Freeman Junior Guest Teacher At Elementary School

Try as he might, Chris Meenach couldn’t stump the fourth-graders.

They figured out most of the major crops grown in Hawaii: pineapples, coconuts and sugar cane.

Next, they realized that sugar beets, grown right here in Washington, were another way to get sugar.

Then, with a few leading questions from Meenach, who’s a junior at Freeman High School, the children figured out that Hawaii could grow three crops a year, versus Washington’s one. That’s one reason sugar beets aren’t grown much in Washington any more, Meenach said.

With just a few nudges, the kids reeled off other crops that aren’t grown much in this area any longer. Then Meenach sprung the big question: Why? What caused us to switch crops?

“You know the word. We’ve talked about this before.”

Sure enough, they knew. Irrigation in the Columbia Basin. Grand Coulee Dam.

Meenach has been a part-time guest teacher at Freeman Elementary this spring. His classes are on the importance of agriculture. Monday was his seventh session with Judy Bickler’s fourth-graders. He’s taught grade school classes, all the way from kindergartners (plants and seeds) to a class of gifted sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders (wildlife and other more complex issues). He comes by his farming knowledge through his family and his own hard work. His public speaking skills he credits to experience in 4-H and National FFA Organization.

From the difficulties of harvesting cranberries, to the largest cattle ranch in Hawaii, Meenach’s class was full of information.

Bickler, who watched Monday as Meenach ran her class, said she’s pleased with his work. “And you should see his visuals. They’re wonderful.”

For Meenach, the fun comes when the students surprise him with their knowledge and when they take away his knowledge, spreading the word about agriculture.

CV project has happy ending

Students in the construction trades and home building class at Central Valley High School helped raise thousands of dollars this spring for the Wishing Star Foundation.

Under teacher John Clift and using materials donated by Valley Savemore Building Supply, the students built a two-story playhouse and donated it to the foundation. A raffle held earlier this month for the CV playhouse and five others raised a little more than $8,000, said Doug Raper, executive director of Wishing Star, a foundation that grants wishes for children who are seriously or terminally ill.

Raper said the Central Valley playhouse was the only one of the six built by high school students. “It was amazing. Did you see it? They really did a super job,” Raper said.

He’s not the only one who thinks so. A north Spokane family with two girls, 6 and 7, won the playhouse. Dawn Donahoo said, “We love it. We won it on my six-year-old’s birthday.”

“It took about 20 men to move it,” Donahoo quipped, but the Donahoo home in Gleneden is now the house in the neighborhood where all the kids want to play, she said.

EWU’s student teachers

Four Eastern Washington University students are student-teaching this spring in Spokane Valley schools. They include Christopher Coffield, who is teaching physical education at University High School; Marie Elizabeth Harcus, teaching art at Central Valley High School; April Adkins, teaching second grade at Ness Elementary School; and Shad Skinner, teaching science and social studies to seventh-graders at North Pines Junior High.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

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.