Chase Teachers Receive Awards

Thu., April 6, 2000

By Carlos Acevedo carlosa@spokesman.com

Two Chase Middle School teachers have received this year’s Innovation in Teaching awards from the Washington Software Foundation.

Heather Cassidy and Diane Gibson, both eighth-grade teachers, were recognized for their Naturemapping project in which students use a geography mapping computer program to plot animal sightings and other wildlife data. The data is sent to University of Washington scientists who are compiling information for a national study.

Students publish their data on a Web site, www.lsw.org/chase, and produce a community newspaper, the Glenrose Gazette, which reports on the Naturemapping project.

“Panelists were impressed by the many ways Cassidy and Gibson connect students with the world outside their classroom, forging partnerships and using multiple media for multiple learning styles,” wrote director Keneta Anderson in a letter to the Spokane School District.

Cassidy and Gibson will each receive $2,000 from the Washington Software Foundation, $1,000 of which each must use for technology in their classrooms. The other $1,000 is for personal use.

Ferris string quartet takes first

Ferris High School’s Knox String Quartet took first place March 17 at the Northwest Orchestra Festival in Oregon.

This is the first time a Spokane school has received first place at the Mt. Hood Community College music competition, school officials said. The quartet is comprised of seniors Michelle Bassett on first violin, Niquee Laferty on second violin, Katie Patterson on viola and Holly Castle on cello.

Also, the quartet took a gold award at the Eastern Washington Music Educators Association Solo and Ensemble Competition March 4, and will compete at the state-level competition in Central Washington University April 28.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.