Events Spotlight Best Of Our Youth

It’s spring, the season when, as poet Joan Walsh Anglund put it:

“… new life presses out from every growing thing,

fulfilling our trust, renewing our faith,

that this has always been, that this will be again.”

So, as the air warms, the grass greens and the buds swell, nothing renews our faith or fulfills our trust like the accomplishments of the growing things known as children.

Fittingly, Spokane showcases young people and their achievements this time of year. Not just athletic skills which recent tournaments and banquets celebrated ably, but also - although with less fanfare - their scholarship and citizenship.

Consider these events in the coming few weeks:

Chase Youth Awards, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Spokane Opera House. More than 400 youngsters in two age groups have been nominated for awards in nine categories ranging from creativity to entrepreneurship. The ceremony is free to the public.

Spokane Scholars Foundation banquet, 6 p.m., April 15, Spokane Ag-Trade Center. Spokane County’s top high school seniors are selected for cash grants in each of six scholastic categories. For ticket information call 838-8568.

“To Make a Difference” awards ceremony, 6:30 p.m., April 23, Spokane City Council Chambers. Citizens League of Greater Spokane presents cash awards to teams of three or more students in grades 7-12 for identifying and addressing community issues. Attendance is free to the public.

Golden Rule Volunteer of the Year Awards, 11:30 a.m., April 29, Spokane Ag-Trade Center. United Way of Spokane County selects a youth volunteer of the year and J.C. Penney Co. gives cash awards to the winners’ organizations.

Besides these recognition programs, “Bridging the GAP,” a workshop for adults and young people interested in helping the community’s youth, will be held from 9 to 2 on May 1 at Spokane Falls Community College. For information call 742-3660.

Coordinated by the Health Improvement Partnership, Bridging the GAP represents an affirmation of community responsibility to nurture kids, honor their wise choices, help them learn from the unwise ones and encourage their full development into welladjusted, self-reliant, contributing citizens.

Spokane’s residents would do well to give all these activities their attention, their participation and their support.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Doug Floyd/For the editorial board