IT’S SCIENCE AND SPELLING time around Spokane Valley schools. Several schools are hosting science fairs in upcoming weeks, including Sunrise Elementary School and its kickoff Community Science Presenter’s Night on Tuesday. Also, school-level competitions are leading up to the Valley Spelling Bee on Feb. 15 at Bowdish Middle School. Sixth- through eighth-grade students in public and private schools within the Valley compete after qualifying at individual schools.

Ten schools will have students competing in this year’s Valley Spelling Bee with prizes sponsored by Tidyman’s and Barnes & Noble, said coordinator Kyle Schafer.

In the science fair arena, the Sunrise Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization and staff are working to bring in 40 to 50 community educators and business professionals to show off exhibits and get students excited about their own science projects.

The Presenter’s Night, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., is open to the public at the school, 14603 E. 24th Ave., with displays from dentists, veterinarians and crime lab experts among others. Science Fair Committee member Dee Elliott said other hands-on exhibits that are scheduled include ones from Master Gardeners, the Spokane Astronomical Society, the Society of Women Engineers and the National Weather Service.

About 500 people attended last year’s night of exhibits. Sunrise’s Science Fair will run Feb. 23-25. For more information on Presenter’s Night, call the school at 228-4600.

VFW essay winners recognized

Last weekend, students were recognized for winning essays in a Spokane Valley contest sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435. The essay topic this year was, “What does service to our country mean to me?”

Thirty-seven schools from the Valley participated. The veterans hosted the winners, families and teachers with an ice cream social last Saturday. The following won top awards:

Third-grade – Haley Feider, first-place; Sarah Cable, second; and Nick Seubert, third, all of Liberty Lake Elementary School.

Fourth-grade – Casey Moss, University Elementary, first-place; Matthew Szymanski, St. Paschal, second; Olivia Zertuche, St. Paschal, third.

Fifth-grade – Zachery Bruce, University Elementary, first-place; Cody Patton, Adams Elementary, second; Megan Johnson, University Elementary, third.

Sixth-grade – Jessica Drake, first-place; Hannah Love, second; and Emma VanDinter, third, all of St. Paschal.

Seventh-grade – Laura Mendoza, Summit School, first-place; Tim Tanner, East Valley Middle School, second; Anthony Cossette, St. Paschal, third.

Eighth-grade – Valerie Payne, first-place; Natalie Lowe, second; and Liz George, third, all of East Valley Middle School.

High school level – Miranda Ackerman, first-place, and Randi Albertson, second, both Spokane Valley High School.

Each student received an award certificate and small gratuity. All finalists will be entered in the VFW’s district competition.

Area high school students qualify for DECA

University High School qualified 29 students to advance to the state DECA competition in March. Among those, the school announced the five first-place finishers from the regional Jan. 11 DECA competition among 17 schools at NorthTown Mall.

U-Hi’s first-place finishers were Chris Jackson, Kalee Bielen, Jami Bjorklund, Alsissa Lanker, Sara Baxter and Karly Jordan.

Central Valley also had several students place well at the area competition. They include Lindsey Wallingford, Marissa Bertel, Christina Psomas, Becky Streich, Emily Maxwell, Kris Kittridge, Martin Wheeler, Nate Tibbals, Jeremy Savage, Kristan Binczewski, Jennifer Polignoni, Megan Wells, Patrick Metzger, Mitch Pederson, Tyler Loessin, Ashlee Lupfer, Molly Weisbeck, Jessica Yamakawa, Ashley Egland, Amber Jackson, McKenzie Busby, Kyndria Malinak, Amanda Duclos, Nikki Barham and Whitney Lawson.

CVHS Quiz Bowl Team members who placed first were Travis Knoles, Becky Streich, Kristan Binczewski, Blake Trimmer and Mitch Williams.

West Valley High School had 19 DECA members qualify for state. Some of the top winners include Natalie Brown, Jeff White, Nick Sevey, Ashleigh Hughes, Mandi Hohner, Tenley Pring, Jake Ulmer, Aaron Shields, Jaclyn Rouse, Casey Groh, Jenna Isherwood, Cayla Skillman and Megan Stantus. Six other DECA students also have submitted written event manuals for state competition.

East Valley High School has two DECA students advancing to state: Ivan Gwynn and Alexia Brown.

DECA promotes marketing education, management and entrepreneurship.

Students achieve choir, band honors

Four East Valley High School students received 2005 All-Northwest Honors in choir and band. They are George Hamilton, who plays bassoon, and choir members Jeff Olfs, Spencer Peugh and Courtney VanWinkle.

They qualified to perform Feb. 13-16 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. More than 3,600 musicians auditioned for the All-Northwest Honors from the Northwest Division, covering Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming.

EVHS also has three students in music selected for All-State Honors. They are Spencer Ekenes and Nick Studebaker in orchestra and Heather Laing in choir.