Student Grilled By Judges In Westinghouse Talent Search

Grace Williams came home from Washington, D.C., this week with once-in-a-lifetime memories and the realization that you just can’t study for some tests.

Williams, an 18-year-old senior at West Valley High School, spent a week in the nation’s capital as a finalist in the prestigious Westinghouse Annual Science Talent Search. In four interviews, she was judged by a panel of scientists. The judges, she said, seemed intent on probing the limits of her knowledge.

“They didn’t ask me anything about plants.” Williams has researched Indian paintbrush for the past three years.

Instead she fielded questions on chemistry - “I haven’t taken chemistry since I was a sophomore.” On rocks - “I kept telling them I collected rocks for their beauty.” And on movies - “I didn’t remember what happened in Independence Day.”

“It’s very difficult to have so much knowledge,” she said.

Still, the chance to talk with so many science-minded students, and the tales she heard from a Nobel Prize winner who was one of the judges were among the high points of her trip.

Williams did not place in the finals, but she came home with an offer of a summer internship from Merck Co., the medical manufacturer.

What advice would she give someone going into the Westinghouse finals? “Not to take it too seriously. Just to go with the flow.”

Politics and pizza

Anthony McLaughlin, an eighth-grader at St. Paschal’s Catholic School, served as a page recently in Olympia in the House of Representatives.

His week involved working as a messenger and delivering papers from one office to another. McLaughlin, 14, said he listened some to lawmakers debating bills. “But most of the time I was in other buildings.”

What did he learn? “That there’s a lot of walking in politics,” among other things

And although the eighth-grader was sponsored by Rep. Mark Sterk, R-Spokane Valley, McLaughlin said he had little direct connection with Sterk’s office.

“I had my picture taken with him.”

McLaughlin stayed with a family that takes in pages during the legislative session. He said his week in Olympia was fun; that he made friends with the other 27 pages; and the high point was a pizza party.

“All the people there were really nice.”

Parents Are Vital Educators

The state director of Parents Are Vital Educators will speak next week to a support group for parents with children with special needs in the Valley.

The support group for parents of children with disabilities meets at 7 p.m. next Thursday in the library at Evergreen Junior High.

Barbara Bilyeu, who has raised a child with special needs, will speak.

Support group coordinator Loren Imus said, “If you only attend one meeting this year, this is the one.”

For more information contact Imus at Evergreen, 922-6890, or parent Sally Cauchon, 928-8927.

A ranatra what?

Two Odyssey of the Mind teams from Spokane Valley schools qualified for state competition last weekend.

University High School’s team in the Balloonacy Cars category won its regional competition. Team members were Matt Pierce, Brandin Curryer, Erik Boyce, Chris Harris, Harrison Baldwin and Brian Blessing. Four of those team members also went last year to state, said teacher Wally Watson.

Central Valley’s Able Learners won in their age division of the Omerdroid category, with team members Jennifer Wilson, Jill Burgard, Lindsay Suda, Geoff Edlin, Jeff Otis, Caitlin Labrie and Mandy Miller.

A team from Centennial Middle School placed second in Omerdroids, Division 2. Team members were: Caitie Couper, Matthew Hansen, Ross Hood, Janessa Maertens, Molly Matthews, Julian Peterson and Amber Lenhart.

Greenacres Junior High team, with Tiffany Reynolds, Jessie Johnson, Theresa Ray, Brooke Sprank and Bri Johnson took third in Division 3.

In the Can You Dig It? category, Division 3, third place went to a U-High team of Gretta Olson, Melissa Berube, Nathan Mecham, Chaundra Hubbard and Meagan Bedford.

In the Heroic Proportion category, among elementary schools, Orchard Center Elementary School’s team tied for third. Team members were: Ashley Wieber, Mandi Hohner, Oran Lord, Darren McKinsey, Maddie Ostrom and Brenda Foubert.

A Horizon Junior High team, with team members Hanna Olson, Karl Olson, Garrett Munro, Patrick Weise, Samantha Weise, Jennifer Numata and Josh Wilson won third.

“But what we’re really proud of is winning the Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award,” said Horizon teacher Steve Baran. “It’s given for the highest degree of creativity.”

What’s a ranatra fusca? “Those little waterbugs that scoot across the top of the water.”

Another creativity award went to a second Horizon team, consisting of Peter Moe, Jeff Warren, Cody Bittle, Nate Lewis and John Hurliman.

“It’s given out sparingly, only to teams with great creativity,” Baran said.

, DataTimes