Greenacres ‘Prospectors’ Seek Gold At Rendezvous

The water swirled, the rocks tumbled, and the boys worked their pans awkwardly.

Their concentration glittered like, well, like gold.

Panning for gold was one element of Rendezvous Days last week at Greenacres Junior High School.

Students Dustin Lowe, Bo Hall and a couple of onlookers paid close attention as science teachers Tom Herrmann and Kirby Jones explained the basics.

Each would-be panner started with a small sample of ore - the real stuff from the Golden Chest Mine in Murray, Idaho.

“You start with your screen, like so, over your pan,” Herrmann said. “That helps separate out the big rocks.”

Then he poured a jar of water into each shallow, circular pan and showed the students the circling motion that washes out bits of rock.

“This is what you’re looking for gentlemen,” said Jones, holding up a small jar filled with black sand. Gold and black sand are both heavy, so they’re often found together, he explained.

Still working their pans, the boys wanted to know if it was possible they’d find a nugget among the larger rocks.

Possible, but not likely, the teachers let them know.

Instead, they settled for a fleck of “color” in Lowe’s pan. And off they went to watch the Silver Spurs Dancers. The afternoon also included a mule-drawn covered wagon, a mountain man with teepee, Native Americans with eagle feathers, dancing costumes and other regalia.

North Pines cleanup crew

Students from North Pines Junior High helped clean up a stretch of the Centennial Trail last week.

Seventh graders worked on the former Walk in the Wild stretch of trail. Eighth- and ninth-graders did cleanup work at Sullivan Park, just across the Spokane River from the trail.

North Pines officials and members of Kiwanis joined forces to help the students learn that taking a role in improving your community is important.

McDonald’s math warriors

Sixth-graders at McDonald Elementary School earned excellent and superior ratings in the recent Math Olympiad, sponsored by the Washington State Mathematics Council. These students include Annelise Beaulieu, Nikki Rabey, Shantel Root, Katherine Swanson, Lisa Johnson, Lindsay Kirk, Ryan Moore, Ryan Renslow, Mike Murphy, Jon Cael, Greg Susinger and Lynn Niehenke.

, DataTimes MEMO: If you have news about an interesting program or activity at a Valley school or about the achievements of Valley students, teachers or school staff, please let us know at the Valley Voice, 13208 E. Sprague, Spokane, WA 99216. Call: 927-2166. Fax: 927-2175.