College fair will be Tuesday at Convention Center

Area high school students can head Tuesday to the Spokane National College Fair at the Convention Center in downtown Spokane. The fair offers information from more than 200 colleges and technical schools around the United States. The event is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Pat Shelley, University High counselor, said the school usually sends between 100 and 120 students by bus each year. Other school counseling offices also promote the event.

“We open it to juniors and seniors, and we usually will take three buses,” Shelley said.

Some parents take their children out of school for a portion of the day and drive them to the fair, Shelley added. The evening session also makes it more convenient for parents who can’t leave work. “We encourage parents to go with their kids.”

A wide range of colleges and schools are usually present, according to Shelley. “Not just four-year colleges. There are also technical schools, culinary arts, the military. We have had over 200 colleges – from Hawaii to Vermont.”

In addition to booths, the fair offers break-out sessions that include Applications 101, College Information on the Web, The Ins and Outs of Financial Aid, and ROTC/Military Academies.

“There are all kinds of wonderful things for students to access,” Shelley said.

There is no admission fee. For basic information, call 324-7000.

Lilac princess candidates sought

All Spokane County senior girls are invited to apply for the 2006 Lilac Festival Royal Court. The Spokane Lilac Festival Association requests that applicants have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher at the end of their junior year, be a full-time high school student in Spokane County and be scheduled to graduate with their senior class.

The association requires that a student be a Spokane County resident, childless, single, never married and never convicted of a crime. Candidates should have a good citizenship record, demonstrate community involvement, maintain good school attendance and, as of Dec. 5, 2005, hold no other royalty titles.

To submit an application, girls in the senior class, home-schooled or in Running Start are asked to contact their high schools. Among the schools participating are: Central Valley, Cheney, Deer Park, East Valley, Ferris, Freeman, Gonzaga Prep, Lewis and Clark, Mead, Medical Lake, Mount Spokane, Northwest Christian, Oaks Christian Academy, Rogers, St. George’s, Shadle Park, University, Valley Christian and West Valley.

For more information, contact Cecelia Stephens at 928-2190 or 710-8136.

Program provides volunteers

Marcy Williams, Mountain View Middle School teacher, was among those who organized student volunteers to help at Valleyfest this past weekend.

Williams said about seven students from the Road to Success program helped with a fun run and then assisted firefighters with a pancake breakfast. The program helps students who have struggled in school to improve their skills.

CV gathering backpacks

Central Valley leadership students have backpacks coming in at a rapid pace. Leanne Donley, CVHS leadership class teacher, said the group is doing a backpack drive for children affected by Hurricane Katrina. So far, the group has 200 backpacks arriving, large numbers from the U.S. Army and another batch from a company that offers student trips.

Leadership students are still collecting school supplies to fill these backpacks, although several items have been donated. Donley said the group recently mailed 30 boxes to New Orleans filled with clothes and bedding donated by local businesses.