Lc Senior To Squeeze In Trip To D.C. Leadership Meet

Brandon Pomrenke has a full schedule of classes, holds down a job at a South Side retirement center and maintains a 3.4 grade-point average.

But the Lewis and Clark High School senior somehow will manage to sneak a trip to the nation’s capital into his busy schedule.

“I’ve always sort of wondered what Washington was like,” he said.

Pomrenke, 18, is the sole Spokane delegate to the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C.

The weeklong March conference is a leadership development program for high school students with scholastic merit and leadership potential.

It’s sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.

Pomrenke applied for the trip at the encouragement of LC history teacher Susan Gerard.

He’ll visit the House of Representatives and several foreign embassies and receive policy briefings from senior government officials.

The trip culminates with all 350 students role-playing members of the Cabinet and officials from Capitol Hill who must respond to an international crisis.

Pomrenke plans to attend Washington State University next fall to study animal science and German. He hopes to become a veterinarian.

He is the son of Bob and Nancy Pomrenke.

Pair named to equity committee

The Spokane District 81 School Board named two South Side residents to the district equity committee at its meeting last week.

Romel Mackelprang and Mary Ethel Kellogg will serve as members of the Instructional Equity Citizens Advisory Committee.

The committee monitors equity issues within the district.

Mackelprang is an associate professor of social work at Eastern Washington University and a member of the Hospice of Spokane board of trustees. He has children at Mullan Road Elementary, Sacajawea Middle School and Ferris High School.

Kellogg is a Gonzaga University instructor and is involved with fund-raising for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Center. She has children at Moran Prairie Elementary, Chase Middle School and Ferris High School.

Adams students get wired

Adams Elementary students will show their technology savvy tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The technology night will include displays, student presentations, and treats and prizes for the intermediate and primary classes with the most participation.

Ferris debaters to hold exhibition

Ferris High School debate team members will get a chance to argue with their teachers next week. But it’s for a good cause - a debate exhibition at the school to raise money for the program.

Students will match up against teachers for one-on-one debates, as well as perform individual readings, impromptu speeches and humorous interpretations, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Ferris Auditorium.

Tickets are $1 for students, $5 for adults and can be purchased from students or at the door. All proceeds go to the debate team for travel and other expenses.

Call 448-4189 for more information.