Green Spaces May Ease Urban Sprawl, Students Find Meadow Ridge 6Th-Graders Place In State Contest

This year, Nancy Spencer’s sixth-graders received a civics lesson they will not soon forget.

The Meadow Ridge Elementary School students took part in the fourth annual “To Make a Difference” competition. Their project, which explored the topic of urban sprawl and lack of green space, was good enough to earn the first runner-up prize in the state competition in Olympia May 18.

The competition challenges students to choose a problem, brainstorm ideas on how to solve it, pick the best solution and then develop an action plan.

Spencer’s class chose a problem with personal meaning.

“Our class believes there aren’t enough parks and green spaces in our community,” wrote the students. “There are too many houses without parks nearby,” said student Ryan Campbell. “And there are no laws or regulations governing this.”

The students arranged speakers - such as real estate agents, school district officials and members of the Parks Department - to educate them on issues related to their problem. They wrote essays and conducted a survey to gauge public opinion.

Their solution is to develop 28 acres next to Meadow Ridge as a park with hiking and biking trails, a remote-control car track and a swimming pool. They also want to propose a law that would require developers to set aside 5 percent of new developments for parks.

To set their plan in action, the students created a Web site, contacted developers and started thinking about how to get community donations and corporate sponsors. Some students said they plan to continue through the summer and hope to find a way to continue as seventh graders.

“If we just quit right now, our work would have been for nothing and we wouldn’t get a park,” said student Jon Jingling.

The project not only taught them about planning a park, but other valuable skills. They honed their Internet research skills, learned to do Power Point presentations and use a digital camera, and got lots of practice with public speaking.

“We learned how to work with each other,” said student Cameron Hogue. “Without teamwork this project would have gone nowhere.”

They also learned just how much they are capable of.

Said Joe Meyer: “If you give kids a chance, they can make a difference.”

Riverside students play the Met

Riverside Middle School bands played an unusual concert at the Met recently.

On stage, a flutist’s bare feet tapped a silent rhythm. And when the band finished its first number, the audience of five did not clap.

That’s because Riverside’s symphonic, jazz and concert bands had come to record a CD at the downtown theater.

Thanks to director Dan Carlson’s theater connections, the 97 kids had a chance few other middle schoolers get.

But that doesn’t mean it was easy.

As the symphonic band launched into a medley of cartoon themes - including music from “The Pink Panther,” “The Simpsons” and “The Flintstones” - the snare drum started rushing.

They started over. The bass drum beat was off. Start again. Then a trumpet came in early.

“If we can’t get a good cut, this won’t be on the CD,” Carlson warned.

Finally, they got through the song. “It was stressful,” said trumpet and trombone player Adam Gall. “I was worried I’d mess up and then it would be on the CD.”

“It’s like performing a concert, but not,” said trumpet player Blake Weigum. “You’re on stage, but there’s no audience. And we have a chance to start over.”

Assistant band director Teresa Flegel was pleased with the students’ performance.

“They’ve already played the music in concerts and festivals, so they’re really prepared,” she said. “They did an outstanding job.”

All agreed the experience was a good one.

“It was cool,” said Vanessa Toner, who plays the vibes, an instrument similar to a xylophone. “You can hear yourself on a CD. It’s a good memory.”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” added saxophonist Jamie Jennings. “Lots of people won’t go on with a career in music, but at least they’ll have this.”

The CDs will contain a dozen songs, including marches, concert music and jazz, and are on sale for $8 at Riverside Middle School. Call 464-8450 to order or receive more information.

Lake Spokane student super reader

Lake Spokane Elementary School librarian Kay Babcock unfurled a scroll. The paper unrolled onto the library floor and kept going and going until it stretched for a few feet.

On that scroll was a list of books - quite an impressive list when you learn that they are the books fourth-grader Erica Scott has read since kindergarten as part of the Accelerated Reader program.

The program awards kids with points for completing books and taking short comprehension tests. Scott, 10, was honored last week for reaching 1,000 points.

That is a rare accomplishment, Babcock said.

“No one else is even close (in points). Very few even reach 500,” she added. “Erica just wants to read as much as she can.”

Scott said she started reading when she was 4.

“Our whole house is filled with books. My mom pushes me to read every night for an hour,” she said.

“But I like to read because reading makes you smarter and better in school subjects.”

Scott’s sister, Chelley, reached 1,000 points last year as a fifth-grader.

Camp Fire members honored

Four North Side members of the Camp Fire Boys and Girls were honored May 16 with the Wohelo Medallion, the highest achievement for a young person in Camp Fire.

Lindsey Combs and Wendy Russell, Mead High School seniors, and Kathleen Jeffries and Kristen Wasson, Gonzaga Prep seniors, received the honor.

The Wohelo Medallion is awarded for a self-planned, individual project of personal development that takes three to four years to complete. It encourages service, leadership and advocacy for improvement of societal conditions.

North Siders earn EWU scholarships

Two Riverside High School seniors were recently selected to receive $2,000 Presidential Scholarships at Eastern Washington University for the 2000-2001 school year.

Felisa Schurkamp and Tiffany Thompson were chosen based on their academic accomplishments.

Schurkamp is Riverside’s valedictorian and plans to major in dental hygiene at Eastern.

Thompson is vice president of the Associated Student Body and plans to major in pre-medicine at Eastern.

New preschool program planned

Educational Service District 101, in conjunction with the Mead School District, will open a preschool program at Shiloh Hills Elementary School next year.

Integrated preschool programs for 3- to 5-year-olds are currently offered at Farwell and Evergreen elementary schools. The programs offer a unique setting that combines children with disabilities and typically developing children.

In addition to the preschool program, child care is also available from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, contact Anne Renschler, Kathy Christiansen or Karen Domini at ESD 101 at 456-7086.